Hank Gowdy
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1910-1930)
Hank Gowdy was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1910 to 1930 for the New York Giants and the Boston Braves, a span of 21 seasons. In 1,050 career games, he hit .270 with 738 hits, 21 home runs, and 322 RBI. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 2,128.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Catcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 182 lb
- Died
- 8/1/1966 in Columbus, OH, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1910-09-13
- Last Game
- 1930-08-29
Full name: Harry Morgan Gowdy
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,050 | 2,735 | 270 | 738 | 124 | 27 | 21 | 322 | 59 | 311 | 247 | .270 | .351 | .358 | .709 | 2,128 |
Career AVG .270 vs. league average .271 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .351 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .358 vs. league average .370 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .709 vs. league average .704 across their career seasons — near league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | NY1 | NL | 7 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .214 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1911 | NY1 | NL | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .250 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1911 | BSN | NL | 29 | 97 | 9 | 28 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 19 | .289 | .266 (+8%) | .336 (-4%) | .356 (+4%) | .693 (avg) | 0.0 |
| 1912 | BSN | NL | 44 | 96 | 16 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 16 | 13 | .271 | .268 (+1%) | .335 (+15%) | .358 (+25%) | .694 (+20%) | 367.9 |
| 1913 | BSN | NL | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | .600 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1914 | BSN | NL | 128 | 366 | 42 | 89 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 46 | 14 | 48 | 40 | .243 | .255 (-5%) | .322 (+5%) | .339 (+2%) | .661 (+3%) | 323.5 |
| 1915 | BSN | NL | 118 | 316 | 27 | 78 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 30 | 10 | 41 | 34 | .247 | .250 (-1%) | .318 (+6%) | .332 (avg) | .651 (+3%) | 279.0 |
| 1916 | BSN | NL | 118 | 349 | 32 | 88 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 34 | 8 | 24 | 33 | .252 | .248 (+1%) | .314 (-1%) | .326 (-6%) | .640 (-4%) | -151.9 |
| 1917 | BSN | NL | 49 | 154 | 12 | 33 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 15 | 13 | .214 | .248 (-14%) | .312 (-8%) | .323 (-20%) | .635 (-14%) | -278.9 |
| 1919 | BSN | NL | 78 | 219 | 18 | 61 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 5 | 19 | 16 | .279 | .262 (+6%) | .322 (+5%) | .347 (-3%) | .670 (+1%) | 73.4 |
| 1920 | BSN | NL | 80 | 214 | 14 | 52 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 6 | 20 | 15 | .243 | .271 (-11%) | .331 (-6%) | .363 (-14%) | .694 (-10%) | -305.6 |
| 1921 | BSN | NL | 64 | 164 | 17 | 49 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 16 | 11 | .299 | .286 (+4%) | .344 (+7%) | .395 (+2%) | .739 (+4%) | 159.1 |
| 1922 | BSN | NL | 92 | 221 | 23 | 70 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 2 | 24 | 13 | .317 | .285 (+11%) | .345 (+13%) | .397 (-2%) | .743 (+5%) | 309.9 |
| 1923 | BSN | NL | 23 | 48 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 5 | .125 | — | — | — | — | -144.7 |
| 1923 | NY1 | NL | 53 | 122 | 13 | 40 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 21 | 9 | .328 | .282 (+16%) | .344 (+24%) | .390 (+16%) | .734 (+19%) | -144.7 |
| 1924 | NY1 | NL | 87 | 191 | 25 | 62 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 37 | 1 | 26 | 11 | .325 | .283 (+14%) | .345 (+19%) | .389 (+14%) | .734 (+16%) | 694.1 |
| 1925 | NY1 | NL | 47 | 114 | 14 | 37 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 12 | 7 | .325 | .288 (+13%) | .349 (+11%) | .407 (+21%) | .756 (+16%) | 335.2 |
| 1929 | BSN | NL | 10 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .438 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1930 | BSN | NL | 16 | 25 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | .200 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 19 seasons | 1,050 | 2,735 | 270 | 738 | 124 | 27 | 21 | 322 | 59 | 311 | 247 | .270 | — | — | — | — | 1,517 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1050 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 519 | 1336 | 141 | 362 | 8 | 147 | .271 |
