Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1921, Evers gained the nickname "Hoot" as a child when he was a devoted fan of the films of Richard "Hoot" Gibson, a popular cowboy who released nearly 75 short films during the first 10 years of Evers' life.
Evers returned to the Tigers in 1946, playing 76 games in center field, but missing half the season with a broken ankle.