Smead Jolley, baseball player, 1930-1933

Smead Jolley

Born: 1/14/1902 in Wesson, AR, USA

Died: 11/17/1991 in Alameda, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1930-04-17 | Final Game: 1933-10-01

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 210 lbs

Full name: Smead Powell Jolley

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Biography

Smead Jolley, born in 1902, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball during the early 1930s. His career spanned from 1930 to 1933, during a time when the game was transitioning from the power-focused era of the 1920s to a more balanced approach. Jolley showcased his offensive prowess across 473 games, amassing 521 hits with an impressive batting average of .305. His ability to drive in runs was evident, as he recorded 313 RBIs, complemented by 46 home runs, marking him as a significant contributor to his teams' offensive efforts. Jolley was known for his consistent hitting and had a keen eye at the plate, which allowed him to achieve a solid on-base presence. While he did not steal bases frequently, managing just 5 throughout his career, his overall contributions were vital during his playing days. As a player who navigated the early years of the Great Depression, Jolley's performance offered a glimpse of resilience and skill that would resonate with fans and historians alike. His legacy remains a testament to the talent that flourished in a rapidly evolving sport during a challenging era.

Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
32.0 30.0 4.0 12.0 0 0 2.0 0 2.0 0 0 0.400 0.438 0.600 1.038

Pitching

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO ERA
7.0 0 0 1.0 0 0 0 0.0 15.0 10.0 0 2.0 0 0 0.00

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting

Season PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
1929 24.0 24.0 4.0 10.0 0 0 2.0 0 0 0 0 0.417 0.417 0.667 1.084
1933 8.0 6.0 0 2.0 0 0 0 0 2.0 0 0 0.333 0.500 0.333 0.833

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Pitching

Season W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO ERA
1929 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 5.0 2.0 0 0 0 0 0.00
1933 6.0 0 0 1.0 0 0 0 0.0 10.0 8.0 0 2.0 0 0 0.00

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
473 1710 188 521 111 21 46 313 5 89 105 0.305 0.343 0.475 0.818 2859.0

Career AVG .305 vs. league average .279 across their career seasons — +9.1% above league average.

Career OBP .343 vs. league average .340 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .475 vs. league average .398 across their career seasons — +19.4% above league average.

Career OPS 0.818 vs. league average 0.737 across their career seasons — +10.9% 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
1930 CHW AL 152 616 76 193 38 12 16 114 3 28 52 0.313 .293 (+7%) .354 (-2%) .429 (+14%) .784 (+7%) 728.2
1931 CHW AL 54 110 5 33 11 0 3 28 0 7 4 0.300 .276 (+9%) .338 (+4%) .388 (+24%) .726 (+15%) 269.6
1932 CHW AL 12 42 3 15 3 0 0 7 1 3 0 0.357 — — — — 0.0
1932 BOS AL 137 531 57 164 27 5 18 99 0 27 29 0.309 .275 (+12%) .335 (+3%) .391 (+23%) .726 (+13%) 0.0
1933 BOS AL 118 411 47 116 32 4 9 65 1 24 20 0.282 .270 (+5%) .329 (-1%) .377 (+18%) .707 (+9%) 560.7

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
C 5 0 21 2 0 0
OF 413 0 701 43 44 11

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1930 CHA OF 151 0 249 17 14 4
1931 CHA OF 23 0 29 1 5 1
1932 CHA OF 11 0 11 1 1 0
1932 BOS C 5 0 21 2 0 0
1932 BOS OF 126 0 234 12 15 3
1933 BOS OF 102 0 178 12 9 3

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 6
Left Field 286
Right Field 127

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1932 Most Valuable Player AL 24th 3.0 80 0