Warren Kanagy

Warren H. Kanagy

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 1", Weight 195 lb.
• School San Diego State University
• High School Glendale High School, Hoover High School
• Born May 14, 1921 in Hemet, CA USA
• Died May 21, 2014

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Starting pitcher Warren Kanagy played in the minor leagues from 1940 to 1942 and from 1946 to 1950.

Though he often had high ERAs (in part due to the high offense leagues he pitched in) and surrendered walks at a prolific rate (6.6 per nine innings), he still managed a 98-63 career record, two straight 20-win seasons and a .609 career winning percentage.

He began his career with an 8.76 ERA in 76 innings in 1940, allowing 92 hits, 100 runs and 84 walks for the Big Spring Barons/Odessa Oilers and Midland Cowboys of the high-flying West Texas-New Mexico League. In 1941, he suited up for the Wichita Falls Spudders, also of the WTNML, and went 6-8 with a 2.76 ERA in 16 games. In addition, he made seven appearances each for the Anniston Rams and Birmingham Barons that year, going 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA for the latter. In 1942, he pitched for the Ogden Reds (11 G, 2-6 W-L, 5.95 ERA), Montgomery Rebels (24 G, 11-6 W-L, 3.56 ERA) and Birmingham (3 G, 0-1 W-L, 13.50 ERA), going 13-13 with a 4.42 ERA overall. In 220 innings, he allowed only 201 hits, but surrendered 133 runs and 159 walks.

The hurler missed 1943 to 1945 to World War II, serving in the Navy.

Returning to the mound in 1946, Kanagy was dominant, going 20-7 in 33 games between the Thibodaux Giants (25 G, 20-5 W-L), Montgomery (3 G, 0-1 W-L) and Birmingham (5 G, 0-1 W-L, 10.12 ERA). In 204 innings, he had 138 walks. With Thibodaux in 1947, Kanagy won 17 games in a row at one point en route to a season record of 21-3 (all his decisions came with Thibodaux, with whom he had a 2.15 ERA in 30 games; he also made three appearances for the Dallas Rebels). He walked 116 batters and allowed only 159 hits in 205 innings that year. In 1948, again with Thibodaux, Kanagy went 14-10 with a 4.23 ERA in 25 games. He allowed 34 unearned runs that year, as well as 207 hits and 107 walks in 183 innings.

1949 was the death knell for Kanagy's career. That year, despite going 18-8 for the Riverside Dons and San Bernardino Pioneers, Kanagy posted a 5.25 ERA (not among the worst in the high-offense Sunset League, which featured two .400 hitters that season) with 195 walks, 172 runs allowed (50 of which were unearned) and 220 hits in 209 innings. His 210 strikeouts led the league. After going 3-5 with a 7.52 ERA in nine games (with 76 walks in 67 innings) between the Tijuana Potros and Riverside Rubes in 1950, Kanagy's career was over.

Kanagy spent eight years in the minor leagues, pitching 219 games. In 1,336 innings, he walked 977 batters - an average of 122 per year.

Though primarily a pitcher, Kanagy hit well enough to get considerable time at the plate. In 1948, he batted .338 with four home runs and 71 hits in 210 at-bats. In 1949, he hit .447 with four home runs, 13 doubles and 42 hits in 94 ABs. Even in 1950, though his arm failed him on the mound, he still contributed a .289 batting average in 38 at-bats at the dish.