Billy Hunter

Born: 6/4/1928 in Punxsutawney, PA, USA

Died: 7/3/2025 in Lutherville, MD, USA

MLB Debut: 1953-04-14 | Final Game: 1958-09-27

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Gordon William Hunter

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Biography

Billy Hunter was a professional baseball player born in 1928, who played as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1953 to 1958. Over the course of his career, he participated in 630 games, amassing a total of 410 hits, 16 home runs, and 144 RBIs. Hunter finished his playing days with a batting average of .219 and successfully stole 23 bases. His contributions to the game were recognized when he was selected as an All-Star during his career, highlighting his status among contemporaries in an era characterized by increased competition and the rising prominence of player statistics. Hunter's playing style was marked by his versatility and determination, making him a valuable member of the teams he played for during the post-war era of baseball. He navigated a time when the game was beginning to see a shift towards more power-hitting players, yet he carved out a niche for himself with a solid all-around game. His career, spanning the mid-1950s, reflected the evolving nature of baseball during that period, as teams began to prioritize speed and agility alongside traditional batting and fielding skills. Billy Hunter remains a notable figure for his contributions to the sport, both on and off the field.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
630	1875	166	410	58	18	16	144	23	111	192	0.219	0.264	0.294	0.559	-8808.3

Career AVG .219 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 15.8% below league average.

Career OBP .264 vs. league average .330 across their career seasons — 20.0% below league average.

Career SLG .294 vs. league average .394 across their career seasons — 25.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.559 vs. league average 0.724 across their career seasons — 22.9% 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
1953	SLA	AL	154	567	50	124	18	1	1	37	3	24	45	0.219	.264 (-17%)	.335 (-25%)	.397 (-35%)	.733 (-30%)	-3636.0
1954	BAL	AL	125	411	28	100	9	5	2	27	5	21	38	0.243	.261 (-7%)	.333 (-16%)	.390 (-22%)	.723 (-19%)	-1629.3
1955	NYY	AL	98	255	14	58	7	1	3	20	9	15	18	0.227	.258 (-12%)	.332 (-19%)	.393 (-24%)	.726 (-22%)	-1087.6
1956	NYY	AL	39	75	8	21	3	4	0	11	0	2	4	0.280	.258 (+8%)	.331 (-10%)	.397 (+7%)	.728 (avg)	-52.0
1957	KC1	AL	116	319	39	61	10	4	8	29	1	27	43	0.191	.257 (-26%)	.323 (-20%)	.391 (-17%)	.715 (-19%)	-1226.5
1958	KC1	AL	22	58	6	9	1	1	2	11	1	5	7	0.155	.257 (-40%)	.324 (-32%)	.394 (-21%)	.719 (-26%)	-263.3
1958	CLE	AL	76	190	21	37	10	2	0	9	4	17	37	0.195	.257 (-24%)	.324 (-19%)	.394 (-32%)	.719 (-26%)	-263.3

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
2B	72	66	125	170	7	46
3B	24	12	20	29	2	4
SS	528	319	877	1438	101	325

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1953	SLA	SS	152	0	284	512	25	99
1954	BAL	SS	124	121	249	333	32	76
1955	NYA	SS	98	91	115	249	16	60
1956	NYA	3B	4	2	2	6	0	2
1956	NYA	SS	32	19	49	58	0	20
1957	KC1	2B	64	58	111	152	7	40
1957	KC1	3B	17	10	18	22	2	2
1957	KC1	SS	35	23	46	89	9	19
1958	KC1	2B	8	8	14	18	0	6
1958	KC1	3B	1	0	0	0	0	0
1958	KC1	SS	12	9	10	32	3	4
1958	CLE	3B	2	0	0	1	0	0
1958	CLE	SS	75	56	124	165	16	47