Gabriel Andrew “Gabby” Hartnett was an American professional baseball player and manager who played primarily as a catcher for the Chicago Cubs from 1922 to 1941. Hartnett was a six-time All-Star and is best known for “The Homer in the Gloamin”, a game-winning home run hit in the bottom of the ninth inning of a September 28, 1938 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Nicknamed “Old Tomato Face”, Hartnett was one of the best catchers in baseball history. He had a strong throwing arm and was an excellent handler of pitchers. He was known for his ability to call pitches with confidence and his skill at blocking the plate. Hartnett was also a fine hitter who batted over .300 six times and drove in more than 100 runs four times. He finished his career with a .297 batting average, 1,179 RBIs, and 202 home runs.

Hartnett was an outstanding manager as well. In five seasons as Cubs manager, he led the team to four second-place finishes and one National League pennant in 1938, when the Cubs won the World Series. He was one of the first managers to use platooning to his advantage, and he was also an early adopter of the hit-and-run play. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.

Hartnett’s legacy lives on in the Cubs organization. He was the last Cubs manager to lead the team to a championship, and his number was retired by the team in 1987. He is remembered as one of the greatest catchers in baseball history and an outstanding manager.

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