Gene Lillard, baseball player, 1936-1940

Gene Lillard

Born: 11/12/1913 in Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Died: 4/12/1991 in Goleta, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1936-05-08 | Final Game: 1940-05-20

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 178 lbs

Full name: Robert Eugene Lillard

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Biography

Gene Lillard, born in 1913, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1936 to 1940. He made his mark in the sport during a transitional period marked by the evolution of pitching styles and strategies. Lillard played in an era when baseball was experiencing a shift from the deadball era to a more offensive-minded game, which influenced the way pitchers approached their craft. Throughout his career, Lillard achieved a record of 3-6 and posted an earned run average (ERA) of 7.09. He recorded a total of 33 strikeouts, showcasing his ability to overpower batters despite the challenges he faced on the mound. Though he did not secure any saves, Lillard's contributions to his teams during his playing days reflected the resilience and determination characteristic of many players from that era. His time in Major League Baseball remains a testament to the diverse paths athletes have taken within the sport's rich history.

Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
43.0 41.0 9.0 11.0 1.0 0 5.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 0 0.268 0.302 0.659 0.961

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting

Season PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
1933 27.0 26.0 6.0 8.0 1.0 0 4.0 1.0 1.0 0 0 0.308 0.333 0.808 1.141
1934 13.0 12.0 1.0 1.0 0 0 1.0 1.0 1.0 3.0 0 0.083 0.154 0.333 0.487
1935 3.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.667 0.667 0.667 1.334

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
3 6 22 8 2 0 0 59.7 76 47 3 40 33 7.09 0

Career ERA 7.09 vs. league average 4.25 across their career seasons — 66.9% 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
1939 CHC NL 3 5 20 7 2 0 0 55.0 68 40 36 31 6.55 4.28 (-53%) -
1940 STL NL 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 4.7 8 7 4 2 13.50 — -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
44 44 9 8 1 0 0 2 0 9 11 0.182 0.321 0.205 0.525 0.0

Career AVG .182 vs. league average .275 across their career seasons — 33.9% below league average.

Career OBP .321 vs. league average .342 across their career seasons — 6.3% below league average.

Career SLG .205 vs. league average .395 across their career seasons — 48.2% below league average.

Career OPS 0.525 vs. league average 0.737 across their career seasons — 28.7% 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
1936 CHC NL 19 34 6 7 1 0 0 2 0 3 8 0.206 — — — — 0.0
1939 CHC NL 23 10 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 3 0.100 — — — — 0.0
1940 STL NL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
3B 3 0 2 4 1 0
P 22 0 2 12 0 0
SS 4 0 9 9 1 2

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1936 CHN 3B 3 0 2 4 1 0
1936 CHN SS 4 0 9 9 1 2
1939 CHN P 20 0 2 11 0 0
1940 SLN P 2 0 0 1 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 22
Third Base 3
Shortstop 4