Hamner was born in Richmond, Virginia and graduated from Benedictine High School. His brother Garvin was also an infielder in the big leagues. "Granny" spent 15+1⁄2 years with the Phillies, having come to the club as a 17-year-old during World War II. In 1945, still seventeen, he became the youngest player ever to start an Opening Day game, a record that still stands as of 2022.[1] By the Phillies' 1950 NL pennant season, he was one of the team leaders, age 23. A right-handed hitting shortstop with moderate power, Hamner compiled more than 80 runs batted in (RBI) four times.
An All-Star three years in a row, Hamner was the National League's starting shortstop in the 1952 All-Star Game, played on his home field, Shibe Park, in Philadelphia. The game was called off after five innings due to rain.
On May 16, 1959, Hamner was traded to the Cleveland Indians, but he batted only .164 for the remainder of the campaign. Hamner then became a Kansas City Athletics’ Minor League Baseball (MiLB), manager, reappearing briefly with the A's as a pitcher during the 1962 season. (He had begun dabbling on the mound for the 1956-57 Phillies).[3] But the change did not prolong Hamner's playing career. He briefly managed in the Phils' farm system in the 1970s and 1980s.
In 17 major league seasons, Hamner compiled a .262 batting average with 104 home runs. As a pitcher, he was winless with two losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 5.40, in seven games, and 13+1⁄3innings pitched.[4]
Later life
In 1980, Hamner was one of several drivers who were able to stop their vehicles on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida before reaching the gap in the roadway caused by the collapse of a span after the freighterMVSummit Venture collided with the bridge.[5]