Northey was a beefy lefthanded hitter, a slow-moving outfielder with an exceptionally strong arm. Dodger outfielder Carl Furillo claims that he and Northey were the only two players to hit the famous sign on Ebbets Field’s right-field wall and win a free suit from Abe Stark. Northey had his best season with the 1944 Phillies, hitting 22 HR with 104 RBI, and leading NL outfielders with 24 assists. Gone from the majors by 1951, he returned to become a top pinch hitter, leading the AL with 15 hits in that role for Chicago in 1956. He had nine career pinch-hit home runs, three of them grand slams – a ML record. Altogether, he hit eight grand slams in his career. His son Scott played OF with the Royals in 1969.
