Bill Kunkel

Born: 7/7/1936 in Hoboken, NJ, USA

Died: 5/4/1985 in Red Bank, NJ, USA

MLB Debut: 1961-04-15 | Final Game: 1963-09-21

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 187 lbs

Full name: William Gustave James Kunkel

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Biography

Bill Kunkel was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1961 to 1963. Born in 1936, Kunkel made his mark in a period characterized by the transition away from the deadball era and the emergence of a more offense-driven game. Over the course of his career, he compiled a win-loss record of 6-6, demonstrating his competitiveness on the mound. Kunkel recorded an earned run average (ERA) of 4.29, alongside 83 strikeouts and 4 saves, showcasing his ability to both start games and come in for late-inning relief. Kunkel's playing style was defined by his versatility as a pitcher, allowing him to adapt to various roles within a team's pitching staff. His contributions during his short career left a lasting impression, as he became one of the many players who navigated the complexities of a rapidly evolving game during the early 1960s. After his retirement from professional play on September 21, 1963, Kunkel remained a part of baseball history, remembered for his performances during a pivotal time in the sport.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
6	6	89	2	0	0	4	142.7	153	68	17	49	83	4.29	0

Career ERA 4.29 vs. league average 3.80 across their career seasons — 12.8% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	SV	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1961	KC1	AL	3	4	58	2	4	88.7	103	51	32	46	5.18	4.03 (-29%)	-463.9
1962	KC1	AL	0	0	9	0	0	7.7	8	3	4	6	3.52	—	0.0
1963	NYY	AL	3	2	22	0	0	46.3	42	14	13	31	2.72	3.46 (+21%)	-

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
89	14	2	3	0	0	0	1	0	2	7	0.214	0.312	0.214	0.527	0.0

Career AVG .214 vs. league average .254 across their career seasons — 15.6% below league average.

Career OBP .312 vs. league average .321 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .214 vs. league average .388 across their career seasons — 44.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.527 vs. league average 0.709 across their career seasons — 25.7% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS
1961	KC1	AL	58	8	2	1	0	1	4	0.125	—	—	—	—
1962	KC1	AL	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1963	NYY	AL	22	6	0	2	1	1	3	0.333	—	—	—	—

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
P	89	2	12	18	3	2

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1961	KC1	P	58	2	10	13	3	2
1962	KC1	P	9	0	0	1	0	0
1963	NYA	P	22	0	2	4	0	0

Career Games by Position

Position	Games
Pitcher	89