An All-Star at shortstop and second base, Hamner was 17 when he made his ML debut in 1944. He stuck for good in 1949. Hamner played a key role on the 1950 pennant-winning club and hit well in the four-game WS loss to the Yankees. Regarded as one of the NL’s best clutch hitters, Hamner rapped 30 or more doubles four times. He was also a superb relay man with a very strong arm. He took brief turns on the mound in 1956-57. When his career as an infielder ended after his trade to Cleveland in 1959, he joined the A’s as a minor league manager and honed his knuckleball sufficiently to pitch three AL games in relief for Kansas City in 1962. Granny’s brother, Garvin “Wes” Hamner, played infield with the 1945 Phillies.
