Ray Blades
Born: 8/6/1896 in Mount Vernon, IL, USA
Died: 5/18/1979 in Lincoln, IL, USA
MLB Debut: 1922-08-19 | Final Game: 1932-09-25
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'7" | Weight: 163 lbs
Full name: Francis Raymond Blades
Biography
Ray Blades was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, known for his offensive prowess during the 1920s. Born in 1896, Blades played from 1922 until his retirement in 1932, appearing in a total of 767 games. Over the course of his career, he recorded 726 hits and achieved a batting average of .301, marking him as a consistent and effective hitter of his time. Blades contributed significantly to his teams with 50 home runs and 340 runs batted in (RBIs), showcasing his ability to drive in runs and provide power at the plate.
Blades was also known for his speed on the base paths, accumulating 33 stolen bases throughout his career, an impressive feat for the era. He played during a transformative time in baseball, as the league was transitioning from the deadball era into a period defined by more offensive output. His contributions were vital to the teams he played for, and his legacy remains as a skilled hitter and an integral part of the game during an exciting time in baseball history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 767 | 2415 | 467 | 726 | 133 | 51 | 50 | 340 | 33 | 331 | 310 | 0.301 | 0.395 | 0.460 | 0.855 | 7704.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | STL | NL | 37 | 130 | 27 | 39 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 25 | 21 | 0.300 | 495.0 |
| 1923 | STL | NL | 98 | 317 | 48 | 78 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 44 | 4 | 37 | 46 | 0.246 | -16.3 |
| 1924 | STL | NL | 131 | 456 | 86 | 142 | 21 | 13 | 11 | 68 | 7 | 35 | 38 | 0.311 | 1417.7 |
| 1925 | STL | NL | 122 | 462 | 112 | 158 | 37 | 8 | 12 | 57 | 6 | 59 | 47 | 0.342 | 2516.1 |
| 1926 | STL | NL | 107 | 416 | 81 | 127 | 17 | 12 | 8 | 43 | 6 | 62 | 57 | 0.305 | 1726.8 |
| 1927 | STL | NL | 61 | 180 | 33 | 57 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 29 | 3 | 28 | 22 | 0.317 | 644.5 |
| 1928 | STL | NL | 51 | 85 | 9 | 20 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 20 | 26 | 0.235 | 134.6 |
| 1930 | STL | NL | 45 | 101 | 26 | 40 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 25 | 1 | 21 | 15 | 0.396 | 892.3 |
| 1931 | STL | NL | 35 | 67 | 10 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 0.284 | 126.2 |
| 1932 | STL | NL | 80 | 201 | 35 | 46 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 29 | 2 | 34 | 31 | 0.229 | -232.8 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0.083 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | WS | SLN | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 |
| 1930 | WS | SLN | 5 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.111 |
| 1928 | WS | SLN | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 7 | 0 | 12 | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 3B | 14 | 0 | 9 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| OF | 623 | 0 | 1313 | 51 | 52 | 9 |
| SS | 4 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 5 | 2 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | SLN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1922 | SLN | SS | 4 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 5 | 2 |
| 1922 | SLN | OF | 29 | 0 | 61 | 6 | 5 | 0 |
| 1923 | SLN | 3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1923 | SLN | OF | 83 | 0 | 194 | 11 | 7 | 2 |
| 1924 | SLN | 2B | 7 | 0 | 12 | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| 1924 | SLN | 3B | 7 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 1924 | SLN | OF | 109 | 0 | 256 | 6 | 12 | 1 |
| 1925 | SLN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1925 | SLN | OF | 114 | 0 | 266 | 13 | 6 | 4 |
| 1926 | SLN | OF | 105 | 0 | 229 | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| 1927 | SLN | OF | 50 | 0 | 64 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 1928 | SLN | OF | 19 | 0 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1930 | SLN | OF | 32 | 0 | 66 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 1931 | SLN | OF | 20 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 1932 | SLN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1932 | SLN | OF | 62 | 0 | 117 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 8 |
| Third Base | 14 |
| Shortstop | 4 |
| Left Field | 505 |
| Center Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 126 |