Norm Larker

Born: 12/27/1930 in Beaver Meadows, PA, USA

Died: 3/12/2007 in Long Beach, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1958-04-15 | Final Game: 1963-09-28

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: Norman Howard John Larker

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Biography

Norm Larker was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Born in 1930, Larker played primarily as a position player from 1958 until his retirement on September 28, 1963. Over the course of his career, he participated in 667 games, compiling 538 hits and achieving a respectable batting average of .275. His offensive contributions included 32 home runs and 271 runs batted in (RBIs), showcasing his ability to be a consistent presence at the plate. Larker was recognized for his talents with two All-Star selections, affirming his status among the top players of his era. He played during a time when baseball was transitioning into a more modern game, marked by a blend of traditional approaches and the emergence of power hitters. Although he was not primarily known for his speed, Larker did manage to steal three bases throughout his career. His contributions to the teams he played for, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Braves, remain a part of baseball history, reflecting the competitive spirit and evolving dynamics of the game during the post-war baseball landscape.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
667	1953	227	538	97	15	32	271	3	211	165	0.275	0.347	0.390	0.736	1581.0

Career AVG .275 vs. league average .255 across their career seasons — +8.0% above league average.

Career OBP .347 vs. league average .322 across their career seasons — +7.6% above league average.

Career SLG .390 vs. league average .389 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.736 vs. league average 0.712 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	LAD	NL	99	253	32	70	16	5	4	29	1	29	21	0.277	.257 (+7%)	.324 (+8%)	.394 (+8%)	.719 (+8%)	376.4
1959	LAD	NL	108	311	37	90	14	1	8	49	0	26	25	0.289	.256 (+13%)	.323 (+6%)	.392 (+7%)	.715 (+6%)	372.8
1960	LAD	NL	133	440	56	142	26	3	5	78	1	36	24	0.323	.255 (+26%)	.323 (+14%)	.387 (+11%)	.711 (+12%)	1011.6
1961	LAD	NL	97	282	29	76	16	1	5	38	0	24	22	0.270	.258 (+4%)	.328 (-1%)	.399 (-3%)	.727 (-2%)	-132.3
1962	HOU	NL	147	506	58	133	19	5	9	63	1	70	47	0.263	.257 (+2%)	.326 (+10%)	.393 (-5%)	.719 (+2%)	408.0
1963	ATL	NL	64	147	15	26	6	0	1	14	0	24	24	0.177	.246 (-28%)	.308 (-4%)	.371 (-36%)	.680 (-21%)	-455.6
1963	SFG	NL	19	14	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	2	0.071	—	—	—	—	-455.6

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
6	16	2	3	0	0	0	0	2	3	0.188

Playoff Batting by Year

Year	Round	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
1959	WS	LAN	6	16	2	3	0	0	0	0	2	3	0.188

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	473	429	3629	326	35	349
OF	82	79	104	9	1	0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1958	LAN	1B	25	22	178	14	4	18
1958	LAN	OF	43	43	61	3	1	0
1959	LAN	1B	55	50	456	42	5	53
1959	LAN	OF	30	30	35	6	0	0
1960	LAN	1B	119	112	914	80	7	81
1960	LAN	OF	2	1	3	0	0	0
1961	LAN	1B	86	79	589	52	3	68
1961	LAN	OF	1	0	0	0	0	0
1962	HOU	1B	135	130	1148	103	11	103
1962	HOU	OF	6	5	5	0	0	0
1963	ML1	1B	42	35	320	33	3	23
1963	SFN	1B	11	1	24	2	2	3