Andy Pafko, baseball player, 213 home runs, 1943-1959

Andy Pafko

Born: 2/25/1921 in Boyceville, WI, USA

Died: 10/8/2013 in Bridgman, MI, USA

MLB Debut: 1943-09-24 | Final Game: 1959-09-29

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

Full name: Andrew Pafko

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Biography

Andy Pafko was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1943 to 1959. Born in 1921, Pafko played a significant role during an era that witnessed the transition of the game through the late stages of World War II and into the post-war boom. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 1,852 games, amassing 1,796 hits, 213 home runs, and 976 RBIs, while posting a commendable batting average of .285. Known for his versatility and solid defensive skills, Pafko was a key figure for teams such as the Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Milwaukee Braves. Pafko's talent was recognized through his selection as an All-Star five times, reflecting his status as one of the top players of his time. He was known for his powerful swing and ability to drive in runs, contributing significantly to his teams' successes. His career also included a noteworthy stint during the Dodgers' 1955 World Series championship, marking a highlight in a career defined by consistency and resilience. With 38 stolen bases to his name, Pafko demonstrated not only power but also speed, making him a well-rounded player who left a lasting impact on the game.

Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
40.0 38.0 7.0 12.0 3.0 0 2.0 8.0 1.0 2.0 0 0.316 0.350 0.553 0.903

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting

Season PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
1943 23.0 21.0 4.0 6.0 1.0 0 0 4.0 1.0 2.0 0 0.286 0.348 0.333 0.681
1947 17.0 17.0 3.0 6.0 2.0 0 2.0 4.0 0 0 0 0.353 0.353 0.824 1.177

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1852 6292 844 1796 264 62 213 976 38 561 477 0.285 0.350 0.449 0.799 14121.5

Career AVG .285 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — +9.8% above league average.

Career OBP .350 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — +5.6% above league average.

Career SLG .449 vs. league average .379 across their career seasons — +18.3% above league average.

Career OPS 0.799 vs. league average 0.711 across their career seasons — +12.3% 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
1943 CHC NL 13 58 7 22 3 0 0 10 1 2 5 0.379 .255 (+48%) .324 (+23%) .346 (+24%) .671 (+24%) 199.9
1944 CHC NL 128 469 47 126 16 2 6 62 2 28 23 0.269 .261 (+3%) .325 (-3%) .357 (-2%) .683 (-3%) -268.2
1945 CHC NL 144 534 64 159 24 12 12 110 5 45 36 0.298 .260 (+14%) .328 (+10%) .354 (+28%) .683 (+19%) 1903.8
1946 CHC NL 65 234 18 66 6 4 3 39 4 27 15 0.282 .256 (+10%) .328 (+11%) .358 (+6%) .687 (+9%) 403.3
1947 CHC NL 129 513 68 155 25 7 13 66 4 31 39 0.302 .262 (+15%) .336 (+3%) .376 (+21%) .712 (+12%) 1043.7
1948 CHC NL 142 548 82 171 30 2 26 101 3 50 50 0.312 .263 (+18%) .340 (+10%) .379 (+36%) .719 (+24%) 2548.8
1949 CHC NL 144 519 79 146 29 2 18 69 4 63 33 0.281 .262 (+7%) .343 (+7%) .384 (+17%) .727 (+12%) 1364.1
1950 CHC NL 146 514 95 156 24 8 36 92 4 69 32 0.304 .265 (+14%) .346 (+15%) .401 (+47%) .747 (+32%) 3481.2
1951 CHC NL 49 178 26 47 5 3 12 35 1 17 10 0.264 .260 (+1%) .336 (+2%) .385 (+37%) .721 (+20%) 586.1
1951 BRO NL 84 277 42 69 11 0 18 58 1 35 27 0.249 .260 (-5%) .336 (+4%) .385 (+25%) .721 (+15%) 586.1
1952 BRO NL 150 551 76 158 17 5 19 85 4 64 48 0.287 .252 (+13%) .326 (+12%) .369 (+19%) .696 (+16%) 1793.7
1953 ATL NL 140 516 70 153 23 4 17 72 2 37 33 0.297 .264 (+12%) .335 (+3%) .397 (+15%) .733 (+9%) 907.2
1954 ATL NL 138 510 61 146 22 4 14 69 1 37 36 0.286 .261 (+10%) .333 (+1%) .390 (+10%) .723 (+5%) 445.7
1955 ATL NL 86 252 29 67 3 5 5 34 1 7 23 0.266 .258 (+3%) .332 (-12%) .393 (-4%) .726 (-8%) -450.1
1956 ATL NL 45 93 15 24 5 0 2 9 0 10 13 0.258 .258 (avg) .331 (avg) .397 (-5%) .728 (-3%) -39.3
1957 ATL NL 83 220 31 61 6 1 8 27 1 10 22 0.277 .257 (+8%) .323 (-5%) .391 (+8%) .715 (+2%) 20.4
1958 ATL NL 95 164 17 39 7 1 3 23 0 15 17 0.238 .257 (-8%) .324 (-6%) .394 (-12%) .719 (-9%) -283.2
1959 ATL NL 71 142 17 31 8 2 1 15 0 14 15 0.218 .256 (-15%) .323 (-10%) .392 (-17%) .715 (-14%) -353.8

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
24 72 6 16 3 1 0 5 2 10 0.222

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1958 WS ML1 4 9 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 0.333
1957 WS ML1 6 14 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.214
1952 WS BRO 7 21 0 4 0 0 0 2 0 4 0.190
1945 WS CHN 7 28 5 6 2 1 0 2 2 5 0.214

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
3B 213 11 189 460 43 43
OF 1570 316 3199 130 54 24

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1943 CHN OF 13 0 25 0 0 0
1944 CHN OF 123 0 333 24 6 4
1945 CHN OF 140 0 371 11 2 0
1946 CHN OF 64 0 165 13 4 4
1947 CHN OF 127 0 327 9 5 3
1948 CHN 3B 139 0 125 314 29 29
1949 CHN 3B 49 0 40 101 10 10
1949 CHN OF 98 0 217 8 3 2
1950 CHN OF 144 0 342 12 8 1
1951 CHN OF 48 0 119 6 1 3
1951 BRO OF 76 0 144 8 1 0
1952 BRO 3B 13 0 15 19 3 3
1952 BRO OF 139 0 229 18 3 2
1953 ML1 OF 139 0 241 5 6 1
1954 ML1 OF 138 136 245 9 8 3
1955 ML1 3B 12 11 9 26 1 1
1955 ML1 OF 58 47 96 1 2 0
1956 ML1 OF 37 21 43 2 1 0
1957 ML1 OF 69 43 108 1 2 1
1958 ML1 OF 93 34 107 2 0 0
1959 ML1 OF 64 35 87 1 2 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Third Base 214
Left Field 362
Center Field 787
Right Field 467

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1948 Baseball Magazine All-Star 3B
1948 Baseball Magazine All-Star 3B
1945 Baseball Magazine All-Star CF
1945 Baseball Magazine All-Star CF
1945 TSN All-Star OF

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1950 Most Valuable Player NL 12th 38.0 336 0
1948 Most Valuable Player NL 16th 25.0 336 0
1947 Most Valuable Player NL 26th 1.0 336 0
1945 Most Valuable Player NL 4th 131.0 336 4