Gabby Hartnett was not only a standout catcher, but a dangerous hitter. As a Cubs
backstop, he caught 100 or more games 12 times, led the National League in
putouts four times, and in assists and fielding average six times. The winner
of the 1935 National League MVP award and runner-up in 1937, Hartnett finished
his career with a .297 batting average. As a player-manager in 1938, his
near-darkness home run, known as the Homer in the Gloamin', helped the Cubs to
their fourth pennant during his tenure as a player.