Woody Abernathy (outfielder)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Woodley "Woody" Abernathy (October 16, 1908 – February 1961) was a professional baseball
player whose career spanned 13 seasons in minor league baseball
. Over that time, Abernathy played for multiple teams in multiple leagues including the Class-D Vicksburg Hill Billies (1928) of the Cotton States League
; the Class-B Montgomery Lions (1929–1930) of the Southeastern League
; the Class-A Birmingham Barons
(1931–1933) of the Southern Association
; the Double-A Baltimore Orioles
(1934–1937) and the Double-A Buffalo Bisons
(1938) of the International League
; the Class-A1 Knoxville Smokies (1939) of the Southern Association; and the Double-A Milwaukee Brewers
(1940) and the St. Paul Saints
(1940) of the American Association
. During his career in the minors, Abernathy batted
.315 with 1997 hits
, 345 doubles
, 106 triples
and 210 home runs in 1713 games.
For college, Abernathy attended Auburn University
where he played football
. During his tenure in the International League, Abernathy ranked in the top-five in home runs hit in all of his four seasons in the league, including leading twice (1934, 1936). Although Abernathy never played in Major League Baseball
, his contract was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies
from the Baltimore Orioles in 1935 and spent spring training
with the Phillies in 1936. During the 1938 season, while playing with the Buffalo Bisons, Abernathy suffered a fractured skull after being stuck in the head by a pitch
and was hospitalized for nearly a month. Abernathy batted left-handed
and threw right-handed.
to Thomas H. and Hortence Abernathy of Tennessee
and Texas
, respectively. Thomas H. Abernathy worked as a meat cutter
in Jefferson, Alabama
. Woody Abernathy attended Auburn University
in Auburn, Alabama
. While at Auburn, Abernathy was described as a "football
star" by the Associated Press
; however, he chose to play baseball professionally instead.
in 1928. With the Hill Billies, Abernathy batted
.358 with 60 runs
, 169 hits
, 33 doubles
, 16 triples
, two home runs and six stolen bases in 123 games played
. On the defensive side, Abernathy played 63 games at first base and 57 games in the outfield
. He was second in the Cotton States League in triples, third in hits, sixth in doubles and ninth in batting average. In 1929, Abernathy began his tenure with the Class-B Montgomery Lions. With the Lions, he batted .339 with 172 hits, 30 doubles, 13 triples and three home runs in 138 games. Abernathy was tied for third in the Southeastern League
in triples, fourth in doubles, fifth in hits and tied for seventh in batting average. During the 1930 season, while playing with the Montgomery Lions, Abernathy batted .339 with 172 hits, 22 doubles, 11 triples and four home runs in 136 games played. He finished third in the Southeastern League in hits and fourth in hits.
of the Southern Association
. In 118 games that season, Abernathy batted .311 with 133 hits, 17 doubles, 12 triples and 10 home runs. On the defensive side, Abernathy played 69 games at first base and 40 games in the outfield. Abernathy's play was noted as "some of the finest fielding and hitting in the Dixie Series
" by the Associated Press
after the Barons won the championship that season. During the 1932 season, with the Barons, Abernathy batted .320 with 91 hits, 12 doubles, six triples and eight home runs in 78 game. In his final season with Birmingham, 1933, Abernathy batted .322 with 186 hits, 35 doubles, 12 doubles and 10 home runs in 150 games. Abernathy played all of his defensive games (112) at first base. Abernathy was fifth in the Southern Association in hits during the 1933 season.
with the Double-A Baltimore Orioles
in 1934. Before the season, The Gazette
described Abernathy as a "straight away hitter". When the Orioles were playing the Montreal Royals
in a double-header
in July 1934, Abernathy hit two home runs in each games, giving him four combined home runs in one day. On the season, Abernathy batted .309 with 174 hits, 24 doubles, nine triples and 32 home runs in 151 games played. He led the International League in home runs, tied with Vince Barton
. During the 1935 season, still with the Baltimore team, the Philadelphia Phillies
of Major League Baseball's
National League
traded for the rights to Abernathy. In exchange, the Orioles received $
15,000 ($ in today's standards) and pitcher
Harry Gumbert
. Abernathy was to report to the Phillies in 1936 for spring training
. At the end of the 1935 season, Abernathy batted .276 with 150 hits, 25 doubles, nine triples and 31 home runs in 149 games played. Abernathy was third in the International League in home runs.
