Joe Grace

Born: 1/5/1914 in Gorham, IL, USA

Died: 9/18/1969 in Murphysboro, IL, USA

MLB Debut: 1938-09-24 | Final Game: 1947-09-03

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Joseph LaVerne Grace

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Biography

Joe Grace, born in 1914, was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1938 until his retirement in 1947. As a position player, he showcased his skills across 484 games, where he recorded 442 hits and boasted a commendable batting average of .283. Grace's offensive contributions included 20 home runs and 172 runs batted in (RBIs), while he also displayed speed on the bases with 9 stolen bases throughout his career. Playing during a transformative period in baseball history, Grace's career unfolded during the late 1930s into the post-World War II era, a time when the game was evolving both in terms of talent and strategy. His consistent performance at the plate and ability to get on base made him a valuable asset to his teams. Although not often in the limelight, Grace's contributions to the game reflected the grit and determination characteristic of players of his time, solidifying his place in the annals of baseball history.

Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
9.0	5.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4.0	2.0	0	.000	0.444	.000	0.444

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting

Season	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
1941	4.0	2.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2.0	2.0	0	.000	0.500	.000	0.500
1943	5.0	3.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2.0	0	0	.000	0.400	.000	0.400

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
484	1561	225	442	76	18	20	172	9	179	135	0.283	0.362	0.393	0.755	2192.4

Career AVG .283 vs. league average .266 across their career seasons — +6.5% above league average.

Career OBP .362 vs. league average .336 across their career seasons — +7.6% above league average.

Career SLG .393 vs. league average .380 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.755 vs. league average 0.716 across their career seasons — +5.4% above 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	SLA	AL	12	47	7	16	1	0	0	4	0	2	3	0.340	—	—	—	—	0.0
1939	SLA	AL	74	207	35	63	11	2	3	22	3	19	24	0.304	.274 (+11%)	.342 (+6%)	.393 (+7%)	.735 (+7%)	249.1
1940	SLA	AL	80	229	45	59	14	2	5	25	2	26	23	0.258	.267 (-4%)	.335 (avg)	.387 (+4%)	.722 (+2%)	85.8
1941	SLA	AL	115	362	53	112	17	4	6	60	1	57	31	0.309	.262 (+18%)	.332 (+23%)	.373 (+15%)	.705 (+19%)	1545.1
1946	SLA	AL	48	161	21	37	7	2	1	13	1	16	20	0.230	.256 (-11%)	.328 (-7%)	.358 (-12%)	.687 (-9%)	-247.8
1946	WSN	AL	77	321	39	97	17	4	2	31	1	24	19	0.302	.256 (+18%)	.328 (+9%)	.358 (+11%)	.687 (+10%)	-247.8
1947	WSN	AL	78	234	25	58	9	4	3	17	1	35	15	0.248	.262 (-6%)	.336 (+3%)	.376 (-5%)	.712 (-1%)	15.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
C	21	0	36	3	2	1
OF	388	0	775	43	26	4

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	PO	A	E	DP
1938	SLA	OF	12	13	1	1	0
1939	SLA	OF	53	83	9	3	0
1940	SLA	C	12	16	1	0	1
1940	SLA	OF	51	86	6	4	0
1941	SLA	C	9	20	2	2	0
1941	SLA	OF	88	164	13	3	1
1946	SLA	OF	43	82	6	3	1
1946	WS1	OF	74	185	4	8	2
1947	WS1	OF	67	162	4	4	0