Otto Denning, baseball player, 1942-1943

Otto Denning

Born: 12/28/1912 in Hays, KS, USA

Died: 5/25/1992 in Chicago, IL, USA

MLB Debut: 1942-04-15 | Final Game: 1943-06-04

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Otto George Denning

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Biography

Otto Denning was a professional baseball player born in 1912, who played in the Major Leagues during the early 1940s, a time marked by the impact of World War II on American sports. His career spanned from April 15, 1942, to June 4, 1943, during which he appeared in 129 games primarily as a position player. Denning recorded 76 hits with a batting average of .222, contributing 32 runs batted in and hitting one home run. He also displayed speed on the bases, finishing his career with three stolen bases. Denning's playing style was characterized by his versatility on the field and his ability to contribute to his team's offensive efforts during an era when baseball was beginning to see the effects of wartime player shortages. Despite not having overwhelming statistics, his presence on the field was part of a larger narrative in baseball history, as the sport adapted to the challenges of the 1940s. His career, while brief, reflected the spirit of perseverance and adaptability that defined baseball during this transformative period.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
129 343 23 76 20 0 1 32 3 23 15 0.222 0.272 0.289 0.561 -1015.4

Career AVG .222 vs. league average .255 across their career seasons — 13.0% below league average.

Career OBP .272 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — 15.9% below league average.

Career SLG .289 vs. league average .348 across their career seasons — 17.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.561 vs. league average 0.672 across their career seasons — 16.5% 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 CLE AL 92 214 15 45 14 0 1 19 0 18 14 0.210 .253 (-17%) .323 (-15%) .349 (-17%) .672 (-16%) -632.9
1943 CLE AL 37 129 8 31 6 0 0 13 3 5 1 0.240 .255 (-6%) .324 (-17%) .346 (-17%) .671 (-17%) -382.5

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 34 0 326 18 12 39
C 78 0 213 36 2 6
OF 2 0 4 0 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1942 CLE C 78 0 213 36 2 6
1942 CLE OF 2 0 4 0 0 0
1943 CLE 1B 34 0 326 18 12 39

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 78
First Base 34
Left Field 2