Bowman was signed by the New York Giants before the 1946 season. He appeared in games for the Giants in 1949, 1951, and 1952, and he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1953 and 1955. He had a career
win–loss record of 2–11 in the major leagues. Most of Bowman's professional baseball career was spent in the minor leagues, where he played from 1946 to 1961, winning 131 games and losing 119 overall. In 1950, while playing for the
Jersey City Giants of the
International League, Bowman went 16–11 with a 3.71
earned run average. In addition, he led the league with 233
innings pitched and 181
strikeouts. Bowman hurled the first of two
Pacific Coast League no-hitters while pitching with the
Oakland Oaks in 1952 against the
Hollywood Stars. He then pitched a seven-inning
perfect game against the
Portland Beavers on the final day of the season to give his team a tie for the pennant race with the
San Diego Padres, who then won a one-game playoff. In between, Bowman played winter ball with the
Alacranes del Almendares in the Cuban League and for the
Licoreros de Pampero in the Venezuelan League, where he was awarded
Jugador Estrella (Star Player) in the 1955–56 season. Besides, he pitched for Almendares in the
1955 Caribbean Series. Bowman spent his final Minor League seasons pitching for the
Minneapolis Millers,
Buffalo Bisons,
Sacramento Solons,
Louisville Colonels and
Portland Beavers, before joining the
Hawaii Islanders as an assistant manager to
Tommy Heath, who had been his manager with the
Trenton Giants in 1947. During his playing days, Bowman completed an arts degree at
Colgate University and later completed an education degree at the
University of California, Los Angeles. After baseball, Bowman operated an upholstery business in
Santa Monica for 45 years. He died in Los Angeles in 1997 at the age of 69. ==References==