He played all or part of 10 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder and third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds, Boston Bees, and Detroit Tigers.

Outlaw played college baseball for the Auburn Tigers and was signed in 1934 by the Cincinnati Reds.

In 1945, he began the season as the Tigers' starting left fielder but moved to third base to make room for Hank Greenberg upon his return from military service in June 1945.

[5] He spent the 1934 season playing as a third baseman for the Jeannette Reds (Pennsylvania State Association) and Beckley Black Knights (Middle Atlantic League).

He played at third base for Decatur and hit for a .351 average with 27 doubles, 17 triples, and 6 home runs in 447 at bats.

[3] Outlaw appeared in 49 games for the 1937 Reds, a team which finished in last place in the National League with a 56-98 record.

Finally, on December 13, 1938, he was traded by the Cardinals to the Dodgers in exchange for Lew Krausse and cash.

On the same date, he was traded by the Dodgers with Buddy Hassett to the Boston Bees in exchange for Ira Hutchinson and Gene Moore.

[1] Outlaw began the 1940 season with a league-leading .391 batting average, but in late June 1940, he was hit on the wrist by a fastball thrown by Steve "The Mad Russian" Rachunok.

[6] On August 26, 1943, the Detroit Tigers purchased Outlaw and pitcher Rufe Gentry from Buffalo for $17,500.

"[2] In his first game for Detroit, Outlaw hit a home run off Cleveland Indians pitcher Al Smith.

[5] Outlaw played in 20 games for the 1943 Tigers, including appearances at all three outfield positions, hitting for a .269 average in 67 at bats on the season.

By the end of the 1943 season, the Tigers had already lost two left fielders (Hank Greenberg and Barney McCosky) to military service, and a third (Dick Wakefield) was then departing.

In December 1943, Detroit manager Steve O'Neill announced Outlaw would take over as the Tigers' starting left fielder in 1944.

In late June 1945, Hank Greenberg returned from World War II, creating a coaching dilemma for manager O'Neill.

O'Neill considered moving Outlaw to right field, where he had played for the latter half of the 1944 season (after Wakefield returned), but that would have required benching Roy Cullenbine.

At the time, Detroit sports writer Sam Greene wrote that "Outlaw's gift of speed and recent batting consistency have made him one of the most valuable Tigers.

Borom described Outlaw as "a very versatile player, a good baserunner, and played the infield as well as the outfield.

"[13] In a column published at the end of September 1945, J. G. Taylor Spink, editor of The Sporting News, expressed his happiness in the success of Outlaw.

By late June, he was batting .290, and Detroit sports writer Watson Spoelstra wrote that Outlaw "may be viewed as the team's most consistent hitter" with the exception of the recently acquired third baseman George Kell.

[15] He continued to serve in a backup role at third base and outfield for Detroit in 1948, appearing in 74 games.

He concluded his playing career in 1950 with the Miami Beach Flamingos in the Florida International League; he had a .254 average in 177 at bats.