Hank Arft
Hank Arft, nicknamed "Bow Wow," was an American baseball player who played first base in the Major Leagues. He was born January 28, 1922, in Manchester, Missouri, and died December 14, 2002, in St. Louis, Missouri, at age 80 from cancer. He batted and threw left-handed.
Arft debuted in MLB with the St. Louis Browns on July 27, 1948, and played his last game for them on May 23, 1952. He spent his entire MLB career with the Browns (1948–1952). His career batting average was .253, with 13 home runs and 118 RBIs.
Before joining the majors, Arft played in the minor leagues from 1940 to 1942. He served in the United States Navy from November 1944 to June 1946, finishing as a Seaman Second Class. After his service, he returned to baseball and became the Browns’ first baseman.
His best season was 1951, when he reached several career highs in games played, plate appearances, hits, home runs, RBIs, stolen bases, total bases, and OPS+.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:01 (CET).