Ken Boswell
Second Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1967-1977)
Ken Boswell was a second baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1967 to 1977 for the New York Mets and the Houston Astros, a span of 11 seasons. In 930 career games, he hit .248 with 625 hits, 31 home runs, and 244 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Second Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 170 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1967-09-18
- Last Game
- 1977-10-01
Full name: Kenneth George Boswell
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 930 | 2,517 | 266 | 625 | 91 | 19 | 31 | 244 | 27 | 240 | 239 | .248 | .313 | .337 | .650 | -1,767 |
Career AVG .248 vs. league average .252 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .313 vs. league average .319 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .337 vs. league average .370 across their career seasons — 9.0% below league average.
Career OPS .650 vs. league average .689 across their career seasons — 5.7% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | NYN | NL | 11 | 40 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .225 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1968 | NYN | NL | 75 | 284 | 37 | 74 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 16 | 27 | .261 | .236 (+10%) | .298 (+1%) | .340 (avg) | .638 (avg) | -9.3 |
| 1969 | NYN | NL | 102 | 362 | 48 | 101 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 32 | 7 | 36 | 47 | .279 | .248 (+12%) | .320 (+8%) | .369 (+3%) | .689 (+6%) | 380.2 |
| 1970 | NYN | NL | 105 | 351 | 32 | 89 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 44 | 5 | 41 | 32 | .254 | .253 (avg) | .325 (+2%) | .385 (-11%) | .711 (-5%) | -239.8 |
| 1971 | NYN | NL | 116 | 392 | 46 | 107 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 40 | 5 | 36 | 31 | .273 | .249 (+9%) | .316 (+5%) | .365 (+1%) | .682 (+3%) | 218.2 |
| 1972 | NYN | NL | 100 | 355 | 35 | 75 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 33 | 2 | 32 | 35 | .211 | .243 (-13%) | .310 (-12%) | .353 (-10%) | .664 (-11%) | -609.0 |
| 1973 | NYN | NL | 76 | 110 | 12 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 11 | .227 | .256 (-12%) | .325 (-7%) | .378 (-16%) | .703 (-12%) | -187.5 |
| 1974 | NYN | NL | 96 | 222 | 19 | 48 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 18 | 19 | .216 | .256 (-16%) | .324 (-15%) | .369 (-24%) | .693 (-20%) | -672.6 |
| 1975 | HOU | NL | 86 | 178 | 16 | 43 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 30 | 12 | .242 | .257 (-6%) | .327 (+7%) | .374 (-17%) | .701 (-6%) | -104.6 |
| 1976 | HOU | NL | 91 | 126 | 12 | 33 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 8 | 8 | .262 | .255 (+3%) | .320 (-6%) | .360 (-5%) | .681 (-6%) | -138.6 |
| 1977 | HOU | NL | 72 | 97 | 7 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 12 | .216 | .264 (-18%) | .329 (-13%) | .401 (-38%) | .730 (-27%) | -403.6 |
| Career · 11 seasons | 930 | 2,517 | 266 | 625 | 91 | 19 | 31 | 244 | 27 | 240 | 239 | .248 | — | — | — | — | -1,767 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (930 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 474 | 1245 | 133 | 304 | 9 | 109 | .244 |
| Away | 456 | 1272 | 133 | 321 | 22 | 135 | .252 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977-10-01 | HOU | LAD | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1977-09-30 | HOU | LAD | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977-09-23 | HOU | LAD | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1977-09-22 | HOU | ATL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977-09-15 | HOU | SFG | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977-09-11 | HOU | SFG | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977-09-07 | HOU | SDP | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977-09-03 | HOU | WSN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977-08-26 | HOU | WSN | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977-08-23 | HOU | NYN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 566 | 500 | 1108 | 1280 | 52 | 280 |
