Hank Sauer, baseball player, 288 home runs, 1941-1959

Hank Sauer

Born: 3/17/1917 in Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Died: 8/24/2001 in Burlingame, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1941-09-09 | Final Game: 1959-08-17

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 198 lbs

Full name: Henry John Sauer

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Biography

Hank Sauer was a prominent American baseball player who made a significant impact in the Major Leagues from 1941 to 1959. Born in 1917, Sauer established himself as a powerful presence in the outfield and at the plate, playing primarily for the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 1,399 games, accumulating 1,278 hits along with an impressive total of 288 home runs and 876 runs batted in. His career batting average stood at .266, complemented by 11 stolen bases, showcasing his ability to contribute offensively in various ways. Sauer was recognized for his talents with two All-Star selections, underscoring his status as one of the elite players of his time. Sauer played during an era characterized by a transition in baseball, where the game was evolving with the introduction of new talent and strategies. His home run power was particularly notable, as he ranked among the league leaders during his prime years, contributing to the offensive excitement of the 1940s and 1950s. With a keen eye for pitching and a strong bat, he carved out a legacy that not only highlighted his individual achievements but also reflected the competitive nature of the game during that period. His contributions to the teams he played for and his standing as a two-time All-Star remain significant parts of his enduring legacy in baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1399 4796 709 1278 200 19 288 876 11 561 714 0.266 0.347 0.496 0.843 15521.9

Career AVG .266 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .347 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .496 vs. league average .383 across their career seasons — +29.7% above league average.

Career OPS 0.843 vs. league average 0.715 across their career seasons — +17.9% 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
1941 CIN NL 9 33 4 10 4 0 0 5 0 1 4 0.303 — — — — 0.0
1942 CIN NL 7 20 4 5 0 0 2 4 0 2 2 0.250 — — — — 0.0
1945 CIN NL 31 116 18 34 1 0 5 20 2 6 16 0.293 .260 (+12%) .328 (avg) .354 (+21%) .683 (+11%) 179.4
1948 CIN NL 145 530 78 138 22 1 35 97 2 60 85 0.260 .263 (-1%) .340 (avg) .379 (+33%) .719 (+17%) 1742.7
1949 CIN NL 42 152 22 36 6 0 4 16 0 18 19 0.237 .262 (-10%) .343 (-8%) .384 (-7%) .727 (-8%) -202.5
1949 CHC NL 96 357 59 104 17 1 27 83 0 37 47 0.291 .262 (+11%) .343 (+6%) .384 (+49%) .727 (+28%) -202.5
1950 CHC NL 145 540 85 148 32 2 32 103 1 60 67 0.274 .265 (+3%) .346 (+1%) .401 (+29%) .747 (+16%) 1681.9
1951 CHC NL 141 525 77 138 19 4 30 89 2 45 77 0.263 .260 (+1%) .336 (-4%) .385 (+26%) .721 (+12%) 1105.1
1952 CHC NL 151 567 89 153 31 3 37 121 1 77 92 0.270 .252 (+7%) .326 (+11%) .369 (+44%) .696 (+28%) 3122.2
1953 CHC NL 108 395 61 104 16 5 19 60 0 50 56 0.263 .264 (avg) .335 (+4%) .397 (+19%) .733 (+12%) 915.7
1954 CHC NL 142 520 98 150 18 1 41 103 2 70 68 0.288 .261 (+11%) .333 (+13%) .390 (+44%) .723 (+30%) 3151.8
1955 CHC NL 79 261 29 55 8 1 12 28 0 26 47 0.211 .258 (-18%) .332 (-14%) .393 (-2%) .726 (-7%) -391.0
1956 STL NL 75 151 11 45 4 0 5 24 0 25 31 0.298 .258 (+15%) .331 (+22%) .397 (+7%) .728 (+14%) 490.6
1957 NY1 NL 127 378 46 98 14 1 26 76 1 49 59 0.259 .257 (+1%) .323 (+6%) .391 (+30%) .715 (+19%) 1398.5
1958 SFG NL 88 236 27 59 8 0 12 46 0 35 37 0.250 .257 (-3%) .324 (+9%) .394 (+11%) .719 (+10%) 521.8
1959 SFG NL 13 15 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 7 0.067 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 38 0 303 34 7 27
OF 1228 405 2408 105 67 21

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1941 CIN OF 8 0 21 1 1 1
1942 CIN 1B 4 0 37 4 1 8
1945 CIN 1B 3 0 31 5 1 4
1945 CIN OF 28 0 69 0 2 0
1948 CIN 1B 12 0 89 8 1 4
1948 CIN OF 132 0 270 14 8 6
1949 CIN 1B 1 0 1 0 0 0
1949 CIN OF 39 0 102 6 5 0
1949 CHN OF 96 0 199 10 4 2
1950 CHN 1B 18 0 145 17 4 11
1950 CHN OF 125 0 236 12 9 1
1951 CHN OF 132 0 286 19 6 2
1952 CHN OF 151 0 327 17 6 3
1953 CHN OF 105 0 221 5 7 1
1954 CHN OF 141 141 282 8 11 2
1955 CHN OF 68 68 122 4 2 1
1956 SLN OF 37 34 55 2 0 1
1957 NY1 OF 98 97 125 4 1 0
1958 SFN OF 67 64 93 3 5 1
1959 SFN OF 1 1 0 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 38
Left Field 1029
Right Field 209

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1952 Most Valuable Player
1952 TSN All-Star OF
1952 TSN Player of the Year

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1954 Most Valuable Player NL 26th 1.0 336 0
1952 Most Valuable Player NL 1st 226.0 336 8
1951 Most Valuable Player NL 23th 1.0 336 0
1950 Most Valuable Player NL 29th 5.0 336 0
1949 Most Valuable Player NL 19th 8.0 336 0
1948 Most Valuable Player NL 30th 1.0 336 0