Britt Burns
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1978-1985)
Britt Burns was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1978 to 1985 for the Chicago White Sox, a span of 8 seasons. Across 193 career appearances, he went 70-60 with a 3.66 ERA and 734 strikeouts. Britt Burns was an All-Star. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 8828.5.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'5" / 215 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1978-08-05
- Last Game
- 1985-09-30
- Awards
- All-Star
Full name: Robert Britt Burns
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | CHA | AL | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.2 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 12.91 | — | 0.0 |
| 1979 | CHA | AL | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.0 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5.40 | — | 0.0 |
| 1980 | CHA | AL | 15 | 13 | 34 | 32 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 238.0 | 213 | 75 | 63 | 133 | 2.84 | 3.84 (+26%) | 2708.7 |
| 1981 | CHA | AL | 10 | 6 | 24 | 23 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 156.2 | 139 | 46 | 49 | 108 | 2.64 | 3.58 (+26%) | 594.7 |
| 1982 | CHA | AL | 13 | 5 | 28 | 28 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 169.1 | 168 | 76 | 67 | 116 | 4.04 | 3.86 (-5%) | 1555.3 |
| 1983 | CHA | AL | 10 | 11 | 29 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 173.2 | 165 | 69 | 55 | 115 | 3.58 | 3.87 (+8%) | 1606.5 |
| 1984 | CHA | AL | 4 | 12 | 34 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 117.0 | 130 | 65 | 45 | 85 | 5.00 | 3.81 (-31%) | 1382.7 |
| 1985 | CHA | AL | 18 | 11 | 36 | 34 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 227.0 | 206 | 100 | 79 | 172 | 3.96 | 3.89 (-2%) | 980.7 |
| Career · 8 seasons | 70 | 60 | 193 | 161 | 39 | 11 | 3 | 1,094.1 | 1,045 | 445 | 362 | 734 | 3.66 | — | 8,828 | ||
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | CHA | AL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1979 | CHA | AL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1980 | CHA | AL | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1981 | CHA | AL | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1982 | CHA | AL | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1983 | CHA | AL | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1984 | CHA | AL | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1985 | CHA | AL | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 8 seasons | 193 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
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.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (386 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 91 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Away | 102 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 91 | 521.1 | 481 | 216 | 172 | 378 | 3.73 |
| Away | 102 | 573.0 | 564 | 229 | 190 | 356 | 3.60 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-09-30 | CHW | MIN | L | 5.0 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 1985-09-25 | CHW | LAA | L | 4.0 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 1985-09-21 | CHW | OAK | L | 2.0 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985-09-17 | CHW | LAA | W | 6.2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| 1985-09-11 | CHW | MIN | W | 9.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 |
| 1985-09-06 | CHW | TEX | W | 7.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1985-09-01 | CHW | TOR | W | 7.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1985-08-27 | CHW | TEX | W | 5.0 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 1985-08-23 | CHW | TOR | L | 6.1 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1985-08-18 | CHW | MIL | W | 6.1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 193 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Player of the Week | Week of 1981-08-21 |
| 1980 | TSN Rookie Pitcher of the Year |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | NYA | AL | $750,000 |
| 1985 | CHA | AL | $727,500 |
| Total Career Earnings | $1,477,500 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Cy Young Award | AL | 7th | 2.0 | 140 | 0 |
| 1981 | Cy Young Award | AL | 7th | 2.0 | 140 | 0 |
| 1980 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 5th | 33.0 | 140 | 4 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Britt Burns (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Britt Burns: the record in brief
August 5, 1978 and September 30, 1985 bracket Britt Burns's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. The team column never changes: it is the Chicago White Sox from 1978 to 1985. Born on June 8, 1959, in Houston, TX, USA, Burns is listed as a pitcher and threw and hit left-handed. The bio gives 6'5" and 215 pounds. Burns's full given name, per the bio, is Robert Britt Burns.
Burns went 70-60 with a 3.66 ERA in 193 games, 161 of them starts. Burns had 734 strikeouts, 39 complete games, and 11 shutouts. Burns's 3.66 ERA was close to the 3.83 league figure for those seasons. The best win total was 18, in 1985. In 1981, one of the busiest seasons, Burns posted a 2.64 ERA; the league figure that year was 3.58. Burns's career Pitcher PIV, which scores run prevention against each season's league, is 8,828.5.
Burns's awards table lists Player of the Week and TSN Rookie Pitcher of the Year (1980 and 1981). The bio's awards line reads All-Star. In award voting, Burns's best finish was 5th for the Rookie of the Year in 1980.
The playoff pitching line reads 0-1, 0.96 ERA, across 1 appearances. Those appearances came in 1983.
Frequently Asked Questions about Britt Burns
- What years did Britt Burns play?
- Britt Burns played in Major League Baseball from 1978 to 1985.
- Was Britt Burns a pitcher?
- Yes. Britt Burns pitched in the major leagues, recording 70 wins and 734 strikeouts.
- What was Britt Burns's career ERA?
- Britt Burns finished with a 3.66 career ERA, going 70-60 with 734 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Britt Burns have?
- Britt Burns recorded 734 career strikeouts.
- Is Britt Burns in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Britt Burns has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- What teams did Britt