John DeMerit, baseball player, 1957-1962

John DeMerit

Born: 1/8/1936 in West Bend, WI, USA

MLB Debut: 1957-06-18 | Final Game: 1962-05-20

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 195 lbs

Full name: John Stephen DeMerit

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Biography

John DeMerit was a professional baseball player born in 1936, who played primarily as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1957 until 1962. His career, spanning just over five seasons, saw him appear in 93 games. DeMerit was known for his speed on the basepaths, evidenced by his single stolen base, but he struggled to make a significant offensive impact, finishing his career with a batting average of .174. Over the course of his time in the league, he recorded 23 hits, including 3 home runs and 7 RBIs, highlighting the challenges he faced at the plate. DeMerit’s career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball history, as the sport was beginning to expand in popularity and complexity. While he did not achieve the statistical success of some of his contemporaries, his presence in the league contributed to the rich tapestry of baseball's mid-20th century narrative. Players like DeMerit, who played in a time often overshadowed by legends, remind fans of the diverse skill sets and stories that make up the history of the game. He eventually retired from professional baseball on May 20, 1962, leaving behind a legacy as a player who persevered in a competitive environment.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
93 132 21 23 3 0 3 7 1 8 33 0.174 0.227 0.265 0.492 -386.5

Career AVG .174 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — 32.4% below league average.

Career OBP .227 vs. league average .326 across their career seasons — 30.3% below league average.

Career SLG .265 vs. league average .394 across their career seasons — 32.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.492 vs. league average 0.720 across their career seasons — 31.6% 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
1957 ATL NL 33 34 8 5 0 0 0 1 1 0 8 0.147 — — — — 0.0
1958 ATL NL 3 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.667 — — — — 0.0
1959 ATL NL 11 5 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0.200 — — — — 0.0
1961 ATL NL 32 74 5 12 3 0 2 5 0 5 19 0.162 .258 (-37%) .328 (-31%) .399 (-29%) .727 (-30%) -386.5
1962 NYN NL 14 16 3 3 0 0 1 1 0 2 4 0.188 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1957 WS ML1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 49 31 74 2 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1957 ML1 OF 13 6 21 0 0 0
1958 ML1 OF 2 0 2 0 0 0
1959 ML1 OF 4 1 7 0 0 0
1961 ML1 OF 21 19 40 2 0 0
1962 NYN OF 9 5 4 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Left Field 10
Center Field 20
Right Field 20

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
University of Wisconsin at Madison Madison WI 1956, 1957