Len Rice, baseball player, 1944-1945

Len Rice

Born: 9/2/1918 in Lead, SD, USA

Died: 6/13/1992 in Sonora, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1944-04-26 | Final Game: 1945-09-29

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

Full name: Leonard Oliver Rice

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Biography

Len Rice was a professional baseball player born in 1918, who played in the major leagues for a brief period during the mid-1940s. His career spanned from 1944 to 1945, a time when the sport was significantly impacted by the ongoing World War II, which saw many star players serving in the military. Rice participated in 42 games as a position player, primarily contributing as a versatile asset to his team. Throughout his career, Rice recorded 23 hits and drove in 7 runs, culminating in a batting average of .223. While he did not hit any home runs, he showcased his speed on the bases with 2 stolen bases, reflecting a playing style that emphasized quickness over power. Although his time in the major leagues was limited, Rice's contributions during a challenging era for baseball highlighted the resolve and adaptability of players who stepped up to fill the gaps left by their peers serving in the war. His legacy, though not marked by overwhelming statistics, remains a testament to the spirit of the game during a unique period in baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
42 103 11 23 3 0 0 7 2 5 8 0.223 0.259 0.252 0.512 -361.3

Career AVG .223 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — 14.5% below league average.

Career OBP .259 vs. league average .327 across their career seasons — 20.8% below league average.

Career SLG .252 vs. league average .356 across their career seasons — 29.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.512 vs. league average 0.684 across their career seasons — 25.1% 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
1944 CIN NL 10 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1945 CHC NL 32 99 10 23 3 0 0 7 2 5 8 0.232 .260 (-11%) .328 (-18%) .354 (-26%) .683 (-22%) -361.3

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
C 34 0 119 8 3 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1944 CIN C 5 0 4 0 0 0
1945 CHN C 29 0 115 8 3 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 34