Bill Bethea, baseball player, 1964-1964

Bill Bethea

Born: 1/1/1942 in Houston, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1964-09-13 | Final Game: 1964-09-29

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: William Lamar Bethea

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Biography

Bill Bethea, born in 1942, was a professional baseball player who had a brief career in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1964 until September 29 of the same year. Primarily serving as a position player, Bethea appeared in a total of 10 games during his time in the league. Over the course of his short stint, he recorded 5 hits and drove in 2 runs, culminating in a batting average of .167. His playing style and contributions were reflective of the era's dynamics, where competition was fierce and the game was evolving with the introduction of more specialized roles. Despite the limited opportunities in his career, Bethea's journey through the majors remains a testament to the dedication and aspirations of players striving to make their mark in baseball. Although he did not hit any home runs or steal bases during his time in the big leagues, his participation in MLB during the mid-1960s places him among a unique group of players who experienced the transition of the game in the post-Deadball Era. After his retirement, Bethea’s legacy, although not marked by gaudy statistics, reflects the spirit of perseverance common to many athletes of his time.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
10 30 4 5 1 0 0 2 0 4 4 0.167 0.265 0.200 0.465 0.0

Career AVG .167 vs. league average .250 across their career seasons — 33.5% below league average.

Career OBP .265 vs. league average .313 across their career seasons — 15.3% below league average.

Career SLG .200 vs. league average .378 across their career seasons — 47.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.465 vs. league average 0.690 across their career seasons — 32.7% 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
1964 MIN AL 10 30 4 5 1 0 0 2 0 4 4 0.167 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 7 7 15 16 0 6
SS 3 0 1 0 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1964 MIN 2B 7 7 15 16 0 6
1964 MIN SS 3 0 1 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 7
Shortstop 3

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
University of Texas at Austin Austin TX 1961, 1962, 1963