Jim Bunning, baseball player, 1955-1971

Jim Bunning

⭐ Hall of Fame 1996

Born: 10/23/1931 in Southgate, KY, USA

Died: 5/26/2017 in Edgewood, KY, USA

MLB Debut: 1955-07-20 | Final Game: 1971-09-03

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 190 lbs

Full name: James Paul David Bunning

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Biography

Jim Bunning was a distinguished pitcher whose career spanned from 1955 to 1971. Born in 1931, Bunning established himself as a formidable presence on the mound, achieving a career record of 224 wins and 184 losses. With an earned run average (ERA) of 3.27, he was known for his durability and ability to strike out batters, finishing his career with an impressive 2,855 strikeouts. Bunning also recorded 16 saves, showcasing his versatility as a pitcher in various game situations. His performance earned him recognition as an eight-time All-Star, a testament to his skill and consistency during an era marked by fierce competition. As a key figure in Major League Baseball during the 1960s, Bunning played for teams such as the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. He was particularly noted for his sharp curveball and competitive spirit, which made him a fan favorite and a respected opponent. Beyond his on-field accomplishments, Bunning's impact extended into public service after his baseball career, further solidifying his legacy. His contributions to the game and his community have made him a significant figure in baseball history, remembered not only for his statistics but also for his character and leadership.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
224 184 591 519 151 40 16 3760.3 3433 1366 372 1000 2855 3.27 0

Career ERA 3.27 vs. league average 3.66 across their career seasons — 10.8% 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
1955 DET AL 3 5 15 8 0 0 1 51.0 59 36 32 37 6.35 4.00 (-59%) -1310.5
1956 DET AL 5 1 15 3 0 0 1 53.3 55 22 28 34 3.71 3.96 (+6%) -225.7
1957 DET AL 20 8 45 30 14 1 1 267.3 214 80 72 182 2.69 3.83 (+30%) 1427.4
1958 DET AL 14 12 35 34 10 3 0 219.7 188 86 79 177 3.52 3.86 (+9%) 714.2
1959 DET AL 17 13 40 35 14 1 1 249.7 220 108 75 201 3.89 3.90 (avg) 73.5
1960 DET AL 11 14 36 34 10 3 0 252.0 217 78 64 201 2.79 3.82 (+27%) 6383.2
1961 DET AL 17 11 38 37 12 4 1 268.0 232 95 71 194 3.19 4.03 (+21%) 5598.6
1962 DET AL 19 10 41 35 12 2 6 258.0 262 103 74 184 3.59 3.96 (+9%) 2322.7
1963 DET AL 12 13 39 35 6 2 1 248.3 245 107 69 196 3.88 3.46 (-12%) -2119.3
1964 PHI NL 19 8 41 39 13 5 2 284.3 248 83 46 219 2.63 3.58 (+27%) 6255.6
1965 PHI NL 19 9 39 39 15 7 0 291.0 253 84 62 268 2.60 3.50 (+26%) 7966.3
1966 PHI NL 19 14 43 41 16 5 1 314.0 260 84 55 252 2.41 3.52 (+32%) 6582.4
1967 PHI NL 17 15 40 40 16 6 0 302.3 241 77 73 253 2.29 3.30 (+31%) 6508.9
1968 PIT NL 4 14 27 26 3 1 0 160.0 168 69 48 95 3.88 2.98 (-30%) -1665.3
1969 PIT NL 10 9 25 25 4 0 0 156.0 147 66 49 124 3.81 3.61 (-5%) 3232.1
1969 LAD NL 3 1 9 9 1 0 0 56.3 65 21 10 33 3.36 3.61 (+7%) -
1970 PHI NL 10 15 34 33 4 0 0 219.0 233 100 56 147 4.11 3.89 (-6%) 3349.3
1971 PHI NL 5 12 29 16 1 0 1 110.0 126 67 37 58 5.48 3.47 (-58%) -1126.6

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
601 1275 82 213 21 4 7 75 0 34 362 0.167 0.188 0.206 0.395 -8806.5

Career AVG .167 vs. league average .251 across their career seasons — 33.5% below league average.

Career OBP .188 vs. league average .318 across their career seasons — 40.8% below league average.

Career SLG .206 vs. league average .379 across their career seasons — 45.5% below league average.

