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Atlanta Braves Franchise top-ten outfielders: Tommy Holmes

By Fred Owens

ATLANTA - OCTOBER 22: David Justice #23 of the Atlanta Braves swings at a pitch during Game two of the 1995 World Series against the Cleveland Indians on October 22, 1995 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves defeated the Indians 4-3. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - OCTOBER 22: David Justice #23 of the Atlanta Braves swings at a pitch during Game two of the 1995 World Series against the Cleveland Indians on October 22, 1995 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves defeated the Indians 4-3. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Braves outfielder David Justice ranks number six on the all-time Atlanta Braves franchise outfielders list, just behind today’s profiled player. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images) /

The countdown of the top ten outfielders in Atlanta Braves Franchise history reaches the final five today. Today’s player was a 5′ -10″ Irishman from Brooklyn who shattered a 23-year old MLB record.

The list of Atlanta Braves franchise outfielders so far includes:

Tommy Holmes joins that list at number five.

Tommy Holmes SABR bio is the source for quotes and backstory unless otherwise linked. It also appears in “Spahn, Sain, and Teddy Ballgame: Boston’s (almost) Perfect Baseball Summer of 1948.”

If asked to name a Boston Braves’ fan’s favorite player from the 1940s, you might choose Warren Spahn or Johnny Sain, but the right answer is Tommy Holmes.

Holmes, became an immediate fan favorite after moving from the Yankees to the Braves in 1942. His SABR biography summed it up like this.

". . . from 1942 to 1952, nobody enjoyed the type of unabashed love he received from the denizens of the 1,500-seat, stand-alone bleachers situated behind his right-field playing spot. Dubbed the Jury Box by a sportswriter who once counted just 12 fans seated there in leaner times."

While with Boston, he gave them plenty to cheer about.

His friends called him Kelly, a nickname that stayed with him throughout his career. He wanted a career as a boxer like his dad, but dad quickly put the kibosh on that, so Tommy Holmes focused on baseball.

His senior year in high school, he hit .613 after coach Anthony Tarrantino took him under his wing. Tarrantino had Holmes eat his lunch in the gym during the winter, while the coach taught him the strike zone, turning on inside pitches, and hitting to the opposite field.

When the weather warmed up, Holmes played ball on Sundays at one of the 21 diamonds at the Parade Grounds. After graduation, he played for the Brooklyn Bushwicks and lined-up against a barnstorming team from the Negro Leagues, led by Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige.  Holmes didn’t know until later who pitched but remembered he got a couple of hits.

A Yankee scout saw him play with the Bushwicks and signed him. Holmes reported to spring training with the Yankees in 1937 and made it to AAA in 1940.  After two seasons batting over .300, he was ready for the big leagues, but the Yankee outfield featured Joe DiMaggio, Tommy Henrich, and Charlie “King Kong” Keller.

Yankee Skipper Joe McGraw promised Holmes that if he had no place for him, he would try to move him to a club that did.  On December 9, 1941, the Yankees kept their word sending Holmes to the Braves for two PTBNL; neither player made an impact in the Bronx.

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