Dave Bancroft
⭐ Hall of Fame 1971
Born: 4/20/1891 in Sioux City, IA, USA
Died: 10/9/1972 in Superior, WI, USA
MLB Debut: 1915-04-14 | Final Game: 1930-05-31
Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 160 lbs
Full name: David James Bancroft
Biography
Dave Bancroft was a prominent American baseball player whose career spanned from 1915 to 1930. Born in 1891, Bancroft made a name for himself as a reliable position player during an era characterized by the transition from the deadball period to the more offensive-minded Roaring Twenties. Over the course of his career, he played in 1,913 games and recorded 2,004 hits, showcasing his consistent ability to get on base. With a career batting average of .279, Bancroft contributed significantly to his teams, driving in 591 runs and hitting 32 home runs. His speed on the bases was evident in his total of 145 stolen bases, underscoring his aggressive playing style.
Bancroft was known for his defensive prowess as well, earning accolades for his skill at shortstop during a time when the position demanded both agility and strong throwing ability. He played for several teams throughout his career, including the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies, leaving a lasting impact on the game. His contributions to baseball were not only measured in statistics but also in the way he embodied the spirit of competition and sportsmanship during a transformative period in the sport's history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | 7182 | 1048 | 2004 | 320 | 77 | 32 | 591 | 145 | 827 | 487 | 0.279 | 0.355 | 0.358 | 0.714 | 2849.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | PHI | NL | 153 | 563 | 85 | 143 | 18 | 2 | 7 | 30 | 15 | 77 | 62 | 0.254 | 683.2 |
| 1916 | PHI | NL | 142 | 477 | 53 | 101 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 33 | 15 | 74 | 57 | 0.212 | -514.2 |
| 1917 | PHI | NL | 127 | 478 | 56 | 116 | 22 | 5 | 4 | 43 | 14 | 44 | 42 | 0.243 | 49.0 |
| 1918 | PHI | NL | 125 | 499 | 69 | 132 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 26 | 11 | 54 | 36 | 0.265 | 321.0 |
| 1919 | PHI | NL | 92 | 335 | 45 | 91 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 25 | 8 | 31 | 30 | 0.272 | 140.7 |
| 1920 | NY1 | NL | 108 | 442 | 79 | 132 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 31 | 7 | 33 | 32 | 0.299 | 402.2 |
| 1920 | PHI | NL | 42 | 171 | 23 | 51 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 0.298 | 402.2 |
| 1921 | NY1 | NL | 153 | 606 | 121 | 193 | 26 | 15 | 6 | 67 | 17 | 66 | 23 | 0.318 | 1487.3 |
| 1922 | NY1 | NL | 156 | 651 | 117 | 209 | 41 | 5 | 4 | 60 | 16 | 79 | 27 | 0.321 | 1472.3 |
| 1923 | NY1 | NL | 107 | 444 | 80 | 135 | 33 | 3 | 1 | 31 | 8 | 62 | 23 | 0.304 | 771.8 |
| 1924 | BSN | NL | 79 | 319 | 49 | 89 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 4 | 37 | 24 | 0.279 | -275.1 |
| 1925 | BSN | NL | 128 | 479 | 75 | 153 | 29 | 8 | 2 | 49 | 7 | 64 | 22 | 0.319 | 946.2 |
| 1926 | BSN | NL | 127 | 453 | 70 | 141 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 44 | 3 | 64 | 29 | 0.311 | 873.2 |
| 1927 | BSN | NL | 111 | 375 | 44 | 91 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 31 | 5 | 43 | 36 | 0.243 | -1019.4 |
| 1928 | BRO | NL | 149 | 515 | 47 | 127 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 51 | 7 | 59 | 20 | 0.247 | -1492.8 |
| 1929 | BRO | NL | 104 | 358 | 35 | 99 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 44 | 7 | 29 | 11 | 0.277 | -960.3 |
| 1930 | NY1 | NL | 10 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.059 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 93 | 10 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 0.172 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 | WS | NY1 | 6 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.083 |
| 1922 | WS | NY1 | 5 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0.211 |
| 1921 | WS | NY1 | 8 | 33 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0.152 |
| 1915 | WS | PHI | 5 | 17 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0.294 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 14 | 0 | 45 | 41 | 6 | 10 |
| 3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 1873 | 0 | 4623 | 6561 | 660 | 1017 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1915 | PHI | SS | 153 | 0 | 336 | 492 | 64 | 60 |
| 1916 | PHI | SS | 142 | 0 | 326 | 510 | 60 | 64 |
| 1917 | PHI | 2B | 3 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| 1917 | PHI | SS | 120 | 0 | 274 | 439 | 49 | 56 |
| 1917 | PHI | OF | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1918 | PHI | SS | 125 | 0 | 371 | 457 | 64 | 57 |
| 1919 | PHI | SS | 88 | 0 | 242 | 306 | 28 | 43 |
| 1920 | NY1 | SS | 108 | 0 | 256 | 445 | 40 | 67 |
| 1920 | PHI | SS | 42 | 0 | 106 | 153 | 5 | 28 |
| 1921 | NY1 | SS | 153 | 0 | 396 | 546 | 39 | 105 |
| 1922 | NY1 | SS | 156 | 0 | 405 | 579 | 62 | 93 |
| 1923 | NY1 | 2B | 11 | 0 | 34 | 35 | 3 | 8 |
| 1923 | NY1 | SS | 96 | 0 | 246 | 381 | 43 | 54 |
| 1924 | BSN | SS | 79 | 0 | 186 | 259 | 18 | 57 |
| 1925 | BSN | SS | 125 | 0 | 300 | 459 | 44 | 81 |
| 1926 | BSN | 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926 | BSN | SS | 123 | 0 | 317 | 398 | 33 | 75 |
| 1927 | BSN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1927 | BSN | SS | 104 | 0 | 275 | 329 | 39 | 66 |
| 1928 | BRO | SS | 149 | 0 | 350 | 484 | 46 | 66 |
| 1929 | BRO | SS | 102 | 0 | 224 | 309 | 25 | 45 |
| 1930 | NY1 | SS | 8 | 0 | 13 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 12 |
| Third Base | 3 |
| Shortstop | 1873 |
| Left Field | 2 |
Awards & Honors
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 9th | 17.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1925 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 41.0 | 80 | 0 |