Hersh Freeman, baseball player, 1952-1958

Hersh Freeman

Born: 7/1/1928 in Gadsden, AL, USA

Died: 1/17/2004 in Orlando, FL, USA

MLB Debut: 1952-09-10 | Final Game: 1958-06-07

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 220 lbs

Full name: Hershell Baskin Freeman

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Biography

Hersh Freeman was a talented pitcher whose career spanned from 1952 to 1958. Born in 1928, Freeman made his mark in Major League Baseball during a time when the game was transitioning into a more dynamic era. He finished his playing career with a record of 30-16 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.74, showcasing his ability to compete effectively on the mound. Over the course of his career, he recorded 158 strikeouts and was credited with 37 saves, illustrating his dual role as both a starter and a reliable reliever. Freeman's contributions to the game extended beyond his statistics; he embodied the competitive spirit of the 1950s, a decade marked by the rise of power hitting and the increasing importance of specialized roles in pitching. His ability to adapt to the evolving landscape of baseball allowed him to leave a lasting impression within the league. Although his career was relatively brief, Freeman's performance during these formative years contributed to the foundation of modern baseball strategies that would develop in the decades to follow.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
30 16 204 3 1 0 37 359.0 387 149 25 109 158 3.74 0

Career ERA 3.74 vs. league average 3.92 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
1952 BOS AL 1 0 4 1 1 0 0 13.7 13 5 5 5 3.29 3.70 (+11%) -77.0
1953 BOS AL 1 4 18 2 0 0 0 39.0 50 24 17 15 5.54 4.14 (-34%) 335.3
1955 BOS AL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1.7 1 0 1 1 0.00 — 0.0
1955 CIN NL 7 4 52 0 0 0 11 91.7 94 22 30 37 2.16 4.00 (+46%) 2255.2
1956 CIN NL 14 5 64 0 0 0 18 108.7 112 41 34 50 3.40 3.96 (+14%) 3642.2
1957 CIN NL 7 2 52 0 0 0 8 83.7 90 42 14 36 4.52 3.83 (-18%) -1166.7
1958 CIN NL 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 7.7 4 3 5 7 3.52 — 0.0
1958 CHC NL 0 1 9 0 0 0 0 13.0 23 12 3 7 8.31 3.86 (-115%) -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
205 63 4 9 3 0 1 5 0 5 12 0.143 0.206 0.238 0.444 0.0

Career AVG .143 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — 44.7% below league average.

Career OBP .206 vs. league average .329 across their career seasons — 37.4% below league average.

Career SLG .238 vs. league average .391 across their career seasons — 39.0% below league average.

Career OPS 0.444 vs. league average 0.720 across their career seasons — 38.3% 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
1952 BOS AL 4 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.500 — — — — 0.0
1953 BOS AL 18 11 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.091 — — — — 0.0
1955 BOS AL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1955 CIN NL 53 18 3 3 1 0 1 3 0 1 3 0.167 — — — — 0.0
1956 CIN NL 64 18 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 4 0.056 — — — — 0.0
1957 CIN NL 52 10 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.200 — — — — 0.0
1958 CIN NL 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1958 CHC NL 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
3B 1 0 0 0 0 0
P 204 0 19 63 0 7

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1952 BOS P 4 0 0 4 0 0
1953 BOS P 18 0 0 7 0 0
1955 BOS P 2 0 0 0 0 0
1955 CIN 3B 1 0 0 0 0 0
1955 CIN P 52 0 4 20 0 4
1956 CIN P 64 0 8 15 0 2
1957 CIN P 52 0 5 12 0 1
1958 CIN P 3 0 1 2 0 0
1958 CHN P 9 0 1 3 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 204
Third Base 1

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa AL 1947

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1956 Most Valuable Player NL 13th 25.0 336 0