Lou Knerr, baseball player, 1945-1947

Lou Knerr

Born: 8/21/1921 in Denver, PA, USA

Died: 3/27/1980 in Reading, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1945-04-17 | Final Game: 1947-06-07

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 210 lbs

Full name: Wallace Luther Knerr

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Biography

Lou Knerr was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1945 to 1947. Born in 1921, Knerr made his Major League debut in a post-World War II era, a time when the sport was experiencing a resurgence in popularity as returning servicemen reintegrated into society. Over the course of his brief career, he played for several teams, finishing with a record of 8 wins and 27 losses, and an earned run average (ERA) of 5.04. His pitching style was characterized by a solid fastball and a willingness to compete, though he struggled to find consistent success on the mound. Knerr recorded a total of 104 strikeouts during his time in the league, showcasing his ability to miss bats and keep opposing hitters off balance. Despite not achieving significant accolades or saves—registering none in his career—he contributed to the teams he played for amid a competitive landscape. His legacy remains a reflection of the challenges faced by many players of his era, as they navigated the complexities of the game in a transitional period for Major League Baseball.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
8 27 63 39 11 0 0 287.3 330 161 20 149 104 5.04 0

Career ERA 5.04 vs. league average 3.74 across their career seasons — 34.7% worse than 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
1945 PHA AL 5 11 27 17 5 0 0 130.0 142 61 74 41 4.22 3.67 (-15%) -2507.0
1946 PHA AL 3 16 30 22 6 0 0 148.3 171 89 67 58 5.40 3.59 (-50%) -2786.6
1947 WSN AL 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 9.0 17 11 8 5 11.00 3.97 (-177%) -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
64 98 4 19 3 0 0 10 0 1 13 0.194 0.210 0.224 0.434 -308.4

Career AVG .194 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 25.5% below league average.

Career OBP .210 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — 36.7% below league average.

Career SLG .224 vs. league average .363 across their career seasons — 38.2% below league average.

Career OPS 0.434 vs. league average 0.695 across their career seasons — 37.5% 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
1945 PHA AL 28 47 3 9 1 0 0 8 0 0 5 0.191 — — — — 0.0
1946 PHA AL 30 50 1 9 2 0 0 2 0 1 8 0.180 .256 (-30%) .328 (-36%) .358 (-39%) .687 (-37%) -308.4
1947 WSN AL 6 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 63 0 14 53 2 3

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1945 PHA P 27 0 10 24 1 3
1946 PHA P 30 0 4 26 0 0
1947 WS1 P 6 0 0 3 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 63

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Muhlenberg College Allentown PA 1940