Ernie Lombardi, baseball player, 190 home runs, 1931-1947

Ernie Lombardi

⭐ Hall of Fame 1986

Born: 4/6/1908 in Oakland, CA, USA

Died: 9/26/1977 in Santa Cruz, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1931-04-15 | Final Game: 1947-09-17

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 230 lbs

Full name: Ernesto Natali Lombardi

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Ernie Lombardi, born in 1908, was a prominent American baseball player whose career spanned from 1931 to 1947. A key figure in Major League Baseball during the pre- and post-World War II eras, Lombardi was known for his exceptional hitting ability and powerful presence at the plate. Over his career, he appeared in 1,853 games and amassed 1,792 hits, including 190 home runs and 990 RBIs, showcasing a remarkable batting average of .306. Lombardi's skill as a catcher and later as a first baseman contributed significantly to his teams' successes, earning him eight All-Star selections and the TSN Guide MVP award during his time. Lombardi was also recognized for his contributions to the game when he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986, solidifying his legacy as one of the sport's greats. Known for his strong batting skills rather than speed—evidenced by his eight stolen bases—Lombardi exemplified the power-hitting style that characterized many players of his era. His combination of offensive prowess and defensive acumen made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for, including the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Giants. Ernie Lombardi's impact on baseball endures, reflecting the talent and dedication that defined his illustrious career.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1853 5855 601 1792 277 27 190 990 8 430 262 0.306 0.358 0.460 0.818 15558.2

Career AVG .306 vs. league average .269 across their career seasons — +13.9% above league average.

Career OBP .358 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — +6.9% above league average.

Career SLG .460 vs. league average .379 across their career seasons — +21.4% above league average.

Career OPS 0.818 vs. league average 0.714 across their career seasons — +14.6% above 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
1931 BRO NL 73 182 20 54 7 1 4 23 1 12 12 0.297 .276 (+7%) .338 (+1%) .388 (+6%) .726 (+4%) 106.5
1932 CIN NL 118 413 43 125 22 9 11 68 0 41 19 0.303 .275 (+10%) .335 (+11%) .391 (+22%) .726 (+17%) 1374.8
1933 CIN NL 107 350 30 99 21 1 4 47 2 16 17 0.283 .270 (+5%) .329 (-3%) .377 (+1%) .707 (avg) -64.7
1934 CIN NL 132 417 42 127 19 4 9 62 0 16 22 0.305 .278 (+10%) .340 (-2%) .392 (+10%) .733 (+5%) 302.6
1935 CIN NL 120 332 36 114 23 3 12 64 0 16 6 0.343 .279 (+23%) .342 (+11%) .399 (+35%) .742 (+24%) 1474.8
1936 CIN NL 121 387 42 129 23 2 12 68 1 19 16 0.333 .283 (+17%) .349 (+7%) .404 (+23%) .753 (+16%) 1174.1
1937 CIN NL 120 368 41 123 22 1 9 59 1 14 17 0.334 .276 (+21%) .342 (+6%) .398 (+19%) .740 (+13%) 853.7
1938 CIN NL 129 489 60 167 30 1 19 95 0 40 14 0.342 .272 (+25%) .341 (+15%) .392 (+33%) .734 (+25%) 2366.9
1939 CIN NL 130 450 43 129 26 2 20 85 0 35 19 0.287 .274 (+5%) .342 (avg) .393 (+24%) .735 (+13%) 1044.6
1940 CIN NL 109 376 50 120 22 0 14 74 0 31 14 0.319 .267 (+19%) .335 (+14%) .387 (+26%) .722 (+20%) 1512.7
1941 CIN NL 117 398 33 105 12 1 10 60 1 36 14 0.264 .262 (+1%) .332 (-2%) .373 (avg) .705 (-1%) -71.4
1942 BSN NL 105 309 32 102 14 0 11 46 1 37 12 0.330 .253 (+30%) .323 (+25%) .349 (+38%) .672 (+32%) 1832.5
1943 NY1 NL 104 295 19 90 7 0 10 51 1 16 11 0.305 .255 (+19%) .324 (+7%) .346 (+24%) .671 (+16%) 789.5
1944 NY1 NL 117 373 37 95 13 0 10 58 0 33 25 0.255 .261 (-3%) .325 (-3%) .357 (+3%) .683 (+1%) 33.0
1945 NY1 NL 115 368 46 113 7 1 19 70 0 43 11 0.307 .260 (+18%) .328 (+18%) .354 (+37%) .683 (+28%) 1984.5
1946 NY1 NL 88 238 19 69 4 1 12 39 0 18 24 0.290 .256 (+13%) .328 (+6%) .358 (+30%) .687 (+18%) 746.3
1947 NY1 NL 48 110 8 31 5 0 4 21 0 7 9 0.282 .262 (+7%) .336 (-4%) .376 (+16%) .712 (+7%) 97.6

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
6 17 0 4 1 0 0 2 1 1 0.235

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1940 WS CIN 2 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.333
1939 WS CIN 4 14 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 1 0.214

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
C 1544 0 5694 845 143 107

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1931 BRO C 50 0 218 23 4 5
1932 CIN C 110 0 288 76 14 6
1933 CIN C 95 0 223 52 8 3
1934 CIN C 111 0 383 61 5 8
1935 CIN C 82 0 298 49 6 4
1936 CIN C 105 0 330 54 15 10
1937 CIN C 90 0 333 58 11 3
1938 CIN C 123 0 512 73 9 8
1939 CIN C 120 0 536 63 10 7
1940 CIN C 101 0 397 46 5 5
1941 CIN C 116 0 496 70 10 9
1942 BSN C 85 0 251 41 6 3
1943 NY1 C 73 0 296 36 10 8
1944 NY1 C 100 0 350 47 13 11
1945 NY1 C 96 0 425 49 8 8
1946 NY1 C 63 0 272 36 7 7
1947 NY1 C 24 0 86 11 2 2

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 1542

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1942 Baseball Magazine All-Star C
1938 Baseball Magazine All-Star C1
1938 Most Valuable Player
1938 TSN Guide MVP

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1942 Most Valuable Player NL 13th 24.0 336 0
1940 Most Valuable Player NL 9th 38.0 336 1
1938 Most Valuable Player NL 1st 229.0 336 10
1936 Most Valuable Player NL 20th 1.0 80 0
1935 Most Valuable Player NL 13th 8.0 80 0