Frank Eugene Bowerman was a catcher

Catcher

Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...

 in Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 with the Baltimore Orioles, the Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

, the New York Giants

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

, and the Boston Doves

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

, as well as a player-manager for the Doves in his last season in professional baseball. While always playing in the shadows of Wilbert Robinson

Wilbert Robinson

Wilbert Robinson , nicknamed "Uncle Robbie", was an American catcher, coach and manager in Major League Baseball...

 and Roger Bresnahan

Roger Bresnahan

Roger Philip Bresnahan , nicknamed "The Duke of Tralee" for his Irish roots, was an American player in Major League Baseball who starred primarily as a catcher and a player-manager...

, he was a solid player who could play any position in the diamond, and he even pitched an inning for the Giants in . Although he did not play in the 1905 World Series

1905 World Series

- Game 1 :Monday, October 9, 1905 at Columbia Park in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaA pitchers' duel took place between Christy Mathewson and Eddie Plank. Both pitchers got out of jams and were able to shut the offense down. In the Giants top of the fifth, Mathewson singled, but was forced by Roger...

, he still got a ring. He was also the first to catch Hall-of-Famer Christy Mathewson

Christy Mathewson

Christopher "Christy" Mathewson , nicknamed "Big Six", "The Christian Gentleman", or "Matty", was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire career in what is known as the dead-ball era...

.

Bowerman was known for having a short fuse, as he repeatedly got into fights with players, umpires, and fans. In one such case in , he punched a heckler in the face and got arrested. He also started a fight with manager Fred Clarke

Fred Clarke

Fred Clifford Clarke was a Major League Baseball player from 1894 to and manager from 1897 to 1915. A Hall of Famer, Clarke played for and managed both the Louisville Colonels and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was a left fielder and left-handed batter.Of the nine pennants in Pittsburgh franchise...

 while with the Pirates and gave him a black eye.

The Doves hired him as manager during the season, but his fiery temper did not go well with his team, and he was relegated to player-only status after only 76 games.

Bowerman died in his birthplace of Romeo, Michigan

Romeo, Michigan

Romeo is a village in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,721 at the 2000 census. The village is situated at the southeast corner of Bruce Township, with a portion extending south into Washington Township. Armada Township is adjacent to the east and Ray Township to the...

 five days shy of his 80th birthday.

External links

• The Deadball Era