Jake Early, baseball player, 1939-1949

Jake Early

Born: 5/19/1915 in Kings Mountain, NC, USA

Died: 5/31/1985 in Melbourne, FL, USA

MLB Debut: 1939-05-04 | Final Game: 1949-09-30

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 168 lbs

Full name: Jacob Willard Early

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Biography

Jake Early was a professional baseball player born in 1915, whose career spanned from 1939 to 1949. A versatile position player, Early participated in 747 games in Major League Baseball, where he established himself as a reliable contributor with a career batting average of .241. Over the course of his tenure, he recorded 532 hits, 32 home runs, and 264 runs batted in, showcasing his ability to drive in runs while maintaining a consistent presence in the lineup. Known for his speed on the bases, he also managed to steal 7 bases throughout his career. Early was selected as an All-Star during his playing days, a testament to his skills and impact on the field. He played during an era that was marked by significant transitions in baseball, including the tail end of the pre-integration period. His career reflects the competitive nature of the late 1930s through the late 1940s, a time when players like Early contributed to the evolving game as it began to embrace greater diversity and change. His contributions to the teams he played for left a lasting legacy in the annals of baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
747 2208 216 532 98 23 32 264 7 281 259 0.241 0.330 0.350 0.679 -821.1

Career AVG .241 vs. league average .262 across their career seasons — 8.0% below league average.

Career OBP .330 vs. league average .334 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .350 vs. league average .372 across their career seasons — 5.9% below league average.

Career OPS 0.679 vs. league average 0.706 across their career seasons — near 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
1939 WSN AL 32 84 8 22 7 2 0 14 0 5 14 0.262 .274 (-4%) .342 (-11%) .393 (avg) .735 (-5%) -111.7
1940 WSN AL 80 206 26 53 8 4 5 14 0 23 22 0.257 .267 (-4%) .335 (avg) .387 (+5%) .722 (+3%) 93.1
1941 WSN AL 104 355 42 102 20 7 10 54 0 24 38 0.287 .262 (+10%) .332 (+2%) .373 (+25%) .705 (+14%) 797.3
1942 WSN AL 104 353 31 72 14 2 3 46 0 37 37 0.204 .253 (-19%) .323 (-13%) .349 (-20%) .672 (-17%) -1045.0
1943 WSN AL 126 423 37 109 23 3 5 60 5 53 43 0.258 .255 (+1%) .324 (+6%) .346 (+4%) .671 (+5%) 517.9
1946 WSN AL 64 189 13 38 6 0 4 18 0 23 27 0.201 .256 (-22%) .328 (-13%) .358 (-17%) .687 (-15%) -475.6
1947 SLA AL 87 214 25 48 9 3 3 19 0 54 34 0.224 .262 (-15%) .336 (+13%) .376 (-11%) .712 (+1%) 222.3
1948 WSN AL 97 246 22 54 7 2 1 28 2 36 33 0.220 .263 (-17%) .340 (-5%) .379 (-27%) .719 (-17%) -710.6
1949 WSN AL 53 138 12 34 4 0 1 11 0 26 11 0.246 .262 (-6%) .343 (+8%) .384 (-23%) .727 (-8%) -108.8

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
C 694 0 2566 417 74 65

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1939 WS1 C 24 0 95 9 4 1
1940 WS1 C 56 0 276 41 10 5
1941 WS1 C 100 0 385 52 16 13
1942 WS1 C 98 0 392 71 9 11
1943 WS1 C 122 0 443 83 11 10
1946 WS1 C 64 0 246 45 12 7
1947 SLA C 85 0 301 43 4 5
1948 WS1 C 92 0 268 51 3 7
1949 WS1 C 53 0 160 22 5 6

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 694

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1943 Most Valuable Player AL 23th 6.0 336 0