Jim Brosnan
Born: 10/24/1929 in Cincinnati, OH, USA
Died: 6/28/2014 in Park Ridge, IL, USA
MLB Debut: 1954-04-15 | Final Game: 1963-09-21
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 197 lbs
Full name: James Patrick Brosnan
Biography
Jim Brosnan was a professional baseball pitcher who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1954 to 1963. Born in 1929, Brosnan showcased his talent on the mound during a transformative era in baseball, which included the integration of African American players and the advent of the modern game. Over the course of his career, he compiled a record of 55 wins and 47 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.54. His effectiveness as a pitcher was further underscored by his ability to accumulate 507 strikeouts and secure 67 saves, demonstrating his versatility and skill in both starting and relief roles.
Brosnan's playing style was characterized by his strategic approach to pitching, which allowed him to navigate the challenges posed by some of the era's most formidable hitters. He was known for his ability to deliver in high-pressure situations, often coming into games to secure crucial outs. Beyond his on-field contributions, Brosnan also gained recognition for being one of the first players to write about the game, penning a memoir that provided insight into the life of a professional athlete during the 1950s and early 1960s. His legacy continues to resonate, as he remains a noteworthy figure in baseball history for both his pitching accomplishments and his contributions to the sport's literature.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 47 | 385 | 47 | 7 | 2 | 67 | 831.3 | 790 | 327 | 80 | 312 | 507 | 3.54 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | CHC | NL | 1 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33.3 | 44 | 35 | 18 | 17 | 9.45 | - |
| 1956 | CHC | NL | 5 | 9 | 30 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 95.0 | 95 | 40 | 45 | 51 | 3.79 | - |
| 1957 | CHC | NL | 5 | 5 | 41 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 98.7 | 79 | 37 | 46 | 73 | 3.38 | - |
| 1958 | CHC | NL | 3 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 51.7 | 41 | 18 | 29 | 24 | 3.14 | - |
| 1958 | STL | NL | 8 | 4 | 33 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 115.0 | 107 | 44 | 50 | 65 | 3.44 | - |
| 1959 | CIN | NL | 8 | 3 | 26 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 83.3 | 79 | 31 | 26 | 56 | 3.35 | 1054.0 |
| 1959 | STL | NL | 1 | 3 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 33.0 | 34 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 4.91 | - |
| 1960 | CIN | NL | 7 | 2 | 57 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 99.0 | 79 | 26 | 22 | 62 | 2.36 | 3414.8 |
| 1961 | CIN | NL | 10 | 4 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 80.0 | 77 | 27 | 18 | 40 | 3.04 | 1300.8 |
| 1962 | CIN | NL | 4 | 4 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 64.7 | 76 | 24 | 18 | 51 | 3.34 | 1432.0 |
| 1963 | CHW | AL | 3 | 8 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 73.0 | 71 | 23 | 22 | 46 | 2.84 | - |
| 1963 | CIN | NL | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.7 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7.71 | 0.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 385 | 177 | 10 | 27 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 54 | 0.153 | 0.185 | 0.237 | 0.422 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | CHC | NL | 18 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.125 | 0.0 |
| 1956 | CHC | NL | 30 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.182 | 0.0 |
| 1957 | CHC | NL | 41 | 20 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1958 | CHC | NL | 8 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.105 | 0.0 |
| 1958 | STL | NL | 33 | 31 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0.097 | 0.0 |
| 1959 | CIN | NL | 26 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0.043 | 0.0 |
| 1959 | STL | NL | 20 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.286 | 0.0 |
| 1960 | CIN | NL | 57 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1961 | CIN | NL | 53 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0.154 | 0.0 |
| 1962 | CIN | NL | 48 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1963 | CHW | AL | 45 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.308 | 0.0 |
| 1963 | CIN | NL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | WS | CIN | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7.50 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | WS | CIN | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7.50 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 385 | 47 | 59 | 146 | 8 | 12 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | CHN | P | 18 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| 1956 | CHN | P | 30 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957 | CHN | P | 41 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 1 | 1 |
| 1958 | CHN | P | 8 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 2 |
| 1958 | SLN | P | 33 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 1 | 1 |
| 1959 | CIN | P | 26 | 9 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 2 |
| 1959 | SLN | P | 20 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 1960 | CIN | P | 57 | 2 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| 1961 | CIN | P | 53 | 0 | 9 | 18 | 3 | 0 |
| 1962 | CIN | P | 48 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 1963 | CHA | P | 45 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 1963 | CIN | P | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 385 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 20th | 3.0 | 224 | 0 |