Hal Epps, baseball player, 1938-1944

Hal Epps

Born: 3/26/1914 in Athens, GA, USA

Died: 8/25/2004 in Houston, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1938-09-09 | Final Game: 1944-09-20

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: Harold Franklin Epps

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Biography

Hal Epps was a professional baseball player born in 1914, whose career spanned from 1938 to 1944. He played primarily as a position player, appearing in a total of 125 games during his time in Major League Baseball. Epps finished his career with 99 hits, resulting in a batting average of .253. He contributed to his teams with 21 RBIs and hit 1 home run, showcasing his ability to drive in runs despite not being known as a power hitter. Additionally, he displayed some speed on the basepaths, successfully stealing 5 bases throughout his career. Epps played during a transformative period in baseball history, which included the lead-up to World War II. The era was marked by a mix of emerging talents and the lingering effects of the Great Depression, which influenced the game both on and off the field. Although his career was relatively short, Epps’ contributions to the teams he played for were significant, as he navigated the challenges of a competitive league while showcasing his skills as a reliable player. His legacy remains a part of the rich tapestry of baseball history, representing the dedication and perseverance of players from his era.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
125 391 58 99 13 9 1 21 5 37 43 0.253 0.319 0.340 0.660 -239.1

Career AVG .253 vs. league average .264 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .319 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .340 vs. league average .371 across their career seasons — 8.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.660 vs. league average 0.703 across their career seasons — 6.2% 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
1938 STL NL 17 50 8 15 0 0 1 3 2 2 4 0.300 .272 (+10%) .341 (-4%) .392 (-8%) .734 (-6%) -53.2
1940 STL NL 11 15 6 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0.200 — — — — 0.0
1943 SLA AL 8 35 2 10 4 0 0 1 1 3 4 0.286 — — — — 0.0
1944 SLA AL 22 62 15 11 1 1 0 3 0 14 14 0.177 .261 (-32%) .325 (+4%) .357 (-37%) .683 (-18%) -115.5
1944 PHA AL 67 229 27 60 8 8 0 13 2 18 18 0.262 .261 (avg) .325 (-3%) .357 (+3%) .683 (avg) -115.5

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 99 0 236 7 8 3

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1938 SLN OF 10 0 26 0 1 0
1940 SLN OF 3 0 4 0 1 0
1943 SLA OF 8 0 18 0 0 0
1944 SLA OF 18 0 47 3 2 2
1944 PHA OF 60 0 141 4 4 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Center Field 83
Right Field 16