Catcher With Cardinals, Dodgers and A's
A left-handed hitter who threw right-handed, Franks attended the University of Utah. He broke into baseball with the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League in 1932, but he was soon acquired by the St. Louis Cardinals and joined their vast farm system. He made the Cardinals for just 17 games and 17 at-bats in 1939, before being drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers, where he served as a second-string catcher in 1940–1941 and began his long association with Leo Durocher, then the manager of the Dodgers. After 3½ years of military service during World War II, Franks became the playing manager of the Dodgers' St. Paul Saints affiliate in the AAA American Association in 1947. In August of that season, however, he resigned to resume his major league playing career with the Philadelphia Athletics, where he appeared in 48 games in 1947–1948 and batted .221.
As a Dodger, Franks caught Tex Carleton's no-hitter on April 30, 1940.
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