In 1935, Abernathy sustained a "severe charley horse
", as described by The Milwaukee Journal, while playing with the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training. In April, still with the Phillies, it was noted by the Spartanburg Herald-Journal
that Abernathy's stats repeated themselves. For instance, Abernathy batted batted .339 in 1929 and 1930. After spring training, Abernathy returned to the Orioles as he did not make the final 25-man roster. Abernathy batted .309 with 171 hits, 24 doubles, three triples and 43 home runs in 554 games played with the Orioles in 1936. He led the International League in home runs that season. Abernathy spent his final season with the Orioles in 1937. In 148 games, he batted .284 with 155 hits, 29 doubles, two triples and 21 home runs. Abernathy was tied for fifth in the International League in home runs.
After the 1937 season, the Baltimore Orioles sold Abernathy to the Buffalo Bisons
, also of the International League. During a game on August 5, 1938, while playing with the Bisons, Abernathy was stuck in the head by a baseball from the opposing pitcher and was sent to St. Joseph Hospital in Syracuse, New York
where he was initially in critical condition
. The opposing pitcher who threw the injury-inflicting pitch, Jon Gee of the Syracuse Chiefs, went to the hospital after the game to see Abernathy. Abernathy, whose head was wrapped in bandages, told Gee that he knew he did not throw the pitch at him on purpose. Officially diagnosed with a fractured skull, Abernathy underwent surgery performed by Dr. Brooks McCain and was reportedly in an "improved" condition immediately afterwards. While recovering from his injuries, the Bisons and Chiefs played a benefit game for Abernathy and raised $4,000 ($ in today's standards) to pay his medical bills. On September 3, 1939, Abernathy left the hospital and returned home. During the 1938 season, Abernathy batted .323 with 121 hits, 27 doubles, five triples and 21 home runs. Despite being out of play after his injury in 1938, Abernathy still managed to hit the fourth most home runs in the International League.
, Abernathy batted .332 with 161 hits, 32 doubles, four triples and 16 home runs in 135 games. On the defensive side, Abernathy played 129 games in the outfield and committed six errors in 273 total chances. Abernathy ended the season sixth amongst batters in the Southern Association in home runs. In December 1939, the Smokies traded Abernathy and sent cash considerations to the American Association's
St. Paul Saints
franchise in exchange for pitcher Sugar Cain
and outfielder Bitt McCulloch. During the 1940 season, after playing for the Saints, Abernathy was acquired by the Milwaukee Brewers
, also of American Association. On the season, between the two American Association teams, Abernathy batted .281 with 142 hits, 35 doubles, four triples and 10 home runs in 135 games. Abernathy finished fifth in the American Association in doubles. After staying out of baseball in 1941, Abernathy attempted to stage a comeback with the Brewers in 1942; however he never made an appearance.
during regular season, he did play 13 seasons in the minor leagues
. In 1713 career games played
, Abernathy batted
.315 with a .502 slugging percentage, 1997 hits
, 345 doubles
, 106 triples
and 210 home runs in 1713 games. On the defensive side, Abernathy played 1218 games in the outfield
and 244 games at first base. As an outfielder, Abernathy committed 61 errors
in 2,600 total chances
. He also made 2,439 putouts and 106 assists
as an outfielder. Abernathy's fielding percentage
in the outfield was .977. At first base, Abernathy finished his career with a .991 fielding percentage; and made 2,316 putouts, 125 assists and 23 errors. His career highs include 42 home runs (1936), 186 hits (1933), 35 doubles (1933, 1940), 16 triples (1928), .358 batting average (1928) and .590 slugging percentage (1936).
