Tom Turner (turneto01)

Thomas Richard Turner

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 195 lb.

• Debut April 25, 1940
• Final Game September 8, 1944
• Born September 8, 1916 in Custer County, OK USA
• Died May 14, 1986 in Kennewick, WA USA

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Biographical Information

Oklahoma native Tom Turner spent ten active years as a catcher in professional baseball from 1936 to 1946. He spent five seasons in the minor leagues, 1936 through 1939 and also in 1946. His major league time spanned from 1940 through 1944.

Tom had a good year in the minors in 1937 with the Caruthersville Pilots of the class D Northeast Arkansas League when he hit .334. He also appeared with the Houston Buffaloes of the Class A1 Texas League, hitting .311 in 472 at-bats in 1939, possibly his best year in the minors. Turner was then purchased by the Chicago White Sox from the St. Louis Cardinals in the October 3, 1939 Rule V Draft.

Tom spent the next five seasons (1940-1944) with the Major League Comiskey Park team as a back-up catcher to Mike Tresh. He was purchased by the St. Louis Browns from the White Sox on July 31, 1944 to back-up Red Hayworth for the pennant chasing Browns. The Browns pulled out the pennant run but lost the World Series and Turner managed to appear in one game with a turn at-bat but no hits.

Turner appeared in 233 major league games and hit at a .237 clip, while fielding at a .980 number. In Tom's five year minor league time he hit for a .297 average in 514 games.

Turner served in the United States Army during World War II. He was a construction inspector at Phoenix, AZ before moving to Kennewick in 1984. He died from cancer at his home in Kennewick, WA on May 14, 1986.