Earl Averill
⭐ Hall of Fame 1975
Born: 5/21/1902 in Snohomish, WA, USA
Died: 8/16/1983 in Everett, WA, USA
MLB Debut: 1929-04-16 | Final Game: 1941-04-25
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 172 lbs
Full name: Howard Earl Averill
Biography
Earl Averill was a prominent American baseball player, born in 1902, who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball from 1929 until his retirement in 1941. Known for his powerful hitting and consistent offensive production, Averill played a total of 1,668 games throughout his career, where he accumulated 2,019 hits and 238 home runs. With a remarkable batting average of .318, he established himself as one of the premier hitters of his era. His ability to drive in runs was evident as he recorded 1,164 RBIs, while also showcasing his speed on the bases with 70 stolen bases. Averill was selected as an All-Star six times, underscoring his status as one of the top players in the league during the 1930s and early 1940s.
Averill's career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, characterized by the emergence of the "live-ball" era, which saw an increase in offensive production. His playing style was defined by a combination of power and contact hitting, allowing him to excel in various offensive situations. Averill's contributions were particularly vital for the Cleveland Indians, where he spent the majority of his career. His achievements and legacy remain significant in the history of the game, as he was one of the early stars who helped pave the way for future generations of athletes.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1668 | 6353 | 1224 | 2019 | 401 | 128 | 238 | 1164 | 70 | 774 | 518 | 0.318 | 0.395 | 0.534 | 0.928 | 33451.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | CLE | AL | 151 | 597 | 110 | 198 | 43 | 13 | 18 | 96 | 13 | 63 | 53 | 0.332 | 2754.0 |
| 1930 | CLE | AL | 139 | 534 | 102 | 181 | 33 | 8 | 19 | 119 | 10 | 56 | 48 | 0.339 | 2273.3 |
| 1931 | CLE | AL | 155 | 627 | 140 | 209 | 36 | 10 | 32 | 143 | 9 | 68 | 38 | 0.333 | 4452.4 |
| 1932 | CLE | AL | 153 | 631 | 116 | 198 | 37 | 14 | 32 | 124 | 5 | 75 | 40 | 0.314 | 4007.7 |
| 1933 | CLE | AL | 151 | 599 | 83 | 180 | 39 | 16 | 11 | 92 | 3 | 54 | 29 | 0.301 | 2121.5 |
| 1934 | CLE | AL | 154 | 598 | 128 | 187 | 48 | 6 | 31 | 113 | 5 | 99 | 44 | 0.313 | 4353.8 |
| 1935 | CLE | AL | 140 | 563 | 109 | 162 | 34 | 13 | 19 | 79 | 8 | 70 | 58 | 0.288 | 1914.2 |
| 1936 | CLE | AL | 152 | 614 | 136 | 232 | 39 | 15 | 28 | 126 | 3 | 65 | 35 | 0.378 | 5361.3 |
| 1937 | CLE | AL | 156 | 609 | 121 | 182 | 33 | 11 | 21 | 92 | 5 | 88 | 65 | 0.299 | 2482.0 |
| 1938 | CLE | AL | 134 | 482 | 101 | 159 | 27 | 15 | 14 | 93 | 5 | 81 | 48 | 0.330 | 3192.0 |
| 1939 | CLE | AL | 24 | 55 | 8 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 0.273 | 81.4 |
| 1939 | DET | AL | 87 | 309 | 58 | 81 | 20 | 6 | 10 | 58 | 4 | 43 | 30 | 0.262 | 81.4 |
| 1940 | DET | AL | 64 | 118 | 10 | 33 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 0.280 | -126.2 |
| 1941 | BSN | NL | 8 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.118 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | WS | DET | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 1589 | 0 | 3969 | 115 | 126 | 29 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | CLE | OF | 151 | 0 | 384 | 14 | 14 | 3 |
| 1930 | CLE | OF | 134 | 0 | 345 | 11 | 19 | 5 |
| 1931 | CLE | OF | 155 | 0 | 398 | 9 | 10 | 3 |
| 1932 | CLE | OF | 153 | 0 | 412 | 12 | 16 | 3 |
| 1933 | CLE | OF | 149 | 0 | 390 | 8 | 12 | 3 |
| 1934 | CLE | OF | 154 | 0 | 410 | 12 | 13 | 3 |
| 1935 | CLE | OF | 139 | 0 | 371 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
| 1936 | CLE | OF | 150 | 0 | 369 | 11 | 12 | 2 |
| 1937 | CLE | OF | 156 | 0 | 362 | 11 | 9 | 3 |
| 1938 | CLE | OF | 131 | 0 | 331 | 14 | 9 | 2 |
| 1939 | CLE | OF | 11 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1939 | DET | OF | 80 | 0 | 157 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 1940 | DET | OF | 22 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1941 | BSN | OF | 4 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 84 |
| Center Field | 1476 |
| Right Field | 31 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | RF |
| 1936 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | CF |
| 1936 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | CF |
| 1936 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1934 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1933 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | OF |
| 1932 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | CF |
| 1932 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1931 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | CF |
| 1931 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1930 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | CF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 34.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1937 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 19th | 4.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1936 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 3rd | 48.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1934 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 17th | 3.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1933 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 15th | 5.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1932 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 37.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1931 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 43.0 | 80 | 0 |