| Away | 531 | 1400 | 129 | 375 | 13 | 180 | .268 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930-08-29 | BSN | PHI | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930-08-15 | BSN | STL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930-08-10 | BSN | CHC | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930-07-19 | BSN | PIT | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930-07-16 | BSN | PIT | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1930-07-16 | BSN | PIT | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930-07-15 | BSN | CHC | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930-07-01 | BSN | PIT | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1930-06-01 | BSN | NY1 | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1930-05-23 | BSN | BRO | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 51 | 3 | 428 | 24 | 12 | 17 |
| C | 893 | 0 | 3149 | 1000 | 105 | 93 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | NY1 | 1B | 5 | 3 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 1911 | NY1 | 1B | 2 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1911 | BSN | 1B | 26 | 0 | 245 | 12 | 9 | 9 |
| 1911 | BSN | C | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1912 | BSN | 1B | 7 | 0 | 56 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 1912 | BSN | C | 22 | 0 | 82 | 30 | 9 | 5 |
| 1913 | BSN | C | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1914 | BSN | 1B | 9 | 0 | 59 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 1914 | BSN | C | 115 | 0 | 475 | 151 | 21 | 11 |
| 1915 | BSN | C | 114 | 0 | 460 | 148 | 16 | 11 |
| 1916 | BSN | C | 116 | 0 | 533 | 158 | 14 | 19 |
| 1917 | BSN | C | 49 | 0 | 204 | 75 | 9 | 3 |
| 1919 | BSN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1919 | BSN | C | 74 | 0 | 230 | 105 | 8 | 11 |
| 1920 | BSN | C | 74 | 0 | 231 | 104 | 7 | 12 |
| 1921 | BSN | C | 53 | 0 | 162 | 50 | 4 | 3 |
| 1922 | BSN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922 | BSN | C | 72 | 0 | 204 | 63 | 8 | 7 |
| 1923 | BSN | C | 15 | 0 | 43 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 1923 | NY1 | C | 43 | 0 | 121 | 18 | 2 | 1 |
| 1924 | NY1 | C | 78 | 0 | 223 | 51 | 5 | 8 |
| 1925 | NY1 | C | 41 | 0 | 124 | 26 | 0 | 1 |
| 1929 | BSN | C | 9 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1930 | BSN | C | 15 | 0 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 893 |
| First Base | 51 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1916 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | C |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Hank Gowdy (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Hank Gowdy: the record in brief
Hank Gowdy's major league career runs from a debut on September 13, 1910 to a final game on August 29, 1930. The team column moves through the New York Giants (1910 through 1925), the Boston Rustlers (1911), and the Boston Braves (1912 through 1930). Gowdy played primarily as a catcher and threw and hit right-handed. Born on August 24, 1889, in Columbus, OH, USA, Gowdy was listed at 6 feet, 2 inches and 182 pounds. Gowdy died on August 1, 1966, in Columbus, OH, USA. On the record, Hank Gowdy was born Harry Morgan Gowdy.
Gowdy finished with 738 hits from 2,735 at bats in 1,050 games, which works out to .270, plus 21 home runs, 322 runs batted in, and 59 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .351 clip and slugging .358, Gowdy finished with a .709 OPS. Against a .271 league average for those years, Gowdy's .270 average was near the norm. Gowdy collected a career-high 89 hits in 1914. The RBI column peaks at 46 in 1914.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hank Gowdy
- What years did Hank Gowdy play?
- Hank Gowdy played in Major League Baseball from 1910 to 1930.
- Was Hank Gowdy a pitcher?
- No. Hank Gowdy was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Hank Gowdy hit?
- Hank Gowdy hit 21 career home runs with 738 hits.
- What teams did Hank Gowdy play for?
- Hank Gowdy played for 2 teams: the New York Giants (1910–1911, 1923–1925) and the Boston Braves (1911–1917, 1919–1923, 1929–1930).
- What were Hank Gowdy's career stats?
- In 1,050 games, Hank Gowdy had 738 hits, 21 home runs, 322 RBI, 270 runs, and 59 stolen bases, with a .270 batting average.
- What position did Hank Gowdy play?
- Hank Gowdy played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Hank Gowdy and how much did he weigh?
- Hank Gowdy was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 182 pounds.
- How many home runs did Hank Gowdy hit each season?
- Hank Gowdy's home runs by season: 0 in 1910, 0 in 1911, 3 in 1912, 0 in 1913, 3 in 1914, 2 in 1915, 1 in 1916, 0 in 1917, 1 in 1919, 0 in 1920, 2 in 1921, 1 in 1922, 1 in 1923, 4 in 1924, 3 in 1925, 0 in 1929, and 0 in 1930. His most in one season was 4, in 1924.
- What was Hank Gowdy's career batting average?
- Hank Gowdy batted .270 over his career, with 738 hits in 2,735 at bats.
- How many RBI did Hank Gowdy have?
- Hank Gowdy drove in 322 runs in his career.
- Is Hank Gowdy in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Hank Gowdy has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.