▁in ▁ 7 9 ▁games ▁and ▁hit ▁. 3 0 2 ▁with ▁ 5 ▁home ▁runs ▁and ▁ 3 1 ▁R BI . ▁On ▁defense , ▁despite ▁his ▁limited ▁playing ▁time ▁led ▁all ▁catch ers ▁in ▁the ▁Major ▁Le agues ▁in ▁errors ▁committed , ▁with ▁ 1 3 , ▁and ▁led ▁all ▁Major ▁League ▁catch ers ▁in ▁passed ▁balls , ▁with ▁ 1 1 , ▁and ▁the ▁ 2 8 ▁st olen ▁bases ▁he ▁allowed ▁were ▁ 5 th - most ▁among ▁all ▁AL ▁catch ers . ▁He ▁was ▁among ▁the ▁first ▁white ▁catch ers ▁te amed ▁with ▁the ▁American ▁League ' s ▁first ▁black ▁pitch er , ▁S atch el ▁Pa ige . ▁During ▁the ▁off season , ▁Batt s ▁was ▁trad ed ▁to ▁Detroit . ▁ ▁Detroit ▁Tig ers ▁In ▁, ▁Batt s ▁was ▁backup ▁to ▁the ▁Tig ers ' ▁starting ▁catch er , ▁Joe ▁G ins berg , ▁and ▁only ▁appeared ▁in ▁ 5 6 ▁games , ▁batt ing ▁. 2 3 7 ▁with ▁ 3 ▁home ▁runs ▁and ▁ 1 3 ▁R BI . ▁On ▁August ▁ 2 5 , ▁Batt s ▁caught ▁the ▁second ▁of ▁pitch er ▁Vir g il ▁Tru cks ' ▁two ▁no - hit ters ▁that ▁season . ▁▁ ▁The ▁following ▁June , ▁G ins berg ▁was ▁trad ed , ▁and ▁Batt s ▁took ▁over ▁as ▁starting ▁catch er ; ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁season ▁he ▁appeared ▁in ▁ 1 1 6 ▁games ▁with ▁a ▁. 2 7 8 ▁average , ▁