John Steadman, noted sportswriter for the Baltimore News American and Baltimore Sun newspapers, once wrote: “George Bratt was an independent thinker, vocal and controversial. He played the game hard, went all out and was born of an era when a handshake closed a deal and men didn’t dare compromise a conviction.”
Such was the approach George Bratt had towards his participation in intercollegiate athletics while attending Washington College. Although he played and lettered in varsity football and basketball for three years, it was in baseball that he achieved the most success. His college baseball mentor, Coach Tom Kibler, considered George one of the most versatile catchers ever to represent the college. He was respected for a strong throwing arm and his handling of pitchers instilled confidence in the college pitching staff. In the batting department, he was usually used in the power area of the hitting lineup.
After graduation, George remained loyal to the college and his close friend, Tom Kibler. He became a serious recruiter for the college and was responsible for influencing many student-athletes to attend Washington College.
His love for baseball led him to playing and managing semi-professional baseball in the Baltimore area in the 1920’s and 1930’s. He won 20 pennants. In 1939 and 1940, he was named commissioner for Maryland by the National Semi-professional Baseball Congress and supervised the state championship tournaments. He also served as a professional baseball scout for the Detroit Tigers. In 1980, he was elected to the Hall of Fame of the Oldtimers Baseball Association of Maryland.
He was an expert at skeet and trap shooting. From 1926 to 1975, he was president and owner of the National Sporting Goods Co.
Washington College considers it an honor to induct posthumously George A. Bratt, Jr., into its Athletic Hall of Fame on this 5th day of October, 1996.
