Don Bessent
Born: 3/13/1931 in Jacksonville, FL, USA
Died: 7/7/1990 in Jacksonville, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1955-07-17 | Final Game: 1958-09-27
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 175 lbs
Full name: Fred Donald Bessent
Biography
Don Bessent was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1955 to 1958. Born in 1931, Bessent made a name for himself during a time when the game was transitioning from the post-war era into a more dynamic style of play. He was known for his solid pitching abilities, reflected in his career record of 14 wins and 7 losses, along with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.33. His prowess on the mound was further highlighted by his strikeout total of 118 and 12 saves, showcasing his ability to not only start games but also close them out effectively.
Bessent's contributions to the teams he played for were marked by his reliability and skill, playing a crucial role in the pitching rotation. Although his career was relatively brief, his performance during these years left an indelible mark. Pitchers of his era often faced the challenge of adapting to evolving offensive strategies, and Bessent's effectiveness in this environment underscored his talent and competitiveness. His legacy is remembered by baseball enthusiasts as a testament to the skill and determination required to succeed in the major leagues during the 1950s.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 7 | 108 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 211.0 | 196 | 78 | 20 | 88 | 118 | 3.33 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | BRO | NL | 8 | 1 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 63.3 | 51 | 19 | 21 | 29 | 2.70 | 184.0 |
| 1956 | BRO | NL | 4 | 3 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 79.3 | 63 | 22 | 31 | 52 | 2.50 | 1844.9 |
| 1957 | BRO | NL | 1 | 3 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44.0 | 58 | 28 | 19 | 24 | 5.73 | -339.1 |
| 1958 | LAD | NL | 1 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24.3 | 24 | 9 | 17 | 13 | 3.33 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 108 | 44 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.114 | 0.111 | 0.114 | 0.225 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | BRO | NL | 24 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.100 | 0.0 |
| 1956 | BRO | NL | 38 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.111 | 0.0 |
| 1957 | BRO | NL | 27 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1958 | LAD | NL | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.333 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | WS | BRO | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.500 |
| 1955 | WS | BRO | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 13.3 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1.35 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | WS | BRO | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1.80 |
| 1955 | WS | BRO | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 108 | 2 | 12 | 29 | 1 | 3 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | BRO | P | 24 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956 | BRO | P | 38 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | BRO | P | 27 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958 | LAN | P | 19 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 108 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 3rd | 2.0 | 24 | 2 |