Steve Bilko

Born: 11/13/1928 in Nanticoke, PA, USA

Died: 3/7/1978 in Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1949-09-22 | Final Game: 1962-08-23

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 230 lbs

Full name: Stephen Thomas Bilko

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Biography

Steve Bilko was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1949 to 1962. Born in 1928, Bilko played primarily as a position player and became known for his power-hitting capabilities during a time when the game was evolving, transitioning from the deadball era to a more offensive-minded approach. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 600 games, accumulating 432 hits, 76 home runs, and 276 RBIs, while finishing with a batting average of .249. Bilko's playing style showcased a blend of strength and determination, which contributed significantly to his teams. Despite not being known for speed, as evidenced by his two stolen bases, his ability to drive in runs and hit for power made him a valuable asset in the lineup. His contributions were particularly notable during the early 1950s, a period marked by fierce competition and the emergence of several legendary players. Bilko's legacy in baseball is remembered for his solid performance and the role he played in the changing dynamics of the sport during his era.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
600	1738	220	432	85	13	76	276	2	234	395	0.249	0.336	0.444	0.780	2674.1

Career AVG .249 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .336 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .444 vs. league average .391 across their career seasons — +13.6% above league average.

Career OPS 0.780 vs. league average 0.723 across their career seasons — +7.9% above 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
1949	STL	NL	6	17	3	5	2	0	0	2	0	5	6	0.294	—	—	—	—	0.0
1950	STL	NL	10	33	1	6	1	0	0	2	0	4	10	0.182	—	—	—	—	0.0
1951	STL	NL	21	72	5	16	4	0	2	12	0	9	10	0.222	.260 (-15%)	.336 (-8%)	.385 (-6%)	.721 (-7%)	-89.6
1952	STL	NL	20	72	7	19	6	1	1	6	0	4	15	0.264	.252 (+4%)	.326 (-7%)	.369 (+13%)	.696 (+3%)	3.3
1953	STL	NL	154	570	72	143	23	3	21	84	0	70	125	0.251	.264 (-5%)	.335 (-1%)	.397 (+4%)	.733 (+2%)	225.4
1954	STL	NL	8	14	1	2	0	0	0	1	0	3	1	0.143	—	—	—	—	0.0
1954	CHC	NL	47	92	11	22	8	1	4	12	0	11	24	0.239	.261 (-8%)	.333 (-4%)	.390 (+23%)	.723 (+10%)	0.0
1958	CIN	NL	31	87	12	23	4	2	4	17	0	10	20	0.264	.257 (+2%)	.324 (+2%)	.394 (+25%)	.719 (+15%)	170.5
1958	LAD	NL	47	101	13	21	1	2	7	18	0	8	37	0.208	.257 (-19%)	.324 (-19%)	.394 (+18%)	.719 (+1%)	170.5
1960	DET	AL	78	222	20	46	11	2	9	25	0	27	31	0.207	.255 (-19%)	.323 (-10%)	.387 (+2%)	.711 (-3%)	-166.0
1961	LAA	AL	114	294	49	82	16	1	20	59	1	58	81	0.279	.258 (+8%)	.328 (+20%)	.399 (+36%)	.727 (+29%)	1801.4
1962	LAA	AL	64	164	26	47	9	1	8	38	1	25	35	0.287	.257 (+11%)	.326 (+15%)	.393 (+27%)	.719 (+21%)	618.5

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	479	245	3913	359	36	384
OF	3	3	2	0	0	0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1949	SLN	1B	5	0	42	3	0	1
1950	SLN	1B	9	0	81	7	1	8
1951	SLN	1B	19	0	170	13	3	18
1952	SLN	1B	20	0	177	24	1	14
1953	SLN	1B	154	0	1446	124	15	145
1954	SLN	1B	6	4	21	7	0	3
1954	CHN	1B	22	21	182	28	0	17
1958	CIN	1B	21	21	172	11	1	19
1958	LAN	1B	25	25	173	17	1	20
1960	DET	1B	62	59	501	36	5	47
1961	LAA	1B	86	72	577	61	7	56
1961	LAA	OF	3	3	2	0	0	0
1962	LAA	1B	50	43	371	28	2	36