Henry Mestnik

Henry C. Mestnik
(Hank)

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 185 lb.

• Born 1917

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Henry Mestnik pitched four years in the minor leagues, going 57-47. He debuted with the 1938 Welch Miners, going 11-15 with a 4.26 ERA. He struck out 180 in 194 innings, making him second in the Mountain State League in strikeouts, but he also was 4th with 106 walks and tied for the MSL lead in losses. In 1939, Mestnik was 3-5 with a 7.17 ERA for Welch and 11-7 for the Muskogee Reds. In 1940, Hank had his best year, posting a 24-5, 3.44 line for Muskogee. He led the Western Association in wins, three more than anyone else, and made the top five in ERA, leading to his being drafted in the class B phase of the 1940 Rule V Draft by the Springfield Browns. In his final year, Mestnik had two very different outcomes - 7-6, 1.30 for the Youngstown Browns (clearly the staff ace and leading a bad team in wins) and 1-9, 6.15 with Springfield Browns.

Sources: 1939 Spalding Guide, Pat Doyle's Professional Baseball Player Database