Charlie Lau

Born: 4/12/1933 in Romulus, MI, USA

Died: 3/18/1984 in Key Colony Beach, FL, USA

MLB Debut: 1956-09-12 | Final Game: 1967-09-29

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 190 lbs

Full name: Charles Richard Lau

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Biography

Charlie Lau was a professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1956 until 1967. Born in 1933, Lau made his mark primarily as a position player in the Major Leagues, appearing in a total of 527 games. Throughout his playing career, he demonstrated a solid offensive skill set, finishing with a batting average of .255, accumulating 298 hits, 16 home runs, and 140 RBIs. Lau also showcased his speed on the basepaths with 3 stolen bases. Lau played during an era characterized by significant changes in baseball, notably the evolution of offensive strategies and player development. Known for his keen understanding of hitting mechanics, he later gained recognition as a hitting coach, where he influenced future generations of players. His contributions to the game extended beyond his playing days, as he became a pivotal figure in the development of batting techniques that emphasized a more scientific approach to hitting, leaving a lasting legacy in the sport.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
527	1170	105	298	63	9	16	140	3	109	150	0.255	0.318	0.365	0.683	261.3

Career AVG .255 vs. league average .252 across their career seasons — near league average.

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

Career SLG .365 vs. league average .383 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.683 vs. league average 0.701 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
1956	DET	AL	3	9	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.222	—	—	—	—	0.0
1958	DET	AL	30	68	8	10	1	2	0	6	0	12	15	0.147	.257 (-43%)	.324 (-10%)	.394 (-44%)	.719 (-29%)	-296.9
1959	DET	AL	2	6	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0.167	—	—	—	—	0.0
1960	ATL	NL	21	53	4	10	2	0	0	2	0	6	10	0.189	.255 (-26%)	.323 (-16%)	.387 (-42%)	.711 (-30%)	-248.5
1961	ATL	NL	28	82	3	17	5	0	0	5	1	14	11	0.207	.258 (-20%)	.328 (-2%)	.399 (-33%)	.727 (-19%)	-232.8
1961	BAL	AL	17	47	3	8	0	0	1	4	0	1	3	0.170	—	—	—	—	-232.8
1962	BAL	AL	81	197	21	58	11	2	6	37	1	7	11	0.294	.257 (+14%)	.326 (-2%)	.393 (+17%)	.719 (+9%)	216.1
1963	BAL	AL	29	48	4	9	2	0	0	6	0	1	5	0.188	—	—	—	—	0.0
1963	KC1	AL	62	187	15	55	11	0	3	26	1	14	17	0.294	.246 (+19%)	.308 (+10%)	.371 (+8%)	.680 (+9%)	0.0
1964	KC1	AL	43	118	11	32	7	1	2	9	0	10	18	0.271	.250 (+8%)	.312 (+4%)	.377 (+5%)	.690 (+5%)	82.9
1964	BAL	AL	62	158	16	41	15	1	1	14	0	17	27	0.259	.250 (+4%)	.312 (+7%)	.377 (+2%)	.690 (+4%)	82.9
1965	BAL	AL	68	132	15	39	5	2	2	18	0	17	18	0.295	.245 (+20%)	.310 (+19%)	.371 (+10%)	.682 (+14%)	351.4
1966	BAL	AL	18	12	1	6	2	1	0	5	0	4	1	0.500	—	—	—	—	0.0
1967	BAL	AL	11	8	0	1	1	0	0	3	0	2	2	0.125	—	—	—	—	0.0
1967	ATL	NL	52	45	3	9	1	0	1	5	0	4	9	0.200	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
C	321	276	1608	104	21	17

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1956	DET	C	3	3	17	0	0	0
1958	DET	C	27	19	120	10	2	3
1959	DET	C	2	1	11	1	0	1
1960	ML1	C	16	13	94	11	0	2
1961	ML1	C	25	24	114	7	4	2
1961	BAL	C	17	13	90	6	1	2
1962	BAL	C	56	40	269	15	1	1
1963	BAL	C	8	8	48	5	2	1
1963	KC1	C	50	49	258	15	5	2
1964	KC1	C	35	32	179	12	2	0
1964	BAL	C	47	42	243	13	2	2
1965	BAL	C	35	32	165	9	2	1