As you might expect for someone nicknamed “Scrap Iron,” Clint Courtney had the reputation as a “gritty” player. According to FanGraphs, he amassed 10.5 WAR in his career, while putting up a 92 wRC+. Both of those figures are perfectly fine, especially for a catcher in the 1950s. However considering that he had an 11-year career, it was more than just skill keeping him in the big leagues.
His grittiness, toughness, however you want to describe it, would lead Courtney into some scraps, including multiple with the Yankees. Yet before all of that, he had a very brief career in pinstripes.