Vern Olsen, baseball player, 1939-1946

Vern Olsen

Born: 3/16/1918 in Hillsboro, OR, USA

Died: 7/13/1989 in Maywood, IL, USA

MLB Debut: 1939-09-08 | Final Game: 1946-09-13

Bats: R | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: Vern Jarl Olsen

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Biography

Vern Olsen was a professional baseball pitcher who played from 1939 to 1946, showcasing his talents in an era characterized by the transition from the pre-war years to the post-war boom in Major League Baseball. Throughout his career, he recorded a win-loss record of 30-26 and maintained an earned run average (ERA) of 3.4, reflecting his effectiveness on the mound during a competitive period in the sport. His career was marked by a total of 201 strikeouts and 2 saves, demonstrating his ability to both start games and contribute in high-pressure situations. Olsen's playing style was defined by a combination of resilience and skill, which allowed him to navigate the challenges faced by pitchers during his time. As baseball evolved in the post-World War II landscape, he contributed to the game's rich history, leaving a legacy that is remembered by enthusiasts of the sport. Although his career was relatively brief compared to some of his contemporaries, Olsen's performance encapsulated the determination and spirit of players who competed in the formative years of modern baseball.

Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
2.0 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.0 0 0 .000 0.500 .000 0.500

Pitching

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO ERA
1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 9.0 3.0 1.0 0 0 0 1.59

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting

Season PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
1942 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000
1943 2.0 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.0 0 0 .000 0.500 .000 0.500

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Pitching

Season W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H R ER HR BB SO ERA
1942 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 3.0 2.0 0 0 0 0 0.00
1943 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 6.0 1.0 1.0 0 0 0 2.46

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
30 26 112 60 23 7 2 516.0 547 195 18 192 201 3.40 0

Career ERA 3.40 vs. league average 3.92 across their career seasons — 13.1% better 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 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 7.7 2 0 7 3 0.00 — -
1940 CHC NL 13 9 34 20 9 4 0 172.7 172 57 62 71 2.97 4.21 (+29%) -
1941 CHC NL 10 8 37 23 10 2 1 185.7 202 65 59 73 3.15 3.94 (+20%) -
1942 CHC NL 6 9 32 17 4 1 1 140.3 161 70 55 46 4.49 3.57 (-26%) -
1946 CHC NL 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 9.7 10 3 9 8 2.79 3.59 (+22%) -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
113 169 16 39 6 0 1 14 2 11 22 0.231 0.278 0.284 0.562 -588.6

Career AVG .231 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — 12.2% below league average.

Career OBP .278 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — 16.4% below league average.

Career SLG .284 vs. league average .372 across their career seasons — 23.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.562 vs. league average 0.705 across their career seasons — 20.3% 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
1939 CHC NL 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1940 CHC NL 35 57 4 15 3 0 0 5 2 2 9 0.263 .267 (-2%) .335 (-14%) .387 (-19%) .722 (-16%) -166.8
1941 CHC NL 37 63 7 15 2 0 1 5 0 2 10 0.238 .262 (-9%) .332 (-21%) .373 (-15%) .705 (-18%) -202.6
1942 CHC NL 32 48 4 9 1 0 0 4 0 5 2 0.188 — — — — -219.3
1946 CHC NL 5 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
P 112 0 26 141 2 4

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1939 CHN P 4 0 0 1 0 0
1940 CHN P 34 0 9 53 0 1
1941 CHN P 37 0 9 48 2 2
1942 CHN P 32 0 8 37 0 1
1946 CHN P 5 0 0 2 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 112