Willie Kirkland

Born: 2/17/1934 in Siluria, AL, USA

MLB Debut: 1958-04-15 | Final Game: 1966-09-26

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 206 lbs

Full name: Willie Charles Kirkland

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Biography

Willie Kirkland was a professional baseball player born in 1934, who made significant contributions to the game during his career from 1958 to 1966. Known for his versatility as a position player, Kirkland appeared in 1,149 games, showcasing his power and consistency at the plate. He recorded a total of 837 hits, including 148 home runs, and drove in 509 runs, establishing himself as a reliable offensive threat. His career batting average stood at .240, complemented by 52 stolen bases, reflecting his speed and agility on the base paths. Kirkland played during a transformative era in baseball, navigating the transition from the traditional styles of play to the more dynamic approaches that characterized the 1960s. His ability to combine power and speed made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for, including the San Francisco Giants and the Cleveland Indians. As a player who contributed significantly to his teams' successes, Kirkland's legacy remains a notable part of the history of Major League Baseball, highlighting the evolution of the game during a pivotal time.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
1149	3494	443	837	134	29	148	509	52	323	648	0.240	0.304	0.422	0.726	1047.0

Career AVG .240 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — 5.2% below league average.

Career OBP .304 vs. league average .318 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .422 vs. league average .384 across their career seasons — +9.7% above league average.

Career OPS 0.726 vs. league average 0.702 across their career seasons — near 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
1958	SFG	NL	122	418	48	108	25	6	14	56	3	43	69	0.258	.257 (avg)	.324 (+2%)	.394 (+13%)	.719 (+8%)	620.5
1959	SFG	NL	126	463	64	126	22	3	22	68	5	42	84	0.272	.256 (+6%)	.323 (+3%)	.392 (+21%)	.715 (+13%)	1112.7
1960	SFG	NL	146	515	59	130	21	10	21	65	12	44	86	0.252	.255 (-1%)	.323 (-3%)	.387 (+17%)	.711 (+8%)	685.0
1961	CLE	AL	146	525	84	136	22	5	27	95	7	48	77	0.259	.258 (avg)	.328 (-3%)	.399 (+19%)	.727 (+9%)	761.6
1962	CLE	AL	137	419	56	84	9	1	21	72	9	43	62	0.200	.257 (-22%)	.326 (-17%)	.393 (-4%)	.719 (-10%)	-923.1
1963	CLE	AL	127	427	51	98	13	2	15	47	8	45	99	0.230	.246 (-7%)	.308 (-2%)	.371 (+1%)	.680 (-1%)	-27.2
1964	BAL	AL	66	150	14	30	5	0	3	22	3	17	26	0.200	.250 (-20%)	.312 (-10%)	.377 (-22%)	.690 (-17%)	-427.2
1964	WS2	AL	32	102	8	22	6	0	5	13	0	6	30	0.216	.250 (-14%)	.312 (-17%)	.377 (+12%)	.690 (-1%)	-427.2
1965	WS2	AL	123	312	38	72	9	1	14	54	3	19	65	0.231	.245 (-6%)	.310 (-13%)	.371 (+8%)	.682 (-2%)	-249.4
1966	WS2	AL	124	163	21	31	2	1	6	17	2	16	50	0.190	.248 (-23%)	.309 (-16%)	.376 (-14%)	.685 (-15%)	-447.9

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
OF	995	851	1740	83	48	19

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1958	SFN	OF	115	102	187	12	8	4
1959	SFN	OF	117	114	212	8	7	0
1960	SFN	OF	143	135	252	16	6	5
1961	CLE	OF	138	130	290	12	8	5
1962	CLE	OF	125	109	233	11	7	0
1963	CLE	OF	112	101	234	11	4	2
1964	BAL	OF	58	39	86	7	1	3
1964	WS2	OF	27	25	39	0	4	0
1965	WS2	OF	92	72	151	3	2	0
1966	WS2	OF	68	24	56	3	1	0