Hiram Bithorn

Born: 3/18/1916 in Santurce, P.R.

Died: 12/29/1951 in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, México

MLB Debut: 1942-04-15 | Final Game: 1947-05-04

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 200 lbs

Full name: Hiram Gabriel Bithorn

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Biography

Hiram Bithorn, born in 1916, was a pioneering Puerto Rican pitcher who made significant contributions to Major League Baseball during the 1940s. His career spanned from April 15, 1942, to May 4, 1947, during which he became one of the first players from Puerto Rico to compete at the highest level of American baseball. Bithorn's playing style featured a combination of skillful pitching and competitive spirit, earning him a career record of 34 wins and 31 losses, along with an impressive earned run average (ERA) of 3.16. He also recorded 185 strikeouts and secured 5 saves, showcasing his ability to perform in high-pressure situations. Bithorn's significance extended beyond his statistics; he was part of a transformative era in baseball that began to embrace diversity and inclusion. As one of the early Latin American players in the Major Leagues, he helped pave the way for future generations of players from Puerto Rico and beyond. His contributions to the game have been recognized as vital in the broader narrative of baseball's integration and globalization, making him a notable figure in the history of the sport.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
34 31 105 53 30 8 5 509.7 517 179 21 171 185 3.16 0

Career ERA 3.16 vs. league average 3.66 across their career seasons — 13.6% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1942 CHC NL 9 14 38 16 9 0 2 171.3 191 70 81 65 3.68 3.57 (-3%) -
1943 CHC NL 18 12 39 30 19 7 2 249.7 227 72 65 86 2.60 3.50 (+26%) -
1946 CHC NL 6 5 26 7 2 1 1 86.7 97 37 25 34 3.84 3.59 (-7%) -
1947 CHW AL 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 2.0 2 0 0 0 0.00 — -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
105 177 14 28 4 0 0 11 0 10 21 0.158 0.207 0.181 0.388 -1016.7

Career AVG .158 vs. league average .257 across their career seasons — 38.5% below league average.

Career OBP .207 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — 36.8% below league average.

Career SLG .181 vs. league average .358 across their career seasons — 49.4% below league average.

Career OPS 0.388 vs. league average 0.686 across their career seasons — 43.4% 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
1942 CHC NL 38 57 3 7 1 0 0 1 0 5 9 0.123 .253 (-52%) .323 (-40%) .349 (-60%) .672 (-50%) -460.8
1943 CHC NL 39 92 7 16 3 0 0 8 0 4 10 0.174 .255 (-32%) .324 (-33%) .346 (-40%) .671 (-37%) -555.9
1946 CHC NL 26 28 4 5 0 0 0 2 0 1 2 0.179 — — — — 0.0
1947 CHW AL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 105 0 18 109 4 7

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1942 CHN P 38 0 5 35 2 3
1943 CHN P 39 0 12 57 1 2
1946 CHN P 26 0 1 17 1 2
1947 CHA P 2 0 0 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 105

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1943 Most Valuable Player NL 32th 1.0 336 0