Wally Berger
Born: 10/10/1905 in Chicago, IL, USA
Died: 11/30/1988 in Redondo Beach, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1930-04-15 | Final Game: 1940-07-04
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 198 lbs
Full name: Walter Anton Berger
Biography
Wally Berger was a prominent American baseball player born in 1905, whose career spanned from 1930 to 1940. As a position player, he made a significant impact in Major League Baseball during the pre-war era, showcasing his skills as an explosive hitter and a reliable run producer. Over the course of 1,350 games, Berger amassed 1,550 hits, including 242 home runs and 898 RBIs, while maintaining an impressive batting average of .300. His ability to combine power with consistency established him as one of the top offensive players of his time.
Berger was selected as an All-Star four times, highlighting his status among the elite players of the league during the 1930s. Known for his aggressive playing style, he also demonstrated speed on the bases, recording 36 stolen bases throughout his career. Berger's contributions to the game were significant during a period that saw evolving offensive strategies and the rise of new baseball stars. His legacy remains as a testament to the talent that flourished in the early 20th century, making him a memorable figure in baseball history.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28.0 | 25.0 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.320 | 0.393 | 0.600 | 0.993 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 16.0 | 14.0 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.286 | 0.375 | 0.286 | 0.661 |
| 1934 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.286 | 0.375 | 0.857 | 1.232 |
| 1935 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 0.500 | 1.250 | 1.750 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1350 | 5163 | 809 | 1550 | 299 | 59 | 242 | 898 | 36 | 435 | 694 | 0.300 | 0.359 | 0.522 | 0.881 | 18960.6 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | BSN | NL | 151 | 555 | 98 | 172 | 27 | 14 | 38 | 119 | 3 | 54 | 69 | 0.310 | 2938.6 |
| 1931 | BSN | NL | 156 | 617 | 94 | 199 | 44 | 8 | 19 | 84 | 13 | 55 | 70 | 0.323 | 2757.8 |
| 1932 | BSN | NL | 145 | 602 | 90 | 185 | 34 | 6 | 17 | 73 | 5 | 33 | 66 | 0.307 | 1188.4 |
| 1933 | BSN | NL | 137 | 528 | 84 | 165 | 37 | 8 | 27 | 106 | 2 | 41 | 77 | 0.312 | 3101.1 |
| 1934 | BSN | NL | 150 | 615 | 92 | 183 | 35 | 8 | 34 | 121 | 2 | 49 | 65 | 0.298 | 2555.2 |
| 1935 | BSN | NL | 150 | 589 | 91 | 174 | 39 | 4 | 34 | 130 | 3 | 50 | 80 | 0.295 | 2569.2 |
| 1936 | BSN | NL | 138 | 534 | 88 | 154 | 23 | 3 | 25 | 91 | 1 | 53 | 84 | 0.288 | 1359.8 |
| 1937 | BSN | NL | 30 | 113 | 14 | 31 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 0 | 11 | 33 | 0.274 | 251.6 |
| 1937 | NY1 | NL | 59 | 199 | 40 | 58 | 11 | 2 | 12 | 43 | 3 | 18 | 30 | 0.291 | 251.6 |
| 1938 | CIN | NL | 99 | 407 | 74 | 125 | 23 | 4 | 16 | 56 | 2 | 29 | 44 | 0.307 | 1145.8 |
| 1938 | NY1 | NL | 16 | 32 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.188 | 1145.8 |
| 1939 | CIN | NL | 97 | 329 | 36 | 85 | 15 | 1 | 14 | 44 | 1 | 36 | 63 | 0.258 | 334.5 |
| 1940 | CIN | NL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1940 | PHI | NL | 20 | 41 | 3 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 0.317 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | WS | CIN | 4 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 |
| 1937 | WS | NY1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 13 | 0 | 106 | 4 | 0 | 7 |
| OF | 1296 | 0 | 3324 | 87 | 91 | 21 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | BSN | OF | 145 | 0 | 307 | 10 | 11 | 3 |
| 1931 | BSN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1931 | BSN | OF | 156 | 0 | 457 | 16 | 11 | 5 |
| 1932 | BSN | 1B | 11 | 0 | 102 | 4 | 0 | 7 |
| 1932 | BSN | OF | 134 | 0 | 396 | 10 | 3 | 3 |
| 1933 | BSN | OF | 136 | 0 | 382 | 6 | 9 | 4 |
| 1934 | BSN | OF | 150 | 0 | 385 | 9 | 9 | 2 |
| 1935 | BSN | OF | 149 | 0 | 458 | 8 | 17 | 1 |
| 1936 | BSN | OF | 133 | 0 | 384 | 10 | 14 | 1 |
| 1937 | BSN | OF | 28 | 0 | 51 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1937 | NY1 | OF | 52 | 0 | 107 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| 1938 | CIN | OF | 98 | 0 | 192 | 7 | 7 | 2 |
| 1938 | NY1 | OF | 9 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1939 | CIN | OF | 95 | 0 | 158 | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| 1940 | PHI | 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1940 | PHI | OF | 11 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 13 |
| Left Field | 347 |
| Center Field | 938 |
| Right Field | 11 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1935 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | CF |
| 1935 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | CF |
| 1933 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | CF |
| 1933 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | CF |
| 1933 | TSN All-Star | OF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 16th | 4.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1935 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 20.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1934 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 12th | 13.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1933 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 3rd | 44.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1932 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 13th | 6.0 | 80 | 0 |