Moe Berg, baseball player, 1923-1939

Moe Berg

Born: 3/2/1902 in New York, NY, USA

Died: 5/29/1972 in Belleville, NJ, USA

MLB Debut: 1923-06-27 | Final Game: 1939-09-01

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: Morris Berg

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Biography

Moe Berg was a professional baseball player born in 1902, whose career spanned from 1923 to 1939. Primarily a position player, Berg was known for his keen intellect and versatility on the field. Over the course of 663 games in Major League Baseball, he accumulated 441 hits, 6 home runs, and 206 RBIs, finishing his career with a batting average of .243. His speed on the bases was reflected in his 11 stolen bases, showcasing his ability to contribute to his team's offensive strategies. Berg played during a transformative era in baseball, witnessing significant changes in the game, including the integration of players and the evolution of playing styles. Beyond his on-field contributions, he is also remembered for his unique background as a educated man, fluent in multiple languages, and a storied post-baseball career that included work as a spy during World War II. His legacy remains a fascinating blend of athletic achievement and intellectual prowess, making him a notable figure in baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
663 1813 150 441 71 6 6 206 11 78 117 0.243 0.278 0.299 0.577 -7295.5

Career AVG .243 vs. league average .280 across their career seasons — 13.1% below league average.

Career OBP .278 vs. league average .343 across their career seasons — 19.1% below league average.

Career SLG .299 vs. league average .397 across their career seasons — 24.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.577 vs. league average 0.740 across their career seasons — 22.1% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1923 BRO NL 49 129 9 24 3 2 0 6 1 2 5 0.186 .282 (-34%) .344 (-42%) .390 (-38%) .734 (-40%) -952.5
1926 CHW AL 41 113 4 25 6 0 0 7 0 6 9 0.221 .279 (-21%) .345 (-25%) .390 (-30%) .735 (-27%) -552.9
1927 CHW AL 35 69 4 17 4 0 0 4 0 4 10 0.246 .282 (-13%) .344 (-16%) .392 (-22%) .736 (-20%) -239.5
1928 CHW AL 76 224 25 55 16 0 0 29 2 14 25 0.246 .280 (-13%) .342 (-12%) .395 (-20%) .737 (-16%) -670.5
1929 CHW AL 107 352 32 101 7 0 0 47 5 17 16 0.287 .289 (-1%) .353 (-9%) .415 (-26%) .769 (-18%) -1228.3
1930 CHW AL 20 61 4 7 3 0 0 7 0 1 5 0.115 .293 (-61%) .354 (-64%) .429 (-62%) .784 (-63%) -688.8
1931 CLE AL 10 13 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.077 — — — — 0.0
1932 WSN AL 75 195 16 46 8 1 1 26 1 8 13 0.236 .275 (-14%) .335 (-21%) .391 (-23%) .726 (-22%) -800.8
1933 WSN AL 40 65 8 12 3 0 2 9 0 4 5 0.185 .270 (-32%) .329 (-30%) .377 (-14%) .707 (-22%) -251.9
1934 WSN AL 33 86 5 21 4 0 0 6 2 6 4 0.244 .278 (-12%) .340 (-12%) .392 (-26%) .733 (-19%) -276.2
1934 CLE AL 29 97 4 25 3 1 0 9 0 1 7 0.258 .278 (-7%) .340 (-22%) .392 (-21%) .733 (-22%) -276.2
1935 BOS AL 38 98 13 28 5 0 2 12 0 5 3 0.286 .279 (+2%) .342 (-7%) .399 (avg) .742 (-3%) -67.7
1936 BOS AL 39 125 9 30 4 1 0 19 0 2 6 0.240 .283 (-15%) .349 (-25%) .404 (-29%) .753 (-27%) -611.2
1937 BOS AL 47 141 13 36 3 1 0 20 0 5 4 0.255 .276 (-8%) .342 (-18%) .398 (-27%) .740 (-23%) -578.4
1938 BOS AL 10 12 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.333 — — — — 0.0
1939 BOS AL 14 33 3 9 1 0 1 5 0 2 3 0.273 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 1 0 3 0 0 1
2B 14 0 5 19 1 2
3B 4 0 2 3 1 0
C 529 0 1693 306 29 44
SS 84 0 155 225 36 43

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1923 BRO 2B 1 0 0 0 0 0
1923 BRO SS 47 0 86 126 22 20
1926 CHA 2B 2 0 1 3 0 0
1926 CHA 3B 1 0 0 0 0 0
1926 CHA SS 31 0 59 86 8 21
1927 CHA 2B 11 0 4 16 1 2
1927 CHA 3B 3 0 2 3 1 0
1927 CHA C 10 0 23 5 1 0
1927 CHA SS 6 0 10 13 6 2
1928 CHA C 73 0 256 52 3 8
1929 CHA C 106 0 290 86 7 12
1930 CHA C 20 0 55 14 1 1
1931 CLE C 8 0 12 4 2 0
1932 WS1 C 75 0 229 35 0 9
1933 WS1 C 35 0 76 10 0 3
1934 WS1 C 31 0 77 8 1 1
1934 CLE C 28 0 137 13 3 1
1935 BOS C 37 0 99 15 1 2
1936 BOS C 39 0 175 29 3 3
1937 BOS C 47 0 208 24 5 2
1938 BOS 1B 1 0 3 0 0 1
1938 BOS C 7 0 11 1 0 1
1939 BOS C 13 0 45 10 2 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 529
First Base 1
Second Base 14
Third Base 4
Shortstop 84

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Princeton University Princeton NJ 1921, 1922, 1923