Paul Richards, baseball player, 1932-1946

Paul Richards

Born: 11/21/1908 in Waxahachie, TX, USA

Died: 5/4/1986 in Waxahachie, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1932-04-17 | Final Game: 1946-09-22

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Paul Rapier Richards

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Biography

Paul Richards was a professional baseball player who played as a position player from 1932 until his retirement in 1946. Born in 1908, Richards made his mark in an era when baseball was recovering from the Great Depression and the sport was beginning to see a resurgence in popularity. Over the course of his career, he participated in 523 games, accumulating 321 hits, 15 home runs, and 155 RBIs, with a batting average of .227. His contributions on the field also included 15 stolen bases, showcasing his versatility and speed as a player. Richards' career spanned a transformative period in Major League Baseball, which included the rise of power hitters and the increasing integration of players from diverse backgrounds into the game. While he may not have been among the most celebrated stars of his time, his steady presence and commitment to the sport exemplified the dedication of players during the mid-20th century. As a member of the baseball community, Richards helped pave the way for future generations of athletes, leaving a lasting legacy in the annals of the game.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
523 1417 140 321 51 5 15 155 15 157 149 0.227 0.305 0.301 0.606 -2898.4

Career AVG .227 vs. league average .267 across their career seasons — 15.2% below league average.

Career OBP .305 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — 8.2% below league average.

Career SLG .301 vs. league average .372 across their career seasons — 19.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.606 vs. league average 0.704 across their career seasons — 13.9% 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
1932 BRO NL 3 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1933 NY1 NL 51 87 4 17 3 0 0 10 0 3 12 0.195 .270 (-28%) .329 (-33%) .377 (-39%) .707 (-36%) -544.1
1934 NY1 NL 42 75 10 12 1 0 0 3 0 13 8 0.160 .278 (-42%) .340 (-17%) .392 (-56%) .733 (-38%) -458.1
1935 NY1 NL 7 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0.250 — — — — 0.0
1935 PHA AL 85 257 31 63 10 1 4 29 0 24 12 0.245 .279 (-12%) .342 (-10%) .399 (-15%) .742 (-13%) 0.0
1943 DET AL 100 313 32 69 7 1 5 33 1 38 35 0.220 .255 (-14%) .324 (-6%) .346 (-14%) .671 (-10%) -494.6
1944 DET AL 95 300 24 71 13 0 3 37 8 35 30 0.237 .261 (-9%) .325 (-2%) .357 (-13%) .683 (-8%) -361.7
1945 DET AL 83 234 26 60 12 1 3 32 4 19 31 0.256 .260 (-2%) .328 (-4%) .354 (avg) .683 (-2%) -109.0
1946 DET AL 57 139 13 28 5 2 0 11 2 23 18 0.201 .256 (-22%) .328 (-4%) .358 (-26%) .687 (-15%) -321.8

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
7 19 0 4 2 0 0 6 4 3 0.211

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1945 WS DET 7 19 0 4 2 0 0 6 4 3 0.211

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
C 486 0 2103 302 31 49

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1932 BRO C 3 0 21 3 0 1
1933 NY1 C 36 0 74 17 1 2
1934 NY1 C 37 0 86 15 0 3
1935 NY1 C 4 0 7 2 0 0
1935 PHA C 79 0 293 40 8 5
1943 DET C 100 0 537 86 9 12
1944 DET C 90 0 413 60 10 13
1945 DET C 83 0 361 44 2 7
1946 DET C 54 0 311 35 1 6

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 488

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1945 Baseball Magazine All-Star C
1945 Baseball Magazine All-Star C
1945 TSN All-Star C

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1945 Most Valuable Player AL 10th 35.0 336 0
1944 Most Valuable Player AL 17th 8.0 336 0