Career OPS 0.395 vs. league average 0.697 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
1955 DET AL 15 15 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0.200 — — — — 0.0
1956 DET AL 15 18 4 6 2 0 0 1 0 0 5 0.333 — — — — 0.0
1957 DET AL 45 94 10 20 2 1 1 4 0 5 29 0.213 .257 (-17%) .323 (-22%) .391 (-27%) .715 (-25%) -402.4
1958 DET AL 36 75 7 14 2 0 0 3 0 3 24 0.187 .257 (-28%) .324 (-33%) .394 (-46%) .719 (-40%) -507.2
1959 DET AL 40 89 7 17 0 1 1 7 0 5 25 0.191 .256 (-26%) .323 (-28%) .392 (-37%) .715 (-33%) -497.8
1960 DET AL 38 81 2 13 1 0 0 4 0 3 22 0.160 .255 (-37%) .323 (-42%) .387 (-55%) .711 (-49%) -681.4
1961 DET AL 38 100 6 13 1 0 0 4 0 2 30 0.130 .258 (-50%) .328 (-55%) .399 (-65%) .727 (-61%) -1035.2
1962 DET AL 43 95 9 23 2 1 1 5 0 1 19 0.242 .257 (-6%) .326 (-22%) .393 (-20%) .719 (-21%) -361.1
1963 DET AL 41 84 4 13 1 1 0 5 0 4 15 0.155 .246 (-37%) .308 (-37%) .371 (-49%) .680 (-44%) -597.3
1964 PHI NL 41 99 4 12 2 0 0 8 0 0 29 0.121 .250 (-52%) .312 (-62%) .377 (-63%) .690 (-62%) -1024.8
1965 PHI NL 39 103 6 22 1 0 1 4 0 1 25 0.214 .245 (-13%) .310 (-29%) .371 (-32%) .682 (-31%) -516.7
1966 PHI NL 43 106 10 19 3 0 0 5 0 3 39 0.179 .248 (-28%) .309 (-35%) .376 (-45%) .685 (-41%) -715.6
1967 PHI NL 40 104 8 17 3 0 2 12 0 1 33 0.163 .242 (-33%) .306 (-44%) .357 (-30%) .663 (-37%) -624.8
1968 PIT NL 27 51 0 5 1 0 0 3 0 0 17 0.098 .236 (-59%) .298 (-67%) .340 (-65%) .638 (-66%) -507.8
1969 PIT NL 25 47 3 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 12 0.043 — — — — -596.5
1969 LAD NL 9 18 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 6 0.111 — — — — -596.5
1970 PHI NL 35 71 1 9 0 0 0 6 0 2 18 0.127 .253 (-50%) .325 (-54%) .385 (-67%) .711 (-61%) -738.0
1971 PHI NL 31 25 1 3 0 0 1 2 0 1 9 0.120 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 591 519 206 372 23 20

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1955 DET P 15 8 4 8 1 1
1956 DET P 15 3 2 6 0 0
1957 DET P 45 30 12 19 0 0
1958 DET P 35 34 9 16 0 0
1959 DET P 40 35 11 16 3 1
1960 DET P 36 34 11 31 0 0
1961 DET P 38 37 21 29 3 6
1962 DET P 41 35 17 13 0 1
1963 DET P 39 35 18 25 1 1
1964 PHI P 41 39 10 31 3 2
1965 PHI P 39 39 29 40 3 2
1966 PHI P 43 41 18 30 2 0
1967 PHI P 40 40 16 33 1 1
1968 PIT P 27 26 6 17 2 1
1969 PIT P 25 25 4 9 1 2
1969 LAN P 9 9 1 6 0 0
1970 PHI P 34 33 12 27 2 1
1971 PHI P 29 16 5 16 1 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 591

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1964 TSN All-Star P
1957 TSN All-Star P

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1967 Cy Young Award NL 2nd 1.0 20 1
1967 Most Valuable Player NL 22th 5.0 280 0
1964 Most Valuable Player NL 13th 23.0 280 0
1962 Most Valuable Player AL 21th 8.0 280 0
1960 Most Valuable Player AL 24th 3.0 336 0
1957 Most Valuable Player AL 9th 46.0 336 0