. His mother's name was T. H. Abernathy. Woody Abernathy had a son.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player whose career spanned 13 seasons in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. Over that time, Abernathy played for multiple teams in multiple leagues including the Class-D Vicksburg Hill Billies (1928) of the Cotton States League
Cotton States League
The Cotton States League name was used five different times in baseball history. The first Cotton States League ran from 1902 through 1908 as a class D league. After the league shut down, another Cotton States League was reformulated in 1910, with three of the six '08 members returning for the new...
; the Class-B Montgomery Lions (1929–1930) of the Southeastern League
Southeastern League
The Southeastern League was the name of three baseball circuits in minor league baseball league which operated in the Southeastern and South Central United States...
; the Class-A Birmingham Barons
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
(1931–1933) of the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
; the Double-A Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
(1934–1937) and the Double-A Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
(1938) of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
; the Class-A1 Knoxville Smokies (1939) of the Southern Association; and the Double-A Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers (minor league baseball team)
The Milwaukee Brewers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They played in the American Association from 1902 through 1952.-A Milwaukee Tradition:...
(1940) and the St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
(1940) of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
. During his career in the minors, Abernathy batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.315 with 1997 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 345 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 106 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and 210 home runs in 1713 games.
For college, Abernathy attended Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
where he played football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. During his tenure in the International League, Abernathy ranked in the top-five in home runs hit in all of his four seasons in the league, including leading twice (1934, 1936). Although Abernathy never played 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...
, his contract was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
from the Baltimore Orioles in 1935 and spent spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with the Phillies in 1936. During the 1938 season, while playing with the Buffalo Bisons, Abernathy suffered a fractured skull after being stuck in the head by a pitch
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
and was hospitalized for nearly a month. Abernathy batted left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
and threw right-handed.
Early life
Thomas Woodley "Woody" Abernathy was born on October 16, 1908 in Athens, AlabamaAthens, Alabama
Athens is a city in Limestone County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 18,967. According to the 2009 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 24,234...
to Thomas H. and Hortence Abernathy of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, respectively. Thomas H. Abernathy worked as a meat cutter
Meat Cutter
A meat cutter prepares primal cuts into a variety of smaller cuts intended for sale in a retail environment. The duties of a meat cutter are related to that of a butcher.-Overview:...
in Jefferson, Alabama
Jefferson, Alabama
Jefferson is an unincorporated community in Marengo County, Alabama, United States.-History:It was founded in 1810, before Marengo was a county or Alabama was a state. Most of the original settlers were veterans of the American Revolution, including John Sample, John Gilmore, and Reuben Hildreth...
. Woody Abernathy attended Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
in Auburn, Alabama
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
. While at Auburn, Abernathy was described as a "football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
star" by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
; however, he chose to play baseball professionally instead.
Early career
Abernathy began his professional career with the Class-D Vicksburg Hill Billies of the Cotton States LeagueCotton States League
The Cotton States League name was used five different times in baseball history. The first Cotton States League ran from 1902 through 1908 as a class D league. After the league shut down, another Cotton States League was reformulated in 1910, with three of the six '08 members returning for the new...
in 1928. With the Hill Billies, Abernathy batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.358 with 60 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, 169 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 33 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 16 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, two home runs and six stolen bases in 123 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. On the defensive side, Abernathy played 63 games at first base and 57 games in the outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
. He was second in the Cotton States League in triples, third in hits, sixth in doubles and ninth in batting average. In 1929, Abernathy began his tenure with the Class-B Montgomery Lions. With the Lions, he batted .339 with 172 hits, 30 doubles, 13 triples and three home runs in 138 games. Abernathy was tied for third in the Southeastern League
Southeastern League
The Southeastern League was the name of three baseball circuits in minor league baseball league which operated in the Southeastern and South Central United States...
in triples, fourth in doubles, fifth in hits and tied for seventh in batting average. During the 1930 season, while playing with the Montgomery Lions, Abernathy batted .339 with 172 hits, 22 doubles, 11 triples and four home runs in 136 games played. He finished third in the Southeastern League in hits and fourth in hits.
