Les Willis

Born: 1/17/1908 in Nacogdoches, TX, USA

Died: 1/22/1982 in Jasper, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1947-04-28 | Final Game: 1947-08-23

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 195 lbs

Full name: Lester Evans Willis

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Biography

Les Willis was a professional baseball player born in 1908, who played as a position player during a brief Major League Baseball career that spanned the 1947 season. Willis made his debut on April 28, 1947, and played his final game on August 23 of the same year. Although his time in the majors was short-lived, appearing in a total of 22 games, he remains a part of baseball history as a player from an era that marked the beginning of the integration of baseball. During his career, Willis recorded 1 hit in 11 at-bats, finishing with a batting average of .091. He did not hit any home runs or bring in runs batted in (RBIs) during his tenure, and he did not attempt any stolen bases. Despite these modest statistics, his presence in the game during a transformative time in baseball serves as a reminder of the many players who contributed to the sport's rich tapestry, even if their individual achievements were limited. Willis's career may not have been highlighted by significant statistical success, but he was part of the larger narrative of baseball's evolution post-World War II.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
0	2	22	2	0	0	1	44.0	58	17	3	24	10	3.48	0

Career ERA 3.48 vs. league average 3.97 across their career seasons — 12.5% better 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
1947	CLE	AL	0	2	22	2	0	0	1	44.0	58	17	24	10	3.48	3.97 (+12%)	-880.1

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
22	11	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.091	0.091	0.091	0.182	0.0

Career AVG .091 vs. league average .262 across their career seasons — 65.4% below league average.

Career OBP .091 vs. league average .337 across their career seasons — 73.0% below league average.

Career SLG .091 vs. league average .376 across their career seasons — 75.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.182 vs. league average 0.713 across their career seasons — 74.5% 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
1947	CLE	AL	22	11	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.091	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
P	22	0	2	4	0	1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1947	CLE	P	22	0	2	4	0	1

Career Games by Position

Position	Games
Pitcher	22