Ducky Holmes (holmedu02)

Howard Elbert Holmes

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 160 lb.

• Debut April 18, 1906
• Final Game April 29, 1906
• Born July 8, 1883 in Dayton, OH USA
• Died September 18, 1945 in Dayton, OH USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Howard "Ducky" Holmes caught nine games for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1906. 36-year-old Mike Grady was the regular that year.

Holmes is not to be confused with another Ducky Holmes (James "Ducky" Holmes) who also played in the majors.

Holmes, apparently a character, was a long-time minor league manager and owner. He was featured in an article in Timeline, a publication of the Ohio Historical Society, Oct-Dec 2004. Holmes primarily managed the Dayton Ducks in the 1930s and early 1940s.

He also served as an umpire in the National League in 1921 and in the American League in 1923 and 1924. He was one of the umpires for the first game ever played at Yankee Stadium.

Further Reading

• Joan Wendl Thomas: "All the Duckys in a Row: In Search of the Real Ducky Holmes", Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Vol. 48, Nr. 1, Spring 2019, pp. 29-36.

Related Sites

• Ducky Holmes on Retrosheet.org