Bill Champion

Born: 9/18/1947 in Shelby, NC, USA

Died: 1/7/2017 in Shelby, NC, USA

MLB Debut: 1969-06-04 | Final Game: 1976-06-05

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 188 lbs

Full name: Buford Billy Champion

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Biography

Bill Champion, born in 1947, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1969 to June 4, 1976. He played during a transformative era in Major League Baseball, characterized by the transition from the tail end of the deadball era to the more offensive-minded game that emerged in the 1970s. Champion was known for his competitive spirit on the mound and his ability to log significant innings, which made him a reliable option for his teams. Over the course of his career, Champion recorded a win-loss record of 34-50 and maintained an earned run average (ERA) of 4.69. He struck out a total of 360 batters and notched 2 saves, demonstrating his capacity to both start games and come in as a reliever when needed. While he may not have been a marquee player, Champion’s contributions to the teams he played for were vital, and he remains a notable figure in the history of pitching during a pivotal time in baseball.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
34	50	202	102	13	3	2	804.3	873	419	64	354	360	4.69	0

Career ERA 4.69 vs. league average 3.61 across their career seasons — 30.0% worse 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
1969	PHI	NL	5	10	23	20	4	2	1	116.7	130	65	63	70	5.01	3.61 (-39%)	-516.4
1970	PHI	NL	0	2	7	1	0	0	0	14.0	21	14	10	12	9.00	3.89 (-132%)	-765.6
1971	PHI	NL	3	5	37	9	0	0	0	108.7	100	53	48	49	4.39	3.47 (-27%)	-1902.2
1972	PHI	NL	4	14	30	22	2	0	0	132.7	155	75	54	54	5.09	3.26 (-56%)	-2189.3
1973	ATL	AL	5	8	37	11	2	0	1	136.3	139	56	62	67	3.70	3.75 (+1%)	-
1974	ATL	AL	11	4	31	23	2	0	0	161.7	168	65	49	60	3.62	3.63 (avg)	-
1975	ATL	AL	6	6	27	13	3	1	0	110.0	125	72	55	40	5.89	3.71 (-59%)	-
1976	ATL	AL	0	1	10	3	0	0	0	24.3	35	19	13	8	7.03	3.51 (-100%)	-

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
204	99	5	14	2	0	1	5	0	2	39	0.141	0.158	0.192	0.350	0.0

Career AVG .141 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — 44.1% below league average.

Career OBP .158 vs. league average .321 across their career seasons — 50.7% below league average.

Career SLG .192 vs. league average .370 across their career seasons — 48.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.350 vs. league average 0.691 across their career seasons — 49.3% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS
1969	PHI	NL	23	35	4	6	1	0	2	1	12	0.171	—	—	—	—
1970	PHI	NL	7	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0.000	—	—	—	—
1971	PHI	NL	37	27	0	3	1	0	2	0	9	0.111	—	—	—	—
1972	PHI	NL	32	34	1	5	0	1	1	1	16	0.147	—	—	—	—
1973	ATL	AL	37	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1974	ATL	AL	31	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1975	ATL	AL	27	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1976	ATL	AL	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—