Pete Ward

Born: 7/26/1937 in Montreal, QC, CAN

Died: 3/16/2022 in Lake Oswego, OR, USA

MLB Debut: 1962-09-21 | Final Game: 1970-09-25

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: Peter Thomas Ward

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Biography

Pete Ward, born in 1937, was a notable position player in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1962 to 1970. He made a significant impact during a transitional period in the sport, as baseball was moving away from the deadball era into a time of greater offensive production. Ward played in a total of 973 games, recording 776 hits, which included 98 home runs and 427 runs batted in. His career batting average stood at .254, complemented by 20 stolen bases, reflecting his ability not only to hit for power but also to contribute on the base paths. In 1963, Ward was honored as the TSN Rookie Player of the Year, a testament to his immediate impact in the league. He showcased a versatile skill set that made him a valuable asset to his teams, often characterized by a balanced approach at the plate and a solid defensive presence. Throughout his career, Ward played for several teams, leaving a lasting legacy as a player who helped pave the way for future generations in a rapidly evolving game. His contributions during the late 1960s remain a significant part of his team's histories and the broader narrative of baseball during that era.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
973	3060	345	776	136	17	98	427	20	371	539	0.254	0.339	0.405	0.744	6714.8

Career AVG .254 vs. league average .248 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .339 vs. league average .314 across their career seasons — +8.1% above league average.

Career SLG .405 vs. league average .372 across their career seasons — +9.0% above league average.

Career OPS 0.744 vs. league average 0.686 across their career seasons — +8.6% 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
1962	BAL	AL	8	21	1	3	2	0	0	2	0	4	5	0.143	—	—	—	—	0.0
1963	CHW	AL	157	600	80	177	34	6	22	84	7	52	77	0.295	.246 (+20%)	.308 (+14%)	.371 (+30%)	.680 (+23%)	2548.7
1964	CHW	AL	144	539	61	152	28	3	23	94	1	56	76	0.282	.250 (+13%)	.312 (+11%)	.377 (+25%)	.690 (+19%)	1923.6
1965	CHW	AL	138	507	62	125	25	3	10	57	2	56	83	0.247	.245 (avg)	.310 (+5%)	.371 (-1%)	.682 (+2%)	259.9
1966	CHW	AL	84	251	22	55	7	1	3	28	3	24	49	0.219	.248 (-12%)	.309 (-6%)	.376 (-23%)	.685 (-15%)	-653.1
1967	CHW	AL	146	467	49	109	16	2	18	62	3	61	109	0.233	.242 (-4%)	.306 (+9%)	.357 (+10%)	.663 (+9%)	1006.5
1968	CHW	AL	125	399	43	86	15	0	15	50	4	76	85	0.216	.236 (-9%)	.298 (+18%)	.340 (+8%)	.638 (+13%)	1304.5
1969	CHW	AL	105	199	22	49	7	0	6	32	0	33	38	0.246	.248 (-1%)	.320 (+12%)	.369 (+1%)	.689 (+6%)	332.5
1970	NYY	AL	66	77	5	20	2	2	1	18	0	9	17	0.260	.253 (+2%)	.325 (+2%)	.385 (-2%)	.711 (avg)	-7.9

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	113	95	802	57	4	61
2B	2	0	1	1	0	0
3B	562	538	470	1182	97	87
OF	185	176	239	9	2	2
SS	1	0	1	1	0	1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1962	BAL	OF	6	6	10	0	0	0
1963	CHA	2B	1	0	1	0	0	0
1963	CHA	3B	154	154	156	302	38	27
1963	CHA	SS	1	0	1	1	0	1
1964	CHA	3B	138	138	126	309	19	24
1965	CHA	2B	1	0	0	1	0	0
1965	CHA	3B	134	131	97	319	21	22
1966	CHA	1B	5	3	19	5	1	2
1966	CHA	3B	16	12	10	34	1	3
1966	CHA	OF	59	57	83	3	1	1
1967	CHA	1B	39	35	295	19	2	23
1967	CHA	3B	22	13	7	33	4	3
1967	CHA	OF	89	85	107	3	1	0
1968	CHA	1B	31	27	238	18	0	17
1968	CHA	3B	77	73	59	151	12	7
1968	CHA	OF	22	19	28	1	0	1
1969	CHA	1B	25	20	167	12	1	12
1969	CHA	3B	21	17	15	34	2	1
1969	CHA	OF	9	9	11	2	0	0
1970	NYA	1B	13	10	83	3	0	7