Billy Bowers
From BR Bullpen
Grover Bill Bowers
- Bats Left, Throws Right
- Height 5' 9½", Weight 176 lb.
- Debut April 24, 1949
- Final Game June 9, 1949
- Born March 25, 1922 in Parkin, AR USA
- Died September 17, 1996 in Wynne, AR USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Outfielder Billy Bowers signed with the St. Louis Browns before the 1943 season. He opened his pro baseball career with the Memphis Chickasaws of the Southern Association. He would appear in 80 games and hit at a .290 clip in his first season of professional ball. Billy managed to get into 25 contests early in the '44 year, hitting at a .325 average before the Military Services called him for duty in the United States Army during World War II. Bowers would be in the service the rest of the 1944 and '45 seasons, serving in the Euorpean Theater of Operations.
Bowers arrived back in time for the 1946 season and appeared in 132 games for the Gadsden Pilots of the class B Southeastern League, hitting for a .321 average and seven home runs, plus being chosen for the All-Star team. He was back with the same club in '47 and would lead the league in three categories: batting average at .375, hits with 210 and runs scored with 132, plus hitting 20 four-baggers and again be chosen for the All-Star team. His team finished second in the standings, just 2.5 games back and were also edged out in the play-offs, 4 games to 3.
Before the 1948 season, the Chicago White Sox acquired Bowers from the St. Louis Browns in an unknown transaction and stationed him with the Memphis Chickasaws, the team he had played for in '43-'44. Billy hit for a .346 average with 10 home runs and made the All-Star team, but it wasn't quite enough as the team finished 3 games back and were edged out in the play-offs. His performance impressed the brass and he was given the opportunity to play with the big boys in 1949.
After a solid spring, Bowers went North with the Chicago White Sox and made his debut on April 24, 1949. He appeared in 26 games for the White Sox but could only manage 15 hits in 78 at-bats for a .192 batting average, with no long balls, and was sent back to Memphis after appearing in his last big league game on June 9. Billy would appear in 85 games for the Memphis club the remainder of the year, hitting just .247 with 4 home runs.
With a little air out of his tires, Billy went back to Gadsden in 1950, a place he loved, and hit .306 and six homers in 98 games. He would tie up with the St. Louis Browns again in 1951 and spend the year with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League where he hit .291 in 119 games. After some thought, he decided he would give it one more try and suited up with the Maple Leafs again in 1952, but hit just .239 in 94 games and left the game at age 30 with nine seasons under his belt (1943-1952) and a .312 career batting average with 62 home runs in 918 minor league games.
After baseball, Grover Bill Bowers moved back to his native Parkin, AR where he would work and live until his death on September 17, 1996 in Wynne, AR at 74 years of age.
