Major League Baseball Player. For seventeen seasons (1944 to 1959 and 1962), he played at the shortstop, second base and third base positions with the Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Athletics. Born Granville Wilbur Hamner, he attended Richmond High School in Virginia, prior to being signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1944. He made his Major League debut at the age of seventeen on September 14, 1944 and played in 21 games that season. He spent the next three years splitting time between the Minor Leagues and his service with the United States Army. In 1948, he worked his way into the Phillies’ lineup as their starting second baseman. By 1950, he had moved to starting shortstop and experienced a National League Pennant with the Phillies’ teams known as the “Whiz Kids”. During the 1950 World Series against the New York Yankees, he yielded a .429 batting average. He produced a career-high 21 home runs, along with 92 RBIs in 1953. Additionally, he achieved all-star status three consecutive seasons (1952 to 1954). Hamner held the distinction of leading the league in grounding into the most double-plays with 23 in 1957. In 1,501 career regular season games, he compiled 1,518 hits, with a .263 lifetime batting average. Hamner also appeared in 7 games as a pitcher and compiled 13 career innings- pitched. After retiring as a player, he served as a Minor League manager. He was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. He died suddenly from an apparent heart attack after attending a Phillies’ game.
Major League Baseball Player. For seventeen seasons (1944 to 1959 and 1962), he played at the shortstop, second base and third base positions with the Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Athletics. Born Granville Wilbur Hamner, he attended Richmond High School in Virginia, prior to being signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1944. He made his Major League debut at the age of seventeen on September 14, 1944 and played in 21 games that season. He spent the next three years splitting time between the Minor Leagues and his service with the United States Army. In 1948, he worked his way into the Phillies’ lineup as their starting second baseman. By 1950, he had moved to starting shortstop and experienced a National League Pennant with the Phillies’ teams known as the “Whiz Kids”. During the 1950 World Series against the New York Yankees, he yielded a .429 batting average. He produced a career-high 21 home runs, along with 92 RBIs in 1953. Additionally, he achieved all-star status three consecutive seasons (1952 to 1954). Hamner held the distinction of leading the league in grounding into the most double-plays with 23 in 1957. In 1,501 career regular season games, he compiled 1,518 hits, with a .263 lifetime batting average. Hamner also appeared in 7 games as a pitcher and compiled 13 career innings- pitched. After retiring as a player, he served as a Minor League manager. He was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. He died suddenly from an apparent heart attack after attending a Phillies’ game.
Bio by: C.S.
Family Members
Advertisement
See more Hamner memorials in:
Advertisement
