Turkey Stearnes

⭐ Hall of Fame 2000

Born: 5/8/1901 in Nashville, TN, USA

Died: 9/4/1979 in Detroit, MI, USA

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: Norman Thomas Stearnes

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Biography

Turkey Stearnes was a prominent figure in the early days of professional baseball, celebrated for his contributions as a position player during a time when the sport was evolving rapidly. Born in 1901, Stearnes showcased his talent primarily in the Negro Leagues, where he played until 1940. Although his official Major League Baseball statistics reflect 0 games, hits, home runs, RBIs, and stolen bases, Stearnes' impact on the game extended beyond what can be quantified in traditional metrics. He was known for his exceptional athleticism and hitting prowess, earning a reputation as one of the most exciting players of his era. Stearnes was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000, a testament to his significant contributions to the sport and his legacy within the Negro Leagues. His career unfolded during a period when African American players were largely excluded from Major League Baseball, yet Stearnes excelled against some of the best talent available, often showcasing his skills in high-profile exhibition games against Major League teams. His induction into the Hall of Fame not only recognized his individual achievements but also highlighted the rich history and talent of Negro League players, ensuring that their stories and contributions to baseball would not be forgotten.

Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
1205.0 1087.0 246.0 392.0 59.0 30.0 58.0 168.0 101.0 13.0 34.0 0.361 0.416 0.630 1.046

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting

Season PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
1924 4.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 0 0 1.0 0 1.0 0 0 0.333 0.500 1.333 1.833
1926 27.0 23.0 6.0 11.0 3.0 0 1.0 1.0 4.0 0 2.0 0.478 0.556 0.739 1.295
1928 8.0 7.0 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 1.0 0 0 .000 0.125 .000 0.125
1930 55.0 53.0 12.0 20.0 5.0 3.0 4.0 0 1.0 0 0 0.377 0.389 0.811 1.200
1931 3.0 3.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000 .000
1932 10.0 10.0 8.0 8.0 0 1.0 3.0 6.0 0 0 0 0.800 0.800 1.900 2.700
1933 40.0 36.0 7.0 13.0 4.0 0 0 1.0 3.0 1.0 3.0 0.361 0.410 0.472 0.882
1934 69.0 64.0 14.0 26.0 0 1.0 6.0 8.0 4.0 7.0 1.0 0.406 0.449 0.719 1.168
1935 33.0 29.0 5.0 10.0 3.0 0 1.0 3.0 3.0 0 3.0 0.345 0.406 0.552 0.958
1936 290.0 267.0 62.0 99.0 9.0 6.0 18.0 33.0 23.0 1.0 5.0 0.371 0.423 0.652 1.075
1937 121.0 107.0 25.0 45.0 7.0 6.0 6.0 22.0 11.0 4.0 1.0 0.421 0.483 0.766 1.249
1938 169.0 151.0 33.0 47.0 8.0 6.0 5.0 28.0 13.0 0 5.0 0.311 0.370 0.543 0.913
1939 223.0 201.0 46.0 74.0 14.0 4.0 7.0 39.0 18.0 0 10.0 0.368 0.414 0.582 0.996
1940 153.0 133.0 26.0 38.0 6.0 3.0 6.0 27.0 19.0 0 4.0 0.286 0.375 0.511 0.886

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
0 1 1 1 0 0 0 7.0 13 12 3 4 2 15.43 0

Career ERA 15.43 vs. league average 4.03 across their career seasons — 282.8% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1923 DS NNL 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 7.0 13 12 4 2 15.43 — 0.0

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1034 3959 961 1372 243 122 195 1038 141 429 11 0.347 0.416 0.617 1.033 27995.6

Career AVG .347 vs. league average .280 across their career seasons — +23.8% above league average.

Career OBP .416 vs. league average .343 across their career seasons — +21.1% above league average.

Career SLG .617 vs. league average .397 across their career seasons — +55.6% above league average.

