Charlie Bowles

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Charles James Bowles

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 180 lb.
• Debut September 25, 1943
• Final Game September 19, 1945
• Born March 15, 1917 in Norwood, MA USA
• Died December 23, 2003 in Newton, NC USA

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Biographical Information

Charlie Bowles began his professional career in 1937 with the Beckley Bengals at the age of 20. He went 16-7 with a 3.83 ERA in 27 games (19 starts) that year. He spent 1938 with the Welch Miners and Bluefield Blue-Grays, going a combined 8-11 with a 5.20 ERA in 27 games. He played with Welch again in 1939, going 9-8 with a 5.43 ERA in 20 games (16 starts). He went 6-3 with a 5.81 ERA in 23 games for the Monroe White Sox in 1940. In 1941, he played for the Monroe White Sox and El Dorado Oilers, going a combined 8-13 with a 6.14 ERA. He split the 1942 season between the Lancaster Red Roses and Richmond Colts, going a combined 10-13 with an unknown overall ERA. His ERA with the Red Roses, however, was 3.22. He spent most of 1943 with the Red Roses, going 19-14 with a 3.52 ERA.

On September 25, 1943, he made his big league debut. He started two games with the Philadelphia Athletics that year, going 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA. He did not play in 1944, and he made eight appearances for the Athletics in 1945, starting four times. That year, he went 0-3 with a 5.13 ERA. On September 19, 1945, he appeared in his final big league game.

Although his major league career was over, his professional career was not. He split 1946 between the Red Roses and Atlanta Crackers, going 2-5 in 24 games. With the St. Petersburg Saints in 1947, he went 14-14 with a 3.35 ERA. He was with the Palatka Azaleas and St. Petersburg Saints in 1948, going a combined 8-7 with a 4.44 ERA in 33 games. He spent part of the year as the Azaleas' manager, his first foray into minor league managing. While managing the Palatka Azaleas in 1948, Bowles threw a no-hitter against the DeLand Red Hats on June 24, then resigned 6 days later. In 1949, he was one of a few managers for the Salisbury Pirates; he did not play at all that year. Similarly, he did not play in 1950, as he served as the Waterbury Timers manager for part of the season. Again, in 1951 he did not play at all, as he served as manager of the Granite Falls Graniteers for part of the season. He resumed playing in 1952, though on a limited basis - in 1952 with the Charleston Senators, he went 0-1 with a 58.50 ERA in two games. He also managed the Hickory Rebels for part of the 1952 season. He played in 23 games, making six starts, for the Wilkes-Barre Barons in 1953, going 4-2 with a 3.08 ERA. He finished his career in 1954, appearing in one game for the Winston-Salem Twins. In the minors, he went 105-98 with an ERA around 4.28 in 324 games.

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs	Notes
1948	Palatka Azaleas	Florida State League	21-26	--	none	--	replaced John Toncoff (5-8) May 14 replaced by Ben Geraghty (17-44) on June 30
1949	Hickory Rebels	North Carolina State League		7th	none		replaced Richard Jackson & James Proctor June 29
1950	Hickory Rebels	North Carolina State League		--	none	--	replaced by D.C. "Pud" Miller
	Waterbury Timers	Colonial League		5th	none	League disbanded July 16	Replaced John McKenna on June 15
1951	Granite Falls Graniteers	Western Carolina League		--	none	--	replaced by Ralph Barnardini May 10
1952	Hickory Rebels	Western Carolina League		5th	Chicago Cubs		replaced Eddie Yount June 11