| 3B | 82 | 68 | 41 | 150 | 13 | 17 |
| OF | 8 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | NYN | 2B | 6 | 6 | 10 | 24 | 1 | 3 |
| 1967 | NYN | 3B | 4 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 2 |
| 1968 | NYN | 2B | 69 | 67 | 154 | 203 | 13 | 37 |
| 1969 | NYN | 2B | 96 | 91 | 190 | 229 | 18 | 51 |
| 1970 | NYN | 2B | 101 | 93 | 204 | 244 | 2 | 49 |
| 1971 | NYN | 2B | 109 | 101 | 191 | 234 | 12 | 56 |
| 1972 | NYN | 2B | 94 | 89 | 208 | 183 | 4 | 53 |
| 1973 | NYN | 2B | 3 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1973 | NYN | 3B | 17 | 13 | 7 | 29 | 1 | 3 |
| 1974 | NYN | 2B | 28 | 25 | 69 | 63 | 0 | 11 |
| 1974 | NYN | 3B | 20 | 15 | 11 | 48 | 5 | 6 |
| 1974 | NYN | OF | 7 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1975 | HOU | 2B | 31 | 18 | 40 | 65 | 1 | 11 |
| 1975 | HOU | 3B | 23 | 20 | 14 | 38 | 5 | 2 |
| 1976 | HOU | 2B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | HOU | 3B | 16 | 15 | 7 | 21 | 2 | 4 |
| 1976 | HOU | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | HOU | 2B | 26 | 9 | 33 | 31 | 0 | 9 |
| 1977 | HOU | 3B | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 567 |
| Third Base | 82 |
| Left Field | 3 |
| Right Field | 5 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Houston State University | Huntsville | TX | 1965 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Ken Boswell (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Ken Boswell: the record in brief
Between the debut on September 18, 1967 and the final game on October 1, 1977, Ken Boswell built the record summarized on this page. By club, Boswell's seasons break down as the New York Mets (1967 through 1974) and the Houston Astros (1975 to 1977). Listed as a second baseman, Boswell batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Height and weight on file: 170 pounds on a 6-foot-0 frame. Boswell was born on February 23, 1946, in Austin, TX, USA. Ken Boswell was the playing name; the full given name is Kenneth George.
Across 930 games at the plate, Boswell's career line reads 625 hits in 2,517 at bats for a .248 average, adding 31 home runs, 244 runs batted in, and 27 stolen bases. Boswell got on base at a .313 rate and slugged .337 (.650 OPS). Against a .252 league average for those years, Boswell's .248 average was near the norm. In OPS terms, Boswell's .650 stands 5.7% below the league's .689. No season topped the 107 hits of 1971. 1970 brought the most runs batted in, 44.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ken Boswell
- What years did Ken Boswell play?
- Ken Boswell played in Major League Baseball from 1967 to 1977.
- Was Ken Boswell a pitcher?
- No. Ken Boswell was a position player (Second Baseman).
- How many home runs did Ken Boswell hit?
- Ken Boswell hit 31 career home runs with 625 hits.
- What teams did Ken Boswell play for?
- Ken Boswell played for 2 teams: the New York Mets (1967–1974) and the Houston Astros (1975–1977).
- What were Ken Boswell's career stats?
- In 930 games, Ken Boswell had 625 hits, 31 home runs, 244 RBI, 266 runs, and 27 stolen bases, with a .248 batting average.
- What position did Ken Boswell play?
- Ken Boswell played primarily as a second baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Ken Boswell and how much did he weigh?
- Ken Boswell was listed at 6 feet and 170 pounds.
- How many home runs did Ken Boswell hit each season?
- Ken Boswell's home runs by season: 1 in 1967, 4 in 1968, 3 in 1969, 5 in 1970, 5 in 1971, 9 in 1972, 2 in 1973, 2 in 1974, 0 in 1975, 0 in 1976, and 0 in 1977. His most in one season was 9, in 1972.
- What was Ken Boswell's career batting average?
- Ken Boswell batted .248 over his career, with 625 hits in 2,517 at bats.
- How many RBI did Ken Boswell have?
- Ken Boswell drove in 244 runs in his career.
- Is Ken Boswell in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Ken Boswell has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.