Don Blasingame
Born: 3/16/1932 in Corinth, MS, USA
Died: 4/13/2005 in Fountain Hills, AZ, USA
MLB Debut: 1955-09-20 | Final Game: 1966-08-27
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 160 lbs
Full name: Don Lee Blasingame
Biography
Don Blasingame was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1955 to 1966. Born in 1932, he played primarily as a position player and demonstrated a solid all-around skill set during his career, appearing in 1,444 games. Blasingame amassed a total of 1,366 hits, with a career batting average of .258. His offensive contributions included 21 home runs and 308 RBIs, while he also showcased his speed on the base paths, recording 105 stolen bases.
Blasingame's career was highlighted by his selection to the All-Star Game, which recognized his abilities during a time when the league was rich with talent and competition. He was known for his versatility and strong defensive play, adapting well to various positions on the field. His playing style reflected the dynamics of the 1950s and early 1960s, an era characterized by a mix of traditional baseball fundamentals and the emerging power game. Throughout his decade-long career, Blasingame established himself as a reliable player, contributing significantly to the teams he represented.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1444 | 5296 | 731 | 1366 | 178 | 62 | 21 | 308 | 105 | 552 | 462 | 0.258 | 0.329 | 0.327 | 0.656 | -6591.9 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | STL | NL | 5 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0.375 | 0.0 |
| 1956 | STL | NL | 150 | 587 | 94 | 153 | 22 | 7 | 0 | 27 | 8 | 72 | 52 | 0.261 | -832.5 |
| 1957 | STL | NL | 154 | 650 | 108 | 176 | 25 | 7 | 8 | 58 | 21 | 71 | 49 | 0.271 | 77.7 |
| 1958 | STL | NL | 143 | 547 | 71 | 150 | 19 | 10 | 2 | 36 | 20 | 57 | 47 | 0.274 | -188.3 |
| 1959 | STL | NL | 150 | 615 | 90 | 178 | 26 | 7 | 1 | 24 | 15 | 67 | 42 | 0.289 | 308.7 |
| 1960 | SFG | NL | 136 | 523 | 72 | 123 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 31 | 14 | 49 | 53 | 0.235 | -1538.2 |
| 1961 | CIN | NL | 123 | 450 | 59 | 100 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 4 | 39 | 38 | 0.222 | -1868.8 |
| 1961 | SFG | NL | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.000 | -1868.8 |
| 1962 | CIN | NL | 141 | 494 | 77 | 139 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 35 | 4 | 63 | 44 | 0.281 | 32.6 |
| 1963 | CIN | NL | 18 | 31 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0.161 | 0.0 |
| 1963 | WS2 | AL | 69 | 254 | 29 | 65 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 3 | 24 | 18 | 0.256 | 0.0 |
| 1964 | WS2 | AL | 143 | 506 | 56 | 135 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 34 | 8 | 40 | 44 | 0.267 | -684.3 |
| 1965 | WS2 | AL | 129 | 403 | 47 | 90 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 18 | 5 | 35 | 45 | 0.223 | -1164.0 |
| 1966 | KC1 | AL | 12 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.158 | 0.0 |
| 1966 | WS2 | AL | 68 | 200 | 18 | 43 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 18 | 21 | 0.215 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.143 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | WS | CIN | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.143 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 1310 | 1235 | 3065 | 3550 | 144 | 834 |
| 3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 52 | 51 | 95 | 141 | 14 | 32 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | SLN | 2B | 3 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 1 |
| 1955 | SLN | SS | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 1956 | SLN | 2B | 98 | 96 | 280 | 303 | 8 | 89 |
| 1956 | SLN | 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956 | SLN | SS | 49 | 49 | 93 | 135 | 13 | 31 |
| 1957 | SLN | 2B | 154 | 154 | 372 | 512 | 14 | 128 |
| 1958 | SLN | 2B | 137 | 133 | 312 | 380 | 26 | 97 |
| 1959 | SLN | 2B | 150 | 148 | 362 | 439 | 17 | 104 |
| 1960 | SFN | 2B | 133 | 126 | 318 | 329 | 14 | 66 |
| 1961 | CIN | 2B | 116 | 110 | 277 | 304 | 17 | 53 |
| 1962 | CIN | 2B | 137 | 130 | 334 | 352 | 17 | 66 |
| 1963 | CIN | 2B | 11 | 9 | 22 | 16 | 1 | 6 |
| 1963 | CIN | 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1963 | WS2 | 2B | 64 | 60 | 162 | 177 | 3 | 52 |
| 1964 | WS2 | 2B | 135 | 118 | 259 | 336 | 14 | 70 |
| 1965 | WS2 | 2B | 110 | 95 | 235 | 248 | 8 | 68 |
| 1966 | KC1 | 2B | 4 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 2 |
| 1966 | WS2 | 2B | 58 | 50 | 119 | 132 | 4 | 32 |
| 1966 | WS2 | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 1310 |
| Third Base | 4 |
| Shortstop | 52 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 12th | 26.0 | 336 | 0 |