Pete Runnels, baseball player, 1951-1964

Pete Runnels

Born: 1/28/1928 in Lufkin, TX, USA

Died: 5/20/1991 in Pasadena, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1951-07-01 | Final Game: 1964-05-14

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 170 lbs

Full name: James Edward Runnels

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Biography

Pete Runnels was a distinguished American baseball player born in 1928, who had a notable career spanning from 1951 to 1964. Primarily recognized for his versatility as a position player, Runnels played in a total of 1,799 games, where he amassed 1,854 hits and achieved a commendable batting average of .291. His offensive contributions included 49 home runs and 630 RBIs, highlighting his ability to drive in runs during pivotal moments. Additionally, he displayed speed on the bases, recording 37 stolen bases throughout his career. Runnels was selected as an All-Star five times, underscoring his status as one of the premier players of his era. He played during a transformative period in baseball, marked by the post-war boom and the evolving dynamics of the game. Runnels’ consistent performance and professional demeanor on the field made him a respected figure among peers and fans alike. His legacy remains significant in the annals of Major League Baseball, as he exemplified the skill and dedication that defined the sport during the early 1960s.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1799 6373 876 1854 282 64 49 630 37 844 627 0.291 0.375 0.378 0.753 9384.2

Career AVG .291 vs. league average .257 across their career seasons — +13.4% above league average.

Career OBP .375 vs. league average .326 across their career seasons — +15.0% above league average.

Career SLG .378 vs. league average .388 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.753 vs. league average 0.714 across their career seasons — +5.4% 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
1951 WSN AL 78 273 31 76 12 2 0 25 0 31 24 0.278 .260 (+7%) .336 (+5%) .385 (-13%) .721 (-4%) -153.8
1952 WSN AL 152 555 70 158 18 3 1 64 0 72 55 0.285 .252 (+13%) .326 (+13%) .369 (-10%) .696 (+1%) 345.6
1953 WSN AL 137 486 64 125 15 5 2 50 3 64 36 0.257 .264 (-3%) .335 (+3%) .397 (-19%) .733 (-9%) -695.9
1954 WSN AL 139 488 75 131 17 15 3 56 2 78 60 0.268 .261 (+3%) .333 (+10%) .390 (-2%) .723 (+4%) 542.5
1955 WSN AL 134 503 66 143 16 4 2 49 3 55 51 0.284 .258 (+10%) .332 (+6%) .393 (-13%) .726 (-4%) -266.1
1956 WSN AL 147 578 72 179 29 9 8 76 5 58 64 0.310 .258 (+20%) .331 (+12%) .397 (+9%) .728 (+10%) 1274.2
1957 WSN AL 134 473 53 109 18 4 2 35 2 55 51 0.230 .257 (-11%) .323 (-4%) .391 (-24%) .715 (-15%) -1316.7
1958 BOS AL 147 568 103 183 32 5 8 59 1 87 49 0.322 .257 (+25%) .324 (+28%) .394 (+11%) .719 (+19%) 2610.7
1959 BOS AL 147 560 95 176 33 6 6 57 6 95 48 0.314 .256 (+22%) .323 (+28%) .392 (+9%) .715 (+18%) 2460.3
1960 BOS AL 143 528 80 169 29 2 2 35 5 71 51 0.320 .255 (+25%) .323 (+24%) .387 (+2%) .711 (+12%) 1574.6
1961 BOS AL 143 360 49 114 20 3 3 38 5 46 32 0.317 .258 (+23%) .328 (+21%) .399 (+4%) .727 (+11%) 992.6
1962 BOS AL 152 562 80 183 33 5 10 60 3 79 57 0.326 .257 (+26%) .326 (+25%) .393 (+16%) .719 (+20%) 2548.8
1963 HOU NL 124 388 35 98 9 1 2 23 2 45 42 0.253 .246 (+3%) .308 (+7%) .371 (-20%) .680 (-8%) -365.4
1964 HOU NL 22 51 3 10 1 0 0 3 0 8 7 0.196 .250 (-22%) .312 (-2%) .377 (-43%) .690 (-25%) -167.3

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 644 542 4876 346 30 492
2B 642 607 1583 1675 67 500
3B 49 49 46 115 6 13
OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
SS 463 105 848 1231 91 297

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1951 WS1 SS 73 0 159 176 18 41
1952 WS1 2B 1 0 5 4 0 2
1952 WS1 SS 147 0 314 406 25 97
1953 WS1 2B 11 0 24 27 3 7
1953 WS1 SS 121 0 195 324 23 87
1954 WS1 2B 27 27 90 59 5 23
1954 WS1 OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
1954 WS1 SS 107 104 174 313 24 69
1955 WS1 2B 132 129 349 338 17 107
1955 WS1 SS 2 0 0 2 1 0
1956 WS1 1B 81 79 693 49 4 73
1956 WS1 2B 69 65 179 177 10 56
1956 WS1 SS 3 0 3 3 0 2
1957 WS1 1B 72 70 616 44 3 59
1957 WS1 2B 23 17 52 43 2 13
1957 WS1 3B 32 32 31 73 3 12
1958 BOS 1B 42 40 364 15 2 41
1958 BOS 2B 106 106 267 320 9 88
1959 BOS 1B 44 42 387 28 0 48
1959 BOS 2B 101 101 273 272 10 82
1959 BOS SS 9 1 3 7 0 1
1960 BOS 1B 57 7 142 11 1 15
1960 BOS 2B 129 127 274 360 9 99
1960 BOS 3B 3 3 4 6 1 0
1961 BOS 1B 113 75 701 50 4 92
1961 BOS 2B 7 2 6 11 0 5
1961 BOS 3B 11 11 8 29 2 0
1961 BOS SS 1 0 0 0 0 0
1962 BOS 1B 151 151 1309 104 10 125
1963 HOU 1B 70 65 526 40 4 31
1963 HOU 2B 36 33 64 64 2 18
1963 HOU 3B 3 3 3 7 0 1
1964 HOU 1B 14 13 138 5 2 8

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 644
Second Base 641
Third Base 49
Shortstop 463
Left Field 1

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1962 Most Valuable Player AL 18th 9.0 280 0
1960 Most Valuable Player AL 17th 18.0 336 0
1959 Most Valuable Player AL 26th 2.0 336 0
1958 Most Valuable Player AL 10th 29.0 336 0
1956 Most Valuable Player AL 17th 24.0 336 0
1952 Most Valuable Player AL 23th 8.0 336 0