Tiny Bonham
Born: 8/16/1913 in Ione, CA, USA
Died: 9/15/1949 in Pittsburgh, PA, USA
MLB Debut: 1940-08-05 | Final Game: 1949-08-27
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 215 lbs
Full name: Ernest Edward Bonham
Biography
Tiny Bonham was a prominent pitcher in Major League Baseball, active from 1940 to 1949. Born in 1913, he made a significant impact on the game during an era characterized by fierce competition and evolving playing styles. Bonham concluded his career with a record of 103 wins and 72 losses, showcasing his ability to perform consistently on the mound. With an earned run average (ERA) of 3.06, he demonstrated remarkable control and skill, which contributed to his status as a two-time All-Star. Over his career, Bonham accumulated 478 strikeouts and recorded 9 saves, reflecting his versatility as both a starter and a reliever.
Bonham's playing style was marked by his strategic approach and ability to induce weak contact from hitters, which was crucial during a time when offensive production was steadily increasing. His contributions to the teams he played for were significant, as he not only excelled on the mound but also served as a reliable leader in the clubhouse. Tiny Bonham's legacy endures as a testament to the talent and dedication required to succeed in the major leagues during the mid-20th century.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 103 | 72 | 231 | 193 | 110 | 21 | 9 | 1551.0 | 1501 | 528 | 117 | 287 | 478 | 3.06 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | NYY | AL | 9 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 99.3 | 83 | 21 | 13 | 37 | 1.90 | - |
| 1941 | NYY | AL | 9 | 6 | 23 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 126.7 | 118 | 42 | 31 | 43 | 2.98 | - |
| 1942 | NYY | AL | 21 | 5 | 28 | 27 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 226.0 | 199 | 57 | 24 | 71 | 2.27 | - |
| 1943 | NYY | AL | 15 | 8 | 28 | 26 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 225.7 | 197 | 57 | 52 | 71 | 2.27 | - |
| 1944 | NYY | AL | 12 | 9 | 26 | 25 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 213.7 | 228 | 71 | 41 | 54 | 2.99 | - |
| 1945 | NYY | AL | 8 | 11 | 23 | 23 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 180.7 | 186 | 66 | 22 | 42 | 3.29 | - |
| 1946 | NYY | AL | 5 | 8 | 18 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 104.7 | 97 | 43 | 23 | 30 | 3.70 | - |
| 1947 | PIT | NL | 11 | 8 | 33 | 18 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 149.7 | 167 | 64 | 35 | 63 | 3.85 | 49.7 |
| 1948 | PIT | NL | 6 | 10 | 22 | 20 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 135.7 | 145 | 65 | 23 | 42 | 4.31 | -764.0 |
| 1949 | PIT | NL | 7 | 4 | 18 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 89.0 | 81 | 42 | 23 | 25 | 4.25 | -483.8 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 231 | 522 | 34 | 84 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 31 | 89 | 0.161 | 0.211 | 0.178 | 0.389 | -2197.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | NYY | AL | 12 | 37 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0.189 | 0.0 |
| 1941 | NYY | AL | 23 | 50 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 0.160 | -411.6 |
| 1942 | NYY | AL | 28 | 74 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 0.122 | -667.3 |
| 1943 | NYY | AL | 28 | 76 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 0.197 | -392.6 |
| 1944 | NYY | AL | 26 | 75 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 0.133 | -610.7 |
| 1945 | NYY | AL | 23 | 63 | 6 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0.238 | -115.5 |
| 1946 | NYY | AL | 18 | 31 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0.129 | 0.0 |
| 1947 | PIT | NL | 33 | 45 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0.156 | 0.0 |
| 1948 | PIT | NL | 22 | 49 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.163 | 0.0 |
| 1949 | PIT | NL | 18 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.045 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | WS | NYA | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1942 | WS | NYA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1941 | WS | NYA | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 28.0 | 19 | 10 | 8 | 14 | 3.21 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | WS | NYA | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8.0 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 4.50 |
| 1942 | WS | NYA | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11.0 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4.09 |
| 1941 | WS | NYA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 231 | 0 | 63 | 165 | 8 | 15 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | NYA | P | 12 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1941 | NYA | P | 23 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| 1942 | NYA | P | 28 | 0 | 11 | 28 | 0 | 2 |
| 1943 | NYA | P | 28 | 0 | 8 | 26 | 0 | 1 |
| 1944 | NYA | P | 26 | 0 | 8 | 26 | 1 | 5 |
| 1945 | NYA | P | 23 | 0 | 6 | 23 | 0 | 2 |
| 1946 | NYA | P | 18 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| 1947 | PIT | P | 33 | 0 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 1 |
| 1948 | PIT | P | 22 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| 1949 | PIT | P | 18 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 231 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1942 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | P2 |
| 1942 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | P4 |
| 1942 | TSN All-Star | P |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 102.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1940 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 17th | 8.0 | 336 | 0 |