hiː sˈaɪnd wɪððə kɹˈɔstaʊn kˈʌbz, spˈɛnt θɹˈiː sˈiːzənz ɪnðə klˈæs ˌeɪ wˈʌn nˈaʊ dˈʌbəlɐ sˈʌðɚn ɐsˌoʊsɪˈeɪʃən, ænd mˌeɪd hɪz mˈeɪdʒɚ lˈiːɡ deɪbjˈuː wɪððə kˈʌbz ˌɔn sɛptˈɛmbɚ θˈɜːtiːn, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi sˈɪks.
He signed with the crosstown Cubs, spent three seasons in the Class A1 (now Double-A) Southern Association, and made his major league debut with the Cubs on September 13, 1946.