Horace Speed, baseball player, 1975-1979

Horace Speed

Born: 10/4/1951 in Los Angeles, CA, USA

Died: 5/26/2025 in Meridian, MS, USA

MLB Debut: 1975-04-10 | Final Game: 1979-06-26

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

Full name: Horace Arthur Speed

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Biography

Horace Speed was a professional baseball player born in 1951, who had a brief career in Major League Baseball from 1975 until 1979. Primarily serving as a position player, Speed played a total of 113 games during his time in the league. He was known for his speed on the basepaths, evidenced by his four stolen bases, which showcased his ability to disrupt opposing defenses. Despite his limited offensive output, with a batting average of .207, he contributed six runs batted in over the course of his career. Speed played during a transitional period in baseball, marked by changes in player development and team strategies. While he did not achieve significant home run power, as indicated by his zero home runs, his presence on the field was emblematic of the many players who contributed to their teams in ways beyond traditional statistics. After his last game on June 26, 1979, Speed's career may have been short-lived, but he remains a part of the rich tapestry of baseball history, representing a time when speed and defense were increasingly valued in the game.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
113 135 21 28 5 1 0 6 4 20 46 0.207 0.316 0.259 0.576 -227.8

Career AVG .207 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 20.3% below league average.

Career OBP .316 vs. league average .327 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .259 vs. league average .384 across their career seasons — 32.4% below league average.

Career OPS 0.576 vs. league average 0.711 across their career seasons — 19.0% 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
1975 SFG NL 17 15 2 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 8 0.133 — — — — 0.0
1978 CLE AL 70 106 13 24 4 1 0 4 2 14 31 0.226 .257 (-12%) .323 (-1%) .378 (-25%) .702 (-14%) -227.8
1979 CLE AL 26 14 6 2 0 0 0 1 2 5 7 0.143 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 86 32 108 1 5 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1975 SFN OF 9 3 9 0 1 0
1978 CLE OF 61 27 85 1 2 0
1979 CLE OF 16 2 14 0 2 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Left Field 27
Center Field 25
Right Field 39
Designated Hitter 7