Billy Sullivan, baseball player, 1931-1947

Billy Sullivan

Born: 10/23/1910 in Chicago, IL, USA

Died: 1/4/1994 in Sarasota, FL, USA

MLB Debut: 1931-06-09 | Final Game: 1947-09-03

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 170 lbs

Full name: William Joseph Sullivan

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Biography

Billy Sullivan, born in 1910, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball whose career spanned from 1931 to 1947. Over the course of 962 games, Sullivan established himself as a reliable hitter, accumulating 820 hits and maintaining a batting average of .289. His offensive contributions included 29 home runs and 388 RBIs, showcasing his ability to drive in runs and provide consistent production at the plate. Additionally, he displayed speed on the bases, recording 30 stolen bases during his career, which was particularly noteworthy in an era that valued both power and speed. Sullivan's playing style was characterized by his versatility and tenacity, traits that endeared him to fans and teammates alike. He played during a transformative period in baseball, navigating the challenges of the Great Depression and World War II while continuing to perform at a high level. His contributions were especially significant as he helped to pave the way for future generations of players. Sullivan's legacy is remembered not only in the context of his personal achievements but also as part of the rich tapestry of baseball history during the mid-20th century.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
962 2840 347 820 152 32 29 388 30 240 119 0.289 0.346 0.395 0.742 948.4

Career AVG .289 vs. league average .271 across their career seasons — +6.5% above league average.

Career OBP .346 vs. league average .337 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .395 vs. league average .386 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.742 vs. league average 0.723 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
1931 CHW AL 92 363 48 100 16 5 2 33 4 20 14 0.275 .276 (avg) .338 (-7%) .388 (-6%) .726 (-7%) -501.9
1932 CHW AL 93 307 31 97 16 1 1 45 1 20 9 0.316 .275 (+15%) .335 (+7%) .391 (-2%) .726 (+2%) 149.0
1933 CHW AL 54 125 9 24 0 1 0 13 0 10 5 0.192 .270 (-29%) .329 (-24%) .377 (-45%) .707 (-35%) -735.8
1935 CIN NL 85 241 29 64 9 4 2 36 4 19 16 0.266 .279 (-5%) .342 (-5%) .399 (-10%) .742 (-8%) -356.2
1936 CLE AL 93 319 39 112 32 6 2 48 5 16 9 0.351 .283 (+24%) .349 (+9%) .404 (+26%) .753 (+18%) 987.0
1937 CLE AL 72 168 26 48 12 3 3 22 1 17 7 0.286 .276 (+3%) .342 (+4%) .398 (+12%) .740 (+8%) 236.7
1938 SLA AL 111 375 35 104 16 1 7 49 8 20 10 0.277 .272 (+2%) .341 (-8%) .392 (-3%) .734 (-5%) -433.8
1939 SLA AL 118 332 53 96 17 5 5 50 3 34 18 0.289 .274 (+5%) .342 (+6%) .393 (+6%) .735 (+6%) 408.1
1940 DET AL 78 220 36 68 14 4 3 41 2 31 11 0.309 .267 (+16%) .335 (+19%) .387 (+16%) .722 (+17%) 776.9
1941 DET AL 85 234 29 66 15 1 3 29 0 35 11 0.282 .262 (+8%) .332 (+13%) .373 (+5%) .705 (+9%) 465.3
1942 BRO NL 43 101 11 27 2 1 1 14 1 12 6 0.267 .253 (+6%) .323 (+7%) .349 (-4%) .672 (+1%) 45.0
1947 PIT NL 38 55 1 14 3 0 0 8 1 6 3 0.255 .262 (-3%) .336 (-3%) .376 (-18%) .712 (-11%) -91.9

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
5 13 3 2 0 0 0 0 5 2 0.154

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1940 WS DET 5 13 3 2 0 0 0 0 5 2 0.154

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 133 0 1196 88 13 119
2B 6 0 15 17 4 1
3B 127 0 139 237 33 20
C 414 0 1845 216 59 37
OF 65 0 144 7 9 3

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1931 CHA 1B 1 0 6 0 0 1
1931 CHA 3B 83 0 96 152 24 9
1931 CHA OF 2 0 2 0 0 0
1932 CHA 1B 52 0 485 35 5 42
1932 CHA 3B 17 0 14 30 6 4
1932 CHA C 5 0 12 1 2 0
1932 CHA OF 3 0 3 0 2 0
1933 CHA 1B 22 0 211 12 4 22
1933 CHA C 8 0 21 3 4 0
1935 CIN 1B 40 0 350 31 3 35
1935 CIN 2B 6 0 15 17 4 1
1935 CIN 3B 15 0 18 30 1 5
1936 CLE 1B 3 0 25 3 0 4
1936 CLE 3B 5 0 6 9 0 1
1936 CLE C 72 0 324 40 12 8
1936 CLE OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
1937 CLE 1B 5 0 52 1 0 3
1937 CLE 3B 1 0 1 2 0 0
1937 CLE C 38 0 146 20 9 1
1938 SLA 1B 6 0 43 4 0 7
1938 SLA C 99 0 441 65 5 10
1939 SLA 1B 4 0 24 2 1 5
1939 SLA C 19 0 88 8 4 4
1939 SLA OF 59 0 139 7 7 3
1940 DET 3B 6 0 4 14 2 1
1940 DET C 57 0 292 29 8 4
1941 DET C 63 0 339 33 9 7
1942 BRO C 41 0 140 13 6 2
1947 PIT C 12 0 42 4 0 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 415
First Base 132
Second Base 6
Third Base 127
Left Field 32
Right Field 34

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
University of Notre Dame South Bend IN 1930, 1931
University of Portland Portland OR 1928

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1932 Most Valuable Player AL 24th 3.0 80 0