Montgomery Lions. With the Lions, he batted .339 with 172 hits, 30 doubles, 13 triples and three home runs in 138 games. Abernathy was tied for third in the Southeastern League in triples, fourth in doubles, fifth in hits and tied for seventh in batting average. During the 1930 season, while playing with the Montgomery Lions, Abernathy batted .339 with 172 hits, 22 doubles, 11 triples and four home runs in 136 games played. He finished third in the Southeastern League in hits and fourth in hits. Southern Association In 1931, Abernathy began playing for the Class-A Birmingham Barons of the Southern Association. In 118 games that season, Abernathy batted .311 with 133 hits, 17 doubles, 12 triples and 10 home runs. On the defensive side, Abernathy played 69 games at first base and 40 games in the outfield. Abernathy's play was noted as "some of the finest fielding and hitting in the Dixie Series" by the Associated Press after the Barons won the championship that season. During the 1932 season, with the Barons, Abernathy batted .320 with 91 hits, 12 doubles, six triples and eight home runs in 78 game. In his final season with Birmingham, 1933, Abernathy batted .322 with 186 hits, 35 doubles, 12 doubles and 10 home runs in 150 games. Abernathy played all of his defensive games (112) at first base. Abernathy was fifth in the Southern Association in hits during the 1933 season. International League Abernathy began his tenure in the International League with the Double-A Baltimore Orioles in 1934. Before the season, The Gazette described Abernathy as a "straight away hitter". When the Orioles were playing the Montreal Royals in a double-header in July 1934, Abernathy hit two home runs in each games, giving him four combined home runs in one day. On the season, Abernathy batted .309 with 174 hits, 24 doubles, nine triples and 32 home runs in 151 games played. He led the International League in home runs, tied with Vince Barton. During the 1935 season, still with the Baltimore team, the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball's National League traded for the rights to Abernathy. In exchange, the Orioles received US$15,000 ($ in today's standards) and pitcher Harry Gumbert. Abernathy was to report to the Phillies in 1936 for spring training. At the end of the 1935 season, Abernathy batted .276 with 150 hits, 25 doubles, nine triples and