| Harry Danning | |
|---|---|
 Danning, circa 1947 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born:(1911-09-06)September 6, 1911 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
| Died: November 29, 2004(2004-11-29) (aged 93) Valparaiso, Indiana, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 30, 1933, for the New York Giants | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 25, 1942, for the New York Giants | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .285 |
| Home runs | 57 |
| Runs batted in | 397 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Harry Danning (September 6, 1911 – November 29, 2004), nicknamed "Harry the Horse", was an American professionalbaseball player.[1] He played his entireMajor League Baseball career as acatcher for theNew York Giants, and was considered to be both an excellent hitter and one of the top defensive catchers of his era.[1][2] He batted and threwright-handed, and was a member of the National League All-Star team for four consecutive years, 1938-41.[3]
Danning was born inLos Angeles toJewish parents:[3][4] his father, Robert Danning, was a Polish immigrant and owned a used-furniture store; his mother, Jennie Danning (née Goldberg), was a Latvian immigrant. Danning was one of six children, including three sons; Robert Danning took his sons to see baseball games, including the Pacific Coast League and the Negro league games.[5] Robert's love of baseball inspired both Harry and his older brotherIke Danning, who played for theSt. Louis Browns in1928.[3]
Danning attendedLos Angeles High School in Los Angeles.[3] His father became ill and Harry started working at 13, including delivering ice.[5] Danning also worked for a rug salesman after high school.[5][6] By that time, Danning's father had passed away, and the rug store job paid well — $90 a month — helping Danning support his family. He supplemented his income playing semipro baseball on Sundays, for $7.50 a week.[5]
In 1931, Danning signed a $150-a-month contract with the Class-A team inBridgeport, Connecticut, owned by theGiants.[5] When the Bridgeport franchise folded, mid-season 1932, Danning moved toWinston-Salem, North Carolina to be part of the Piedmont League.[6] Danning's batting average in the minor leagues was above .300 every season.[5]
Danning first played with the New York Giants in1933. From1934 to1936, he served as the Giants reserve catcher, working behindGus Mancuso. In 1934 in spring training, despite a team reservation Jewish ballplayersPhil Weintraub and Danning were refused entry to theFlamingo Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida, which had a "No Jews" policy. However, they were allowed to stay when Giants managerBill Terry threatened he would take the whole team to another hotel if his Jewish ballplayers were not allowed in.[7][8][9]
In the1937 season, Danning and Mancuso shared the catching duties with Danning appearing in 93games, while Mancuso appeared in 86 games.[10] In1938 Danning took over the role as the Giants starting catcher.[11] He was selected for theNational LeagueAll-Star squad in four consecutive years (1938–1941), was on the world champion Giants team that defeated theWashington Senators in the1933 World Series, and appeared in the pennant-winning clubs that were defeated by theNew York Yankees in the1936 and1937 World Series.[1]
In the 1937 series, CBS announcerTed Husing nicknamed Danning "Harry The Horse" forDamon Runyon's Broadway character.[5][12]
From1938 through1940 Danning hit .306, .313 and .300, and finished in the top 10 inNational League MVP voting in1939 (9th) and 1940 (7th).[13][14] He collected career highs in home runs (16) in 1939, and in RBIs (91) in 1940.[1] He led all National League catchers with a .991fielding average in 1939.[15]
On June 9, 1939 against the pennant-winning Cincinnati Reds at the Polo Grounds, Danning was one of five Giants to hit a home run in the fourth inning, breaking the prior record of four home runs by a team in one inning. Remarkably, all five were hit by the Giants with two outs.[16] Then, on June 15, 1940, hehit for the cycle in a game againstPittsburgh.[17] His home run came on aninside-the-park home run that landed 460 feet (140 m) on the fly in front of the Giants' clubhouse, wedged behind theEddie Grant memorial.[18]
Through 2010, he was ninth all-time in career hits (behindAl Rosen) among Jewish major league baseball players.[19]
In addition to batting .300 or higher in three consecutive seasons, Danning had a .285 career batting average, tying Yogi Berra for the 18th highest lifetime batting average among Hall of Fame eligible major league baseball catchers. He hit 57 lifetimehome runs and 397RBIs in 890 games.[1] He had a careerfielding percentage of .985,[1] leading National League catchers three times inputouts, and twice inassists and baserunnerscaught stealing.[1] During his career, he threw out 47% of runners attempting to steal.[20] He caught thescrewballerCarl Hubbell, and was also a teammate ofMel Ott,Bill Terry andTravis Jackson, fourHall of Famers.
DuringWorld War II, Danning served in theUnited States Army, and announced his retirement from baseball after his military service. He went into the automobile business in Los Angeles, and also worked as aminor leaguecoach.[6][12]
He received one vote each for the Hall of Fame in both1958 and1960. In 1996 he was inducted into theSouthern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.[21]
He died inValparaiso, Indiana, at the age of 93.[12] His obituary and photograph appeared in the December 13, 2004, edition ofSports Illustrated magazine.
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| Preceded by | Hitting for the cycle June 15, 1940 | Succeeded by |