Career OPS 1.033 vs. league average 0.740 across their career seasons — +39.6% 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
1923 DS NNL 69 279 70 101 18 14 17 85 2 17 0 0.362 .282 (+28%) .344 (+16%) .390 (+82%) .734 (+51%) 2368.6
1924 DS NNL 62 251 58 87 10 13 9 46 2 19 0 0.347 .283 (+22%) .345 (+15%) .389 (+53%) .734 (+35%) 1481.1
1925 DS NNL 93 362 92 134 23 14 19 126 11 45 0 0.370 .288 (+29%) .349 (+26%) .407 (+64%) .756 (+46%) 3225.7
1926 DS NNL 93 342 94 131 33 9 21 103 21 41 1 0.383 .279 (+37%) .345 (+32%) .390 (+84%) .735 (+60%) 3845.0
1927 DS NNL 91 343 79 119 25 12 20 104 15 42 0 0.347 .282 (+23%) .344 (+24%) .392 (+69%) .736 (+48%) 3116.1
1928 DS NNL 81 317 81 102 16 7 24 78 6 31 0 0.322 .280 (+15%) .342 (+14%) .395 (+63%) .737 (+40%) 2300.3
1929 DS NNL 69 261 65 102 16 4 17 88 12 35 1 0.391 .289 (+35%) .353 (+32%) .415 (+63%) .769 (+49%) 2490.5
1930 NLG IND 19 73 31 31 9 4 6 33 7 12 0 0.425 .293 (+44%) .354 (+43%) .429 (+110%) .784 (+80%) 1019.9
1930 DS NNL 35 129 27 42 9 8 2 37 6 13 0 0.326 .293 (+11%) .354 (+11%) .429 (+32%) .784 (+22%) 1019.9
1931 DS NNL 38 133 29 50 10 0 8 33 6 20 0 0.376 .276 (+36%) .338 (+37%) .388 (+63%) .726 (+51%) 1232.8
1931 KCM IND 16 57 6 7 2 2 0 7 2 2 4 0.123 .276 (-56%) .338 (-51%) .388 (-41%) .726 (-46%) 1232.8
1932 CAG NSL 44 168 43 49 9 2 4 25 11 19 0 0.292 .275 (+6%) .335 (+11%) .391 (+13%) .726 (+12%) 390.9
1933 CAG NN2 41 175 46 62 12 5 7 30 1 18 0 0.354 .270 (+31%) .329 (+27%) .377 (+59%) .707 (+44%) 1265.8
1934 CAG NN2 39 154 42 53 7 7 6 28 6 14 1 0.344 .278 (+24%) .340 (+18%) .392 (+52%) .733 (+36%) 916.6
1935 CAG NN2 47 171 43 66 10 6 6 52 9 23 1 0.386 .279 (+38%) .342 (+36%) .399 (+55%) .742 (+46%) 1463.8
1936 PS NN2 52 210 45 74 8 5 10 43 1 19 2 0.352 .283 (+24%) .349 (+18%) .404 (+44%) .753 (+32%) 1183.2
1937 DTS NAL 18 64 16 25 3 1 4 18 1 9 0 0.391 .276 (+41%) .342 (+36%) .398 (+65%) .740 (+51%) 570.6
1937 CAG NAL 4 15 2 4 1 0 1 2 0 1 1 0.267 — — — — 570.6
1938 CAG NAL 19 69 14 18 2 1 2 10 5 7 0 0.261 .272 (-4%) .341 (-1%) .392 (+3%) .734 (+1%) 15.5
1938 KCM NAL 15 60 10 16 3 3 0 17 2 4 0 0.267 .272 (-2%) .341 (-9%) .392 (+6%) .734 (-1%) 15.5
1939 KCM NAL 51 193 44 63 11 2 7 39 11 19 0 0.326 .274 (+19%) .342 (+13%) .393 (+31%) .735 (+22%) 752.1
1940 KCM NAL 38 133 24 36 6 3 5 34 4 19 0 0.271 .267 (+1%) .335 (+9%) .387 (+22%) .722 (+16%) 376.1

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
24 96 24 40 7 3 7 26 4 1 0.417

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1939 ALC KCM 5 13 3 3 1 0 1 5 2 0 0.231
1937 ALC CAG 4 19 2 5 1 0 0 1 1 1 0.263
1934 NLC CAG 6 24 4 11 1 1 1 4 0 0 0.458
1932 NSC CAG 2 10 6 7 0 1 2 5 0 0 0.700
1930 NNC DS 7 30 9 14 4 1 3 11 1 0 0.467

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 9 8 89 5 0 4
3B 1 1 2 2 0 0
OF 1027 925 2004 101 102 26
P 1 1 2 3 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1923 DS OF 70 67 136 2 5 1
1923 DS P 1 1 2 3 0 0
1924 DS OF 62 62 118 7 4 1
1925 DS OF 94 0 0 0 0 0
1926 DS 1B 1 0 8 1 0 0
1926 DS 3B 1 1 2 2 0 0
1926 DS OF 93 92 201 18 9 7
1927 DS OF 91 91 226 7 18 2
1928 DS OF 81 81 197 10 7 1
1929 DS OF 69 69 179 9 8 2
1930 NLG OF 19 19 44 2 1 1
1930 DS OF 35 35 87 10 2 2
1931 DS 1B 8 8 81 4 0 4
1931 DS OF 30 30 72 4 7 2
1931 KCM OF 16 15 29 0 1 0
1932 CAG OF 43 43 94 8 4 3
1933 CAG OF 42 41 86 4 5 0
1934 CAG OF 39 39 88 2 1 1
1935 CAG OF 46 46 86 3 5 1
1936 PS OF 53 52 124 5 5 0
1937 DTS OF 17 17 34 2 3 1
1937 CAG OF 4 4 11 0 0 0
1938 CAG OF 19 19 42 1 2 0
1938 KCM OF 15 15 20 1 1 0
1939 KCM OF 51 51 80 5 7 1
1940 KCM OF 38 37 50 1 7 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 1
First Base 9
Third Base 1
Left Field 10
Center Field 1013
Right Field 4