Southern Association
In 1931, Abernathy began playing for the Class-A Birmingham BaronsBirmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
of the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
. In 118 games that season, Abernathy batted .311 with 133 hits, 17 doubles, 12 triples and 10 home runs. On the defensive side, Abernathy played 69 games at first base and 40 games in the outfield. Abernathy's play was noted as "some of the finest fielding and hitting in the Dixie Series
Dixie Series
The Dixie Series was an Interleague Minor League Postseason Series pitting the playoff champions of the Southern Association and the Texas League in a best-of-seven matchup from 1920 to 1958. It was revived for one year in 1967, pitting the Southern League champ against the Texas League champ...
" by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
after the Barons won the championship that season. During the 1932 season, with the Barons, Abernathy batted .320 with 91 hits, 12 doubles, six triples and eight home runs in 78 game. In his final season with Birmingham, 1933, Abernathy batted .322 with 186 hits, 35 doubles, 12 doubles and 10 home runs in 150 games. Abernathy played all of his defensive games (112) at first base. Abernathy was fifth in the Southern Association in hits during the 1933 season.
International League
Abernathy began his tenure in the International LeagueInternational League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
with the Double-A Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
in 1934. Before the season, The Gazette
The Gazette (Montreal)
The Gazette, often called the Montreal Gazette to avoid ambiguity, is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with three other daily English newspapers all having shut down at different times during the second half of the 20th century.-History:In 1778,...
described Abernathy as a "straight away hitter". When the Orioles were playing the Montreal Royals
Montreal Royals
The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, that existed from 1897–1917 and from 1928–60 as a member of the International League and its progenitor, the original Eastern League...
in a double-header
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
in July 1934, Abernathy hit two home runs in each games, giving him four combined home runs in one day. On the season, Abernathy batted .309 with 174 hits, 24 doubles, nine triples and 32 home runs in 151 games played. He led the International League in home runs, tied with Vince Barton
Vince Barton
Vincent David Barton is a former Major League Baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs.Barton had a very successful rookie year for the Cubs. In only 66 games he batted .238 with 13 HRs and 50 RBIs. His 13 home runs was tied for 2nd on the team with current Hall of Famer Hack Wilson, although...
. During the 1935 season, still with the Baltimore team, the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
of Major League Baseball's
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...
National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
traded for the rights to Abernathy. In exchange, the Orioles received $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
15,000 ($ in today's standards) and pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Harry Gumbert
Harry Gumbert
Harry Edwards "Gunboat" Gumbert was a pitcher for Major League Baseball. Two of his great uncles, Ad Gumbert and Billy Gumbert were also Major League Baseball pitchers....
. Abernathy was to report to the Phillies in 1936 for spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
. At the end of the 1935 season, Abernathy batted .276 with 150 hits, 25 doubles, nine triples and 31 home runs in 149 games played. Abernathy was third in the International League in home runs.
In 1935, Abernathy sustained a "severe charley horse
Charley horse
A charley horse is a popular North American colloquial term for painful spasms or cramps in the leg muscles, typically lasting anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours. Also known as a "Tommy Horse"...
", as described by The Milwaukee Journal, while playing with the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training. In April, still with the Phillies, it was noted by the Spartanburg Herald-Journal
Spartanburg Herald-Journal
The Spartanburg Herald-Journal is a daily newspaper, and the primary newspaper for Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States.It is part of the New York Times Regional Media Group.- History :...
that Abernathy's stats repeated themselves. For instance, Abernathy batted batted .339 in 1929 and 1930. After spring training, Abernathy returned to the Orioles as he did not make the final 25-man roster. Abernathy batted .309 with 171 hits, 24 doubles, three triples and 43 home runs in 554 games played with the Orioles in 1936. He led the International League in home runs that season. Abernathy spent his final season with the Orioles in 1937. In 148 games, he batted .284 with 155 hits, 29 doubles, two triples and 21 home runs. Abernathy was tied for fifth in the International League in home runs.
After the 1937 season, the Baltimore Orioles sold Abernathy to the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
, also of the International League. During a game on August 5, 1938, while playing with the Bisons, Abernathy was stuck in the head by a baseball from the opposing pitcher and was sent to St. Joseph Hospital in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
where he was initially in critical condition
Critical Condition
Critical condition is a medical state.Critical Condition may also be:* Critical Condition , an episode of the television series Sex and the City* Critical Condition , a 1987 comedy film...
