Herman Franks

Born: 1/4/1914 in Price, UT, USA

Died: 3/30/2009 in Salt Lake City, UT, USA

MLB Debut: 1939-04-27 | Final Game: 1949-08-28

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 187 lbs

Full name: Herman Louis Franks

📋 View Manager Career

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Herman Franks was a professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1939 to 1949. Born in 1914, he played primarily as a position player during a transformative period in Major League Baseball, navigating through the pre-World War II era and into the post-war years. Franks appeared in 188 games, accumulating a total of 80 hits, 3 home runs, and 43 RBIs, while finishing his career with a batting average of .199. His contributions on the field included 2 stolen bases, reflecting a speed element that he brought to his game despite his overall offensive numbers. While Franks may not have been a standout in terms of statistics, his persistence in an evolving sport during the late 1930s and 1940s showcased the dedication of players of that era. The challenges of the time, including the impact of World War II on player availability and the gradual integration of baseball, shaped the landscape in which he played. Herman Franks remains a part of baseball history, representing the hardworking players who contributed to the game during a significant period of change.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
188	403	35	80	18	2	3	43	2	57	37	0.199	0.302	0.275	0.578	-1146.7

Career AVG .199 vs. league average .265 across their career seasons — 25.2% below league average.

Career OBP .302 vs. league average .338 across their career seasons — 10.6% below league average.

Career SLG .275 vs. league average .382 across their career seasons — 27.9% below league average.

Career OPS 0.578 vs. league average 0.720 across their career seasons — 19.8% 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
1939	STL	NL	17	17	1	1	0	0	0	3	0	3	3	0.059	—	—	—	—	0.0
1940	BRO	NL	65	131	11	24	4	0	1	14	2	20	6	0.183	.267 (-31%)	.335 (-12%)	.387 (-39%)	.722 (-26%)	-569.4
1941	BRO	NL	57	139	10	28	7	0	1	11	0	14	13	0.201	.262 (-23%)	.332 (-17%)	.373 (-27%)	.705 (-22%)	-539.7
1947	PHA	AL	8	15	2	3	0	1	0	1	0	4	4	0.200	—	—	—	—	0.0
1948	PHA	AL	40	98	10	22	7	1	1	14	0	16	11	0.224	.263 (-15%)	.340 (+1%)	.379 (-9%)	.719 (-4%)	-37.6
1949	NY1	NL	1	3	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.667	—	—	—	—	0.0