Gabby Hartnett
Baseball · Hometown: Woonsocket, RI
- Pro team(s)
- Chicago Cubs, New York Giants
- Hall of Fame
- ⭐ National Baseball Hall of Fame
Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and became the standard by which all National League catchers of the 1920s and 1930s were measured. Despite his nickname, Hartnett was talkative only with teammates and umpires — his "gabby" reputation made him one of the game's great field generals. He is best remembered for the "Homer in the Gloamin'" on September 28, 1938 — a walk-off home run hit in near-total darkness at Wrigley Field that propelled the Cubs past the Pittsburgh Pirates and into first place en route to the pennant. A six-time All-Star, Hartnett hit .297 lifetime with 236 home runs and won the 1935 NL MVP Award. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.