Woody Abernathy (outfielder)

Thomas Woodley "Woody" Abernathy (October 16, 1908 – February 11, 1961) was a professional baseball player whose career spanned 13 seasons in minor league baseball.

Thomas Woodley "Woody" Abernathy was born on October 16, 1908, in Athens, Alabama, to Thomas H. and Hortence Abernathy of Tennessee and Texas, respectively.

Thomas H. Abernathy worked as a meat cutter in Jefferson, Alabama.

Woody Abernathy attended Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama.

While at Auburn, Abernathy was described as a "football star" by the Associated Press; however, he chose to play baseball professionally instead.

Over that time, Abernathy played for multiple teams in multiple leagues including the Class-D Vicksburg Hill Billies (1928) of the Cotton States League; the Class-B Montgomery Lions (1929–1930) of the Southeastern League; the Class-A Birmingham Barons (1931–1933) of the Southern Association; the Double-A Baltimore Orioles (1934–1937) and the Double-A Buffalo Bisons (1938) of the International League; the Class-A1 Knoxville Smokies (1939) of the Southern Association; and the Double-A Milwaukee Brewers (1940) and the St. Paul Saints (1940) of the American Association.

Abernathy began his professional career with the Class-D Vicksburg Hill Billies of the Cotton States League in 1928.

With the Hill Billies, Abernathy batted .358 with 60 runs, 169 hits, 33 doubles, 16 triples, two home runs and six stolen bases in 123 games played.

On the defensive side, Abernathy played 63 games at first base and 57 games in the outfield.

He was second in the Cotton States League in triples, third in hits, sixth in doubles and ninth in batting average.

In 1929, Abernathy began his tenure with the Class-B Montgomery Lions.

With the Lions, he batted .339 with 172 hits, 30 doubles, 13 triples and three home runs in 138 games.

Abernathy was tied for third in the Southeastern League in triples, fourth in doubles, fifth in hits and tied for seventh in batting average.

During the 1930 season, while playing with the Montgomery Lions, Abernathy batted .339 with 172 hits, 22 doubles, 11 triples and four home runs in 136 games played.

He finished third in the Southeastern League in hits and fourth in hits.

In 1931, Abernathy began playing for the Class-A Birmingham Barons of the Southern Association.

In 118 games that season, Abernathy batted .311 with 133 hits, 17 doubles, 12 triples and 10 home runs.

On the defensive side, Abernathy played 69 games at first base and 40 games in the outfield.

Abernathy's play was noted as "some of the finest fielding and hitting in the Dixie Series" by the Associated Press after the Barons won the championship that season.

During the 1932 season, with the Barons, Abernathy batted .320 with 91 hits, 12 doubles, six triples and eight home runs in 78 game.

In his final season with Birmingham, 1933, Abernathy batted .322 with 186 hits, 35 doubles, 12 doubles and 10 home runs in 150 games.

Abernathy played all of his defensive games (112) at first base.

Abernathy was fifth in the Southern Association in hits during the 1933 season.

During his tenure in the International League, Abernathy ranked in the top-five in home runs hit in all of his four seasons in the league, including leading twice (1934, 1936).

Abernathy began his tenure in the International League with the Double-A Baltimore Orioles in 1934.

Before the season, The Gazette described Abernathy as a "straight away hitter".

When the Orioles were playing the Montreal Royals in a double-header in July 1934, Abernathy hit two home runs in each games, giving him four combined home runs in one day.

On the season, Abernathy batted .309 with 174 hits, 24 doubles, nine triples and 32 home runs in 151 games played.

He led the International League in home runs, tied with Vince Barton.

Although Abernathy never played in Major League Baseball, his contract was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies from the Baltimore Orioles in 1935 and spent spring training with the Phillies in 1936.

During the 1935 season, still with the Baltimore team, the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League traded for the rights to Abernathy.

In exchange, the Orioles received US$15,000 ($ in today's standards) and pitcher Harry Gumbert.

At the end of the 1935 season, Abernathy batted .276 with 150 hits, 25 doubles, nine triples and 31 home runs in 149 games played.

Abernathy was third in the International League in home runs.

In 1935, Abernathy sustained a "severe charley horse", as described by The Milwaukee Journal, while playing with the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training.

Abernathy was to report to the Phillies in 1936 for spring training.

During the 1938 season, while playing with the Buffalo Bisons, Abernathy suffered a fractured skull after being stuck in the head by a pitch and was hospitalized for nearly a month.

Abernathy batted left-handed and threw right-handed.

During his career in the minors, Abernathy batted .315 with 1997 hits, 345 doubles, 106 triples and 210 home runs in 1713 games.

For college, Abernathy attended Auburn University, where he played football.