In 1939 Handley hit a career-high average of .285 and tied for the National League lead in stolen bases (17), despite suffering a serious beaning that kept him out of the lineup for 52 games.
In 1939, Handley's batting average peaked at .285 and he led the National League with 17 stolen bases. However, his career was temporarily disrupted due to a serious beaning that caused him to miss 52 games.