Ray Sanders, baseball player, 1942-1949

Ray Sanders

Born: 12/4/1916 in Bonne Terre, MO, USA

Died: 10/28/1983 in Washington, MO, USA

MLB Debut: 1942-04-14 | Final Game: 1949-09-21

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: Raymond Floyd Sanders

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Biography

Ray Sanders was a professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1942 to 1949. Born in 1916, he made his mark in Major League Baseball as a position player during a time when the sport was deeply shaped by the effects of World War II and the subsequent rise of the post-war era. Over the course of his career, Sanders appeared in 630 games, where he solidified his reputation as a reliable hitter with a career batting average of .274. He recorded a total of 597 hits, 42 home runs, and 329 RBIs, showcasing his offensive capabilities during a period of competitive play. Sanders was known for his consistent approach at the plate and his ability to contribute to his team's success. While he did not steal bases frequently, managing only 8 throughout his career, his overall offensive production and versatility made him a valuable asset. His contributions to the game during the late 1940s helped set the stage for the future of baseball, as the sport began to see the integration of players from diverse backgrounds and the evolution of playing styles. Ray Sanders retired on September 21, 1949, leaving behind a legacy that reflected the resilience and talent of players in a transformative era for baseball.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
630 2182 321 597 114 19 42 329 8 328 216 0.274 0.370 0.401 0.771 6532.4

Career AVG .274 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — +5.6% above league average.

Career OBP .370 vs. league average .330 across their career seasons — +12.0% above league average.

Career SLG .401 vs. league average .361 across their career seasons — +11.1% above league average.

Career OPS 0.771 vs. league average 0.691 across their career seasons — +11.6% 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
1942 STL NL 95 282 37 71 17 2 5 39 2 42 31 0.252 .253 (-1%) .323 (+9%) .349 (+9%) .672 (+9%) 498.8
1943 STL NL 144 478 69 134 21 5 11 73 1 77 33 0.280 .255 (+10%) .324 (+17%) .346 (+20%) .671 (+19%) 1911.6
1944 STL NL 154 601 87 177 34 9 12 102 2 71 50 0.295 .261 (+13%) .325 (+14%) .357 (+23%) .683 (+19%) 2266.9
1945 STL NL 143 537 85 148 29 3 8 78 3 83 55 0.276 .260 (+6%) .328 (+14%) .354 (+9%) .683 (+11%) 1419.8
1946 BSN NL 80 259 43 63 12 0 6 35 0 50 38 0.243 .256 (-5%) .328 (+12%) .358 (avg) .687 (+6%) 435.2
1948 BSN NL 5 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0.250 — — — — 0.0
1949 BSN NL 9 21 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 4 9 0.143 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
14 40 9 11 0 0 2 3 9 12 0.275

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1948 WS BSN 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000
1944 WS SLN 6 21 5 6 0 0 1 1 5 8 0.286
1943 WS SLN 5 17 3 5 0 0 1 2 3 4 0.294
1942 WS SLN 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 596 0 5268 330 50 510

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1942 SLN 1B 77 0 626 35 6 54
1943 SLN 1B 141 0 1302 71 7 142
1944 SLN 1B 152 0 1370 64 8 142
1945 SLN 1B 142 0 1259 90 19 113
1946 BSN 1B 77 0 659 61 9 57
1949 BSN 1B 7 0 52 9 1 2

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 596

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1944 Baseball Magazine All-Star 1B
1944 TSN All-Star 1B

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1944 Most Valuable Player NL 15th 25.0 336 0