Major League Baseball Player. He is best known for his chatterbox style behind the plate and his ability to catch the Washington Senators' brigade of knuckleball pitchers. He was valued for having the best throwing arm in the American League and his ability to handle the floaters offered by Dutch Leonard, Johnny Niggeling, Roger Wolff and Mickey Haefner before the time of the huge catcher's mitt introduced by Paul Richards to Baltimore Orioles receivers. He broke in with the Senators in 1939 and served two years in the military in 1944-45. In 1941 he had his best season with the bat, hitting .287 with 20 doubles and 10 homers. Early caught the entire 1943 All-Star Game at Philadelphia's Shibe Park, the first time the game had been played until the lights. He handled Leonard, Hal Newhouser and Tex Hughson in the AL's 5-3 triumph. He walked in the second inning and Bobby Doerr followed with a three-run homer off Mort Cooper. He struck out in the fourth, had a sacrifice bunt in the sixth and was safe on Billy Herman's fumble in the eighth. But he failed to regain his stroke after two years of combat. On Dec. 18, 1946 he was traded to the St. Louis Browns for catcher Frank Mancuso. He was sold back to the Senators on March 26, 1948. The left-handed hitter finished his nine-year career with a .241 lifetime average and 31 homers.
Major League Baseball Player. He is best known for his chatterbox style behind the plate and his ability to catch the Washington Senators' brigade of knuckleball pitchers. He was valued for having the best throwing arm in the American League and his ability to handle the floaters offered by Dutch Leonard, Johnny Niggeling, Roger Wolff and Mickey Haefner before the time of the huge catcher's mitt introduced by Paul Richards to Baltimore Orioles receivers. He broke in with the Senators in 1939 and served two years in the military in 1944-45. In 1941 he had his best season with the bat, hitting .287 with 20 doubles and 10 homers. Early caught the entire 1943 All-Star Game at Philadelphia's Shibe Park, the first time the game had been played until the lights. He handled Leonard, Hal Newhouser and Tex Hughson in the AL's 5-3 triumph. He walked in the second inning and Bobby Doerr followed with a three-run homer off Mort Cooper. He struck out in the fourth, had a sacrifice bunt in the sixth and was safe on Billy Herman's fumble in the eighth. But he failed to regain his stroke after two years of combat. On Dec. 18, 1946 he was traded to the St. Louis Browns for catcher Frank Mancuso. He was sold back to the Senators on March 26, 1948. The left-handed hitter finished his nine-year career with a .241 lifetime average and 31 homers.
Bio by: Ron Coons
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