Garver began his professional career at age 18 in 1944 with the Newark Moundsmen, St. Louis' affiliate to the Ohio State League. Garver pitched in 32 games for the team, going 21-8 with an ERA of 1.21, ultimately leading the Moundsmen to the Ohio State League's first championship since the league was put on hiatus during World War II. He led the team in ERA, games started, strikeouts, WHIP, and H/9. In 1945, Garver was briefly promoted to the Browns' Single-A affiliate, the Elmira Pioneers of the Eastern League, before being promoted again to the Double-AToledo Mud Hens of the American Association. In Toledo, he served as both a starting pitcher and a reliever, starting in 15 games while making relief appearances in 16. He went 5-8 with an ERA of 4.64 and a WHIP of 1.712. Garver was sent to the San Antonio Missions, another Double-A team in the St. Louis Browns organization, in 1946 and he would stay there until the end of the 1947 season. During his two years in San Antonio, Garver went 25-22 with an ERA of 3.43.
Major leagues
Garver was called up to St. Louis in 1948, where he would play his first Major League game against the Detroit Tigers on April 28. In 1950, Garver led the American League with 22 complete games and finishing 2nd with a 3.39 earned run average. Despite this performance, his record was 13-18 with the 58-96 Browns. In 1951, Garver had a memorable season pitching for the St. 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 ERA 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 named the starting pitcher for the American League in the 1951 All-Star Game, his only All-Star appearance. Garver is one of only two modern era pitchers to win 20 or more games for a team which lost 100 or more games in the same season, and is the last to do so and the only one to do it with a winning record. Garver was the winning pitcher in 38% of the Browns' victories; their record when he did not get the decision was 32–90,.262. He led the American League in complete games that year. After the season, Garver found himself in a three-way tie for first place Most Valuable Player Award votes with Yankees Yogi Berra and Allie Reynolds, though the tally of votes further down the ballots meant that Berra won the award. Following the 1951 season, Browns owner Bill Veeck made Garver the highest paid member of the team with a salary of $25,000. Baseball Hall of Fame member Ted Williams said of Garver, "He could throw anything up there and get me out." In actuality, though, Williams' batting average off Garver was.419, with a.767 slugging percentage. Garver was a very good hitting pitcher in his 14-year major league career, posting a.218 batting average with 87 runs, 7 home runs, 72 RBI and drawing 76 bases on balls.
Post-retirement
After his retirement, Garver worked as a Personnel Manager for Dinner Bell Foods in Defiance, Ohio for 14 years. Garver served as the mayor of his hometown, Ney, Ohio, and served on the village's village council for 8 years. In 1996, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative postmark in his honor in his hometown of Ney, Ohio, to mark the 45th anniversary of his 20-win season. On September 30, 1951, he was sent a plaque by the Commissioner of Baseball to commemorate the 20th victory, September 30, 1951.
