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Played for the New York Giants from 1933-42 with a lifetime batting average of .285. Danning did not become a starting player until 1937, mid-way into his fifth year with the Giants. He hit .306 in 1938, his first full season and was named the back-up catcher on the National League All Star Team. He batted .313 in 1939 and .300 in 1940, and was again selected to the NL’s All Star Team. 1941 marked Danning’s fourth consecutive trip to the All Star contest.
At the start of the 1939 season, Giants manager Bill Terry said of the man he kept on the bench the better part of five years: “Danning will be the best catcher in the National League this year, possibly in baseball, and I include (Gabby) Hartnett and
(Bill) Dickey.”
Danning caught some of baseball’s greatest pitchers, among them Carl Hubbell and Hal Schumacher. Danning became the Giants regular catcher in 1937; a long ball threat who averaged over .300 from 1938-40, Danning was a member of the National League All-Star teams in 1939-41. Harry played in the 1936 and 1937 World Series, and was the batting star of the fourth game in the ‘37 Series when he went 3 for 4 to help beat the Yankees.
In one game, June 15, 1940, Harry hit for the circuit; A single, double, triple and home run. Danning served in the U.S. Army during WWII, and when he was discharged, announced he was retiring from the game. Sports announcer Ted Husing created the character named “Harry the Horse.” Husing gave the nickname to Harry and the name stuck.
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