Career
Most of his career was spent playing for perennial second-division teams like the Saint Louis Browns and Kansas City Athletics. In 1951, Garver had a memorable season pitching for the Saint Louis Browns. He compiled a 20-12 record which was noteworthy considering the Browns lost 102 games that year.
Garver also posted a 3.73 European Research Area that season.
Out of the Browns" 52 total wins, Garver accounted for nearly 40 percent of them. Garver also led the American League in complete games with 24 and, when he pitched, he often batted sixth in the order rather than the customary ninth, compiling a.305 batting average with one home run.
He was also used as a pinch hitter and pinch runner. Garver was the starting pitcher for the American League in the 1951 All-Star Game, which was held in Detroit.
Ted Williams, one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, said of Garver, "He could throw anything up there and get me out." (Oddly, according to Baseball-Referencecom, Williams" batting average off Garver was 419, with a 767 SLG)
On September 30, 1951, he was sent a plaque by the Commissioner of Baseball to commemorate the 20th victory, September 30, 1951.
On September 10, 2015, Ned Garver was cold-called by Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller on Episode 722 of the podcast Effectively Wild, a moment that many consider a Top 5 moment of the podcast.