Art Fowler, baseball player, 1954-1964

Art Fowler

Born: 7/3/1922 in Converse, SC, USA

Died: 1/29/2007 in Spartanburg, SC, USA

MLB Debut: 1954-04-17 | Final Game: 1964-05-04

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: John Arthur Fowler

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Biography

Art Fowler was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1954 to 1964. Born in 1922, Fowler made his mark during a transitional era in baseball, which saw the game evolve with the introduction of more dynamic offensive strategies and the increasing importance of relief pitching. Over his career, he compiled a record of 54-51, showcasing his competitiveness on the mound. His earned run average (ERA) of 4.03 reflected the challenges pitchers faced during this time, particularly with the rise of power hitters in the mid-20th century. Fowler was known for his versatility as a pitcher, contributing significantly both as a starter and a reliever, which was a valuable asset during a period when teams began to utilize specialized roles in their pitching staffs. He recorded 539 strikeouts and secured 32 saves, highlighting his ability to close out games and deliver in high-pressure situations. Fowler's career spanned a decade, and he left an enduring legacy, particularly as the game began to embrace the importance of the bullpen, influencing future generations of pitchers.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
54 51 362 90 25 4 32 1024.0 1039 458 99 308 539 4.03 0

Career ERA 4.03 vs. league average 3.83 across their career seasons — near 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
1954 CIN NL 12 10 40 29 8 1 0 227.7 256 97 85 93 3.83 3.90 (+2%) 8.5
1955 CIN NL 11 10 46 28 8 3 2 207.7 198 90 63 94 3.90 4.00 (+2%) 1948.4
1956 CIN NL 11 11 45 23 8 0 1 177.7 191 80 35 86 4.05 3.96 (-2%) 4034.6
1957 CIN NL 3 0 33 7 1 0 0 87.7 111 63 24 45 6.47 3.83 (-69%) -263.2
1959 LAD NL 3 4 36 0 0 0 2 61.0 70 36 23 47 5.31 3.90 (-36%) -
1961 LAA AL 5 8 53 3 0 0 11 89.0 68 36 29 78 3.64 4.03 (+10%) 1075.9
1962 LAA AL 4 3 48 0 0 0 5 77.0 67 24 25 38 2.81 3.96 (+29%) 584.9
1963 LAA AL 5 3 57 0 0 0 10 89.3 70 24 19 53 2.42 3.46 (+30%) 1821.4
1964 LAA AL 0 2 4 0 0 0 1 7.0 8 8 5 5 10.29 — 0.0

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
362 231 16 35 1 0 0 20 0 23 62 0.152 0.232 0.156 0.388 -1317.2

Career AVG .152 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — 40.7% below league average.

Career OBP .232 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — 28.5% below league average.

Career SLG .156 vs. league average .389 across their career seasons — 59.9% below league average.

Career OPS 0.388 vs. league average 0.713 across their career seasons — 45.6% 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
1954 CIN NL 40 60 3 6 0 0 0 2 0 9 19 0.100 .261 (-62%) .333 (-31%) .390 (-74%) .723 (-55%) -540.7
1955 CIN NL 46 60 6 12 0 0 0 7 0 5 13 0.200 .258 (-23%) .332 (-24%) .393 (-49%) .726 (-38%) -401.2
1956 CIN NL 45 48 1 7 1 0 0 5 0 5 11 0.146 — — — — -375.3
1957 CIN NL 33 17 1 3 0 0 0 2 0 2 4 0.176 — — — — 0.0
1959 LAD NL 36 12 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.083 — — — — 0.0
1961 LAA AL 53 13 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.077 — — — — 0.0
1962 LAA AL 48 11 1 3 0 0 0 4 0 1 2 0.273 — — — — 0.0
1963 LAA AL 57 9 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 5 0.222 — — — — 0.0
1964 LAA AL 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 362 90 55 157 5 6

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1954 CIN P 40 29 10 35 2 4
1955 CIN P 46 28 12 30 0 1
1956 CIN P 45 23 12 35 1 0
1957 CIN P 33 7 5 15 0 0
1959 LAN P 36 0 2 12 1 0
1961 LAA P 53 3 4 7 0 0
1962 LAA P 48 0 5 12 0 0
1963 LAA P 57 0 4 9 1 0
1964 LAA P 4 0 1 2 0 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 362