Jack Saltzgaver

Born: 1/23/1903 in Croton, IA, USA

Died: 2/1/1978 in Keokuk, IA, USA

MLB Debut: 1932-04-12 | Final Game: 1945-09-30

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 165 lbs

Full name: Otto Hamlin Saltzgaver

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Biography

Jack Saltzgaver was a professional baseball player born in 1903, who played in the Major Leagues from 1932 until his retirement in 1945. During his career, he participated in 278 games, showcasing his skills primarily as a position player. Saltzgaver amassed a total of 199 hits, contributing to his career batting average of .260. He demonstrated power at the plate with 10 home runs and was a productive run producer, driving in 82 RBIs. Additionally, he displayed speed on the bases, finishing his career with 9 stolen bases. Saltzgaver's playing career unfolded during a transitional period in baseball, marked by the tail end of the Great Depression and the onset of World War II, which significantly impacted the sport and its players. His contributions on the field, though perhaps overshadowed by some of his contemporaries, reflected the dedication and talent of players of his era. After concluding his Major League career on September 30, 1945, Saltzgaver left a legacy as a solid player who embraced the challenges and changes of baseball during a pivotal time in the sport's history.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
278	764	131	199	26	5	10	82	9	105	80	0.260	0.351	0.347	0.698	-265.9

Career AVG .260 vs. league average .276 across their career seasons — 5.5% below league average.

Career OBP .351 vs. league average .340 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .347 vs. league average .390 across their career seasons — 11.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.698 vs. league average 0.730 across their career seasons — near 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	NYY	AL	20	47	10	6	2	1	0	5	1	10	10	0.128	—	—	—	—	-238.8
1934	NYY	AL	94	350	64	95	8	1	6	36	8	48	28	0.271	.278 (-2%)	.340 (+6%)	.392 (-11%)	.733 (-3%)	-46.1
1935	NYY	AL	61	149	17	39	6	0	3	18	0	23	12	0.262	.279 (-6%)	.342 (+7%)	.399 (-9%)	.742 (-2%)	39.9
1936	NYY	AL	34	90	14	19	5	0	1	13	0	13	18	0.211	.283 (-26%)	.349 (-11%)	.404 (-26%)	.753 (-19%)	-288.1
1937	NYY	AL	17	11	6	2	0	0	0	0	0	3	4	0.182	—	—	—	—	0.0
1945	PIT	NL	52	117	20	38	5	3	0	10	0	8	8	0.325	.260 (+24%)	.328 (+12%)	.354 (+18%)	.683 (+15%)	267.3

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	PO	A	E	DP
1B	18	84	6	2	10
2B	78	156	172	16	26
3B	119	99	167	12	13

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	PO	A	E	DP
1932	NYA	2B	16	38	30	3	5
1934	NYA	1B	4	22	2	2	3
1934	NYA	3B	84	71	130	10	10
1935	NYA	1B	6	16	2	0	1
1935	NYA	2B	25	40	64	7	8
1935	NYA	3B	18	14	16	1	2
1936	NYA	1B	4	15	1	0	2
1936	NYA	2B	6	15	12	1	2
1936	NYA	3B	16	14	21	1	1
1937	NYA	1B	4	31	1	0	4
1945	PIT	2B	31	63	66	5	11
1945	PIT	3B	1	0	0	0	0