Elmer Ponder

Born: 6/26/1893 in Reed, OK, USA

Died: 4/20/1974 in Albuquerque, NM, USA

MLB Debut: 1917-09-18 | Final Game: 1921-09-21

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 178 lbs

Full name: Charles Elmer Ponder

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Biography

Elmer Ponder was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1917 to 1921. Born in 1893, Ponder made his debut during a transformative period in baseball history, marked by the end of the deadball era and the beginning of a more offensive-minded game. Over the course of his career, he compiled a record of 17 wins and 27 losses, showcasing a competitive spirit on the mound despite the challenges he faced. Ponder finished his career with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.21 and recorded a total of 113 strikeouts. While he did not accumulate any saves, his contributions to his teams were significant during his time in the league. Ponder's playing style reflected the pitching strategies of his era, as he navigated through a landscape where pitchers relied heavily on control and deception. His legacy, while not adorned with accolades, remains a testament to the dedication and resilience of players who played the game during the early 20th century.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
17	27	69	42	20	3	0	378.7	395	135	11	72	113	3.21	0

Career ERA 3.21 vs. league average 3.35 across their career seasons — near league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1917	PIT	NL	1	1	3	2	1	1	21.3	12	4	6	11	1.69	2.69 (+37%)	244.3
1919	PIT	NL	0	5	9	5	0	0	47.3	55	21	6	6	3.99	3.09 (-29%)	314.1
1920	PIT	NL	11	15	33	23	13	2	196.0	182	57	40	62	2.62	3.45 (+24%)	2261.0
1921	PIT	NL	2	0	8	1	1	0	24.7	29	6	3	3	2.19	4.02 (+46%)	127.5
1921	CHC	NL	3	6	16	11	5	0	89.3	117	47	17	31	4.74	4.02 (-18%)	-

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
69	124	2	13	2	0	0	5	0	2	50	0.105	0.119	0.121	0.240	-575.9

Career AVG .105 vs. league average .269 across their career seasons — 61.0% below league average.

Career OBP .119 vs. league average .329 across their career seasons — 63.8% below league average.

Career SLG .121 vs. league average .360 across their career seasons — 66.4% below league average.

Career OPS 0.240 vs. league average 0.689 across their career seasons — 65.1% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1917	PIT	NL	3	7	0	0	0	0	0	5	0.000	—	—	—	—	0.0
1919	PIT	NL	9	15	0	2	0	0	0	5	0.133	—	—	—	—	0.0
1920	PIT	NL	33	59	2	7	1	3	2	24	0.119	.271 (-56%)	.331 (-56%)	.363 (-63%)	.694 (-59%)	-575.9
1921	PIT	NL	8	10	0	0	0	0	0	7	0.000	—	—	—	—	0.0
1921	CHC	NL	16	33	0	4	1	2	0	9	0.121	—	—	—	—	0.0