Hank Gowdy
Born: 8/24/1889 in Columbus, OH, USA
Died: 8/1/1966 in Columbus, OH, USA
MLB Debut: 1910-09-13 | Final Game: 1930-08-29
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 182 lbs
Full name: Harry Morgan Gowdy
Biography
Hank Gowdy, born in 1889, was a prominent American baseball player whose career spanned from 1910 to 1930. A versatile position player, Gowdy appeared in 1,050 games throughout his tenure in Major League Baseball. Known for his solid batting skills, he recorded 738 hits with a career batting average of .27. He contributed to his teams with 21 home runs and 322 runs batted in, along with 59 stolen bases, showcasing both power and speed on the field.
Gowdy played during an era that was transitioning from the deadball period into a more offense-driven style of play in the 1920s. His ability to adapt to the evolving game made him a valuable asset to teams such as the Boston Braves, New York Giants, and Cincinnati Reds. Over his two-decade career, Gowdy left a lasting impact on the game, exemplifying the grit and determination of early 20th-century baseball players. His contributions to the sport are remembered as part of the rich tapestry of baseball history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1050 | 2735 | 270 | 738 | 124 | 27 | 21 | 322 | 59 | 311 | 247 | 0.270 | 0.351 | 0.358 | 0.709 | 1862.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | NY1 | NL | 7 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.214 | 0.0 |
| 1911 | BSN | NL | 29 | 97 | 9 | 28 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 19 | 0.289 | -25.2 |
| 1911 | NY1 | NL | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.250 | -25.2 |
| 1912 | BSN | NL | 44 | 96 | 16 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 0.271 | 364.9 |
| 1913 | BSN | NL | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0.600 | 0.0 |
| 1914 | BSN | NL | 128 | 366 | 42 | 89 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 46 | 14 | 48 | 40 | 0.243 | 355.4 |
| 1915 | BSN | NL | 118 | 316 | 27 | 78 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 30 | 10 | 41 | 34 | 0.247 | 285.2 |
| 1916 | BSN | NL | 118 | 349 | 32 | 88 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 34 | 8 | 24 | 33 | 0.252 | -163.4 |
| 1917 | BSN | NL | 49 | 154 | 12 | 33 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 15 | 13 | 0.214 | -303.9 |
| 1919 | BSN | NL | 78 | 219 | 18 | 61 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 5 | 19 | 16 | 0.279 | 80.5 |
| 1920 | BSN | NL | 80 | 214 | 14 | 52 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 6 | 20 | 15 | 0.243 | -413.8 |
| 1921 | BSN | NL | 64 | 164 | 17 | 49 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 16 | 11 | 0.299 | 117.1 |
| 1922 | BSN | NL | 92 | 221 | 23 | 70 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 2 | 24 | 13 | 0.317 | 274.5 |
| 1923 | BSN | NL | 23 | 48 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 0.125 | -156.7 |
| 1923 | NY1 | NL | 53 | 122 | 13 | 40 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 21 | 9 | 0.328 | -156.7 |
| 1924 | NY1 | NL | 87 | 191 | 25 | 62 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 37 | 1 | 26 | 11 | 0.325 | 658.9 |
| 1925 | NY1 | NL | 47 | 114 | 14 | 37 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 0.325 | 311.3 |
| 1929 | BSN | NL | 10 | 16 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.438 | 0.0 |
| 1930 | BSN | NL | 16 | 25 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 42 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 0.310 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | WS | NY1 | 7 | 27 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0.259 |
| 1923 | WS | NY1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1914 | WS | BSN | 4 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0.545 |
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 | BSN | C | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1911 | BSN | 1B | 26 | 0 | 245 | 12 | 9 | 9 |
| 1911 | NY1 | 1B | 2 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1912 | BSN | C | 22 | 0 | 82 | 30 | 9 | 5 |
| 1912 | BSN | 1B | 7 | 0 | 56 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 1913 | BSN | C | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1914 | BSN | C | 115 | 0 | 475 | 151 | 21 | 11 |
| 1914 | BSN | 1B | 9 | 0 | 59 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| 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 | C | 74 | 0 | 230 | 105 | 8 | 11 |
| 1919 | BSN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920 | BSN | C | 74 | 0 | 231 | 104 | 7 | 12 |
| 1921 | BSN | C | 53 | 0 | 162 | 50 | 4 | 3 |
| 1922 | BSN | C | 72 | 0 | 204 | 63 | 8 | 7 |
| 1922 | BSN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 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
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 893 |
| First Base | 51 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1916 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | C |