Willie Norwood, baseball player, 1977-1980

Willie Norwood

Born: 11/7/1950 in Greene County, AL, USA

MLB Debut: 1977-04-21 | Final Game: 1980-10-04

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

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Willie Norwood, born in 1950, was a professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball from 1977 to 1980. Primarily serving as a position player, Norwood appeared in 294 games throughout his career. He showcased a blend of speed and power, finishing with a batting average of .242, 207 hits, and 18 home runs. Known for his agility on the bases, he accumulated 41 stolen bases, demonstrating his ability to impact games with his speed. Norwood's career unfolded during a transformative era in baseball, characterized by the emergence of more athletic players and the evolving strategies of the game. While he may not have been among the most prominent stars of his time, his contribution as a versatile player who could drive in runs—evidenced by his 93 RBIs—helped bolster his teams in crucial moments. Despite his relatively brief career, Norwood left a mark as a reliable player who exemplified the grit and determination of athletes during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
294 854 109 207 40 6 18 93 41 57 145 0.242 0.290 0.367 0.656 -1399.9

Career AVG .242 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — 7.9% below league average.

Career OBP .290 vs. league average .327 across their career seasons — 11.4% below league average.

Career SLG .367 vs. league average .391 across their career seasons — 6.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.656 vs. league average 0.719 across their career seasons — 8.6% 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
1977 MIN AL 39 83 15 19 3 0 3 9 6 6 17 0.229 .264 (-13%) .329 (-15%) .401 (-7%) .730 (-10%) -154.6
1978 MIN AL 125 428 56 109 22 3 8 46 25 28 64 0.255 .257 (-1%) .323 (-7%) .378 (-1%) .702 (-4%) -403.7
1979 MIN AL 96 270 32 67 13 3 6 30 9 20 51 0.248 .265 (-7%) .329 (-9%) .397 (-3%) .727 (-6%) -350.6
1980 MIN AL 34 73 6 12 2 0 1 8 1 3 13 0.164 .264 (-38%) .326 (-40%) .387 (-40%) .714 (-40%) -491.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 231 203 475 11 21 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1977 MIN OF 28 18 59 0 3 0
1978 MIN OF 115 106 227 7 14 1
1979 MIN OF 71 64 147 4 4 0
1980 MIN OF 17 15 42 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Left Field 104
Center Field 82
Right Field 52
Designated Hitter 42

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
University of La Verne La Verne CA 1972