. The opposing pitcher who threw the injury-inflicting pitch, Jon Gee of the Syracuse Chiefs, went to the hospital after the game to see Abernathy. Abernathy, whose head was wrapped in bandages, told Gee that he knew he did not throw the pitch at him on purpose. Officially diagnosed with a fractured skull, Abernathy underwent surgery performed by Dr. Brooks McCain and was reportedly in an "improved" condition immediately afterwards. While recovering from his injuries, the Bisons and Chiefs played a benefit game for Abernathy and raised $4,000 ($ in today's standards) to pay his medical bills. On September 3, 1939, Abernathy left the hospital and returned home. During the 1938 season, Abernathy batted .323 with 121 hits, 27 doubles, five triples and 21 home runs. Despite being out of play after his injury in 1938, Abernathy still managed to hit the fourth most home runs in the International League.
Later career
Abernathy made his return to the Southern Association, a league in which he played with from 1931 to 1933 with the Birmingham Barons, in 1939. With the Double-A Knoxville Smokies that season, who were affiliated with the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh 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...
, Abernathy batted .332 with 161 hits, 32 doubles, four triples and 16 home runs in 135 games. On the defensive side, Abernathy played 129 games in the outfield and committed six errors in 273 total chances. Abernathy ended the season sixth amongst batters in the Southern Association in home runs. In December 1939, the Smokies traded Abernathy and sent cash considerations to the American Association's
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
franchise in exchange for pitcher Sugar Cain
Sugar Cain
Merritt Patrick "Sugar" Cain , was a right-handed professional baseball pitcher in the Major Leagues from - for the Philadelphia Athletics, St. Louis Browns, and Chicago White Sox....
and outfielder Bitt McCulloch. During the 1940 season, after playing for the Saints, Abernathy was acquired by the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers (minor league baseball team)
The Milwaukee Brewers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They played in the American Association from 1902 through 1952.-A Milwaukee Tradition:...
, also of American Association. On the season, between the two American Association teams, Abernathy batted .281 with 142 hits, 35 doubles, four triples and 10 home runs in 135 games. Abernathy finished fifth in the American Association in doubles. After staying out of baseball in 1941, Abernathy attempted to stage a comeback with the Brewers in 1942; however he never made an appearance.
Legacy
Although Abernathy never played in Major League BaseballMajor 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...
during regular season, he did play 13 seasons in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. In 1713 career games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, Abernathy batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.315 with a .502 slugging percentage, 1997 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 345 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 106 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and 210 home runs in 1713 games. On the defensive side, Abernathy played 1218 games in the outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
and 244 games at first base. As an outfielder, Abernathy committed 61 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
in 2,600 total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
. He also made 2,439 putouts and 106 assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
as an outfielder. Abernathy's fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
in the outfield was .977. At first base, Abernathy finished his career with a .991 fielding percentage; and made 2,316 putouts, 125 assists and 23 errors. His career highs include 42 home runs (1936), 186 hits (1933), 35 doubles (1933, 1940), 16 triples (1928), .358 batting average (1928) and .590 slugging percentage (1936).
Accomplishments
- Pennant winner with the Vicksburg Hill Billies (1928)
- Pennant winner with the Montgomery Lions (exact year unknown, circa 1929–1930)
- Dixie SeriesDixie SeriesThe Dixie Series was an Interleague Minor League Postseason Series pitting the playoff champions of the Southern Association and the Texas League in a best-of-seven matchup from 1920 to 1958. It was revived for one year in 1967, pitting the Southern League champ against the Texas League champ...
champion with the Birmingham Barons (1931) - Two-time leader of the International LeagueInternational LeagueThe International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
in home runHome runIn baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s (1934, 1936)
Personal
Abernathy was born on October 16, 1908 in Athens, AlabamaAthens, Alabama
Athens is a city in Limestone County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 18,967. According to the 2009 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 24,234...
. His mother's name was T. H. Abernathy. Woody Abernathy had a son.
External links
- Abernathy in Baseball in Baltimore: The First 100 Years, James H. Bready (1998), JHU Press.