Woody Abernathy

Who is Woody Abernathy?

Thomas Woodley "Woody" Abernathy was a professional baseball player whose career spanned 13 seasons in minor league baseball. Over that time, Abernathy played for multiple teams in multiple leagues including the Class-D Vicksburg Hill Billies of the Cotton States League; the Class-B Montgomery Lions of the Southeastern League; the Class-A Birmingham Barons of the Southern Association; the Double-A Baltimore Orioles and the Double-A Buffalo Bisons of the International League; the Class-A1 Knoxville Smokies of the Southern Association; and the Double-A Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Paul Saints of the American Association. During his career in the minors, Abernathy batted .315 with 1997 hits, 345 doubles, 106 triples and 210 home runs in 1713 games.

For college, Abernathy attended Auburn University where he played football. During his tenure in the International League, Abernathy ranked in the top-five in home runs hit in all of his four seasons in the league, including leading twice. Although Abernathy never played in Major League Baseball, his contract was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies from the Baltimore Orioles in 1935 and spent spring training with the Phillies in 1936. During the 1938 season, while playing with the Buffalo Bisons, Abernathy suffered a fractured skull after being stuck in the head by a pitch and was hospitalized for nearly a month. Abernathy batted left-handed and threw right-handed.