Ray Boone
Born: 7/27/1923 in San Diego, CA, USA
Died: 10/17/2004 in San Diego, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1948-09-03 | Final Game: 1960-08-11
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 172 lbs
Full name: Raymond Otis Boone
Biography
Ray Boone was a prominent American professional baseball player, born in 1923, who played as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1948 until 1960. His career spanned a transformative period in baseball, witnessing the evolution of the game post-World War II, when players began showcasing greater power and athleticism. Boone played in a total of 1,373 games, during which he solidified his reputation as a reliable hitter and versatile player. He recorded 1,260 hits and 151 home runs, contributing significantly to his teams with a career batting average of .275 and 737 RBIs. His speed on the bases was evidenced by his 21 stolen bases, showcasing his ability to impact the game in multiple ways.
Throughout his career, Boone was recognized for his outstanding performance, earning All-Star selections in two seasons. His contributions were particularly notable during a time when the league was integrating and evolving, as he played in an era that laid the groundwork for the modern game. Boone's legacy is remembered not only for his statistical achievements but also for his role in shaping the dynamics of baseball during the late 1940s and 1950s, an era marked by significant changes in the sport's landscape.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1373 | 4589 | 645 | 1260 | 162 | 46 | 151 | 737 | 21 | 608 | 463 | 0.275 | 0.361 | 0.429 | 0.789 | 8771.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | CLE | AL | 6 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.400 | 0.0 |
| 1949 | CLE | AL | 86 | 258 | 39 | 65 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 0 | 38 | 17 | 0.252 | -131.2 |
| 1950 | CLE | AL | 109 | 365 | 53 | 110 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 58 | 4 | 56 | 27 | 0.301 | 903.6 |
| 1951 | CLE | AL | 151 | 544 | 65 | 127 | 14 | 1 | 12 | 51 | 5 | 48 | 36 | 0.233 | -1419.1 |
| 1952 | CLE | AL | 103 | 316 | 57 | 83 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 45 | 0 | 53 | 33 | 0.263 | 551.3 |
| 1953 | CLE | AL | 34 | 112 | 21 | 27 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 1 | 24 | 21 | 0.241 | 156.7 |
| 1953 | DET | AL | 101 | 385 | 73 | 120 | 16 | 6 | 22 | 93 | 2 | 48 | 47 | 0.312 | 156.7 |
| 1954 | DET | AL | 148 | 543 | 76 | 160 | 19 | 7 | 20 | 85 | 4 | 71 | 53 | 0.295 | 1921.2 |
| 1955 | DET | AL | 135 | 500 | 61 | 142 | 22 | 7 | 20 | 116 | 1 | 50 | 49 | 0.284 | 1190.0 |
| 1956 | DET | AL | 131 | 481 | 77 | 148 | 14 | 6 | 25 | 81 | 0 | 77 | 46 | 0.308 | 2738.1 |
| 1957 | DET | AL | 129 | 462 | 48 | 126 | 25 | 3 | 12 | 65 | 1 | 57 | 47 | 0.273 | 783.7 |
| 1958 | CHW | AL | 77 | 246 | 25 | 60 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 41 | 1 | 18 | 33 | 0.244 | -295.8 |
| 1958 | DET | AL | 39 | 114 | 16 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 0 | 14 | 13 | 0.237 | -295.8 |
| 1959 | CHW | AL | 9 | 21 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 0.238 | 0.0 |
| 1959 | KC1 | AL | 61 | 132 | 19 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 27 | 17 | 0.273 | 0.0 |
| 1959 | ATL | NL | 13 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1960 | BOS | AL | 34 | 78 | 6 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 15 | 0.205 | -260.7 |
| 1960 | ATL | NL | 7 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0.250 | -260.7 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | WS | CLE | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 285 | 270 | 2249 | 137 | 29 | 222 |
| 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 3B | 510 | 409 | 576 | 1058 | 72 | 112 |
| SS | 464 | 0 | 899 | 1260 | 117 | 311 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | CLE | SS | 4 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1949 | CLE | SS | 76 | 0 | 162 | 210 | 21 | 58 |
| 1950 | CLE | SS | 102 | 0 | 178 | 267 | 26 | 64 |
| 1951 | CLE | SS | 151 | 0 | 311 | 425 | 33 | 108 |
| 1952 | CLE | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1952 | CLE | 3B | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 1952 | CLE | SS | 96 | 0 | 177 | 251 | 27 | 55 |
| 1953 | CLE | SS | 31 | 0 | 64 | 94 | 8 | 24 |
| 1953 | DET | 3B | 97 | 0 | 111 | 211 | 14 | 32 |
| 1953 | DET | SS | 3 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 2 |
| 1954 | DET | 3B | 148 | 148 | 170 | 332 | 19 | 22 |
| 1954 | DET | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955 | DET | 3B | 126 | 126 | 135 | 252 | 19 | 33 |
| 1956 | DET | 3B | 130 | 130 | 151 | 243 | 17 | 23 |
| 1957 | DET | 1B | 117 | 117 | 972 | 45 | 10 | 103 |
| 1957 | DET | 3B | 4 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| 1958 | CHA | 1B | 63 | 60 | 511 | 34 | 8 | 45 |
| 1958 | DET | 1B | 32 | 32 | 236 | 15 | 3 | 26 |
| 1959 | CHA | 1B | 6 | 5 | 37 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 1959 | KC1 | 1B | 38 | 30 | 275 | 23 | 5 | 20 |
| 1959 | KC1 | 3B | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | ML1 | 1B | 3 | 3 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 1960 | BOS | 1B | 22 | 19 | 166 | 11 | 1 | 19 |
| 1960 | ML1 | 1B | 4 | 4 | 33 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 285 |
| Second Base | 1 |
| Third Base | 510 |
| Shortstop | 465 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 16th | 16.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1954 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 26th | 1.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1953 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 59.0 | 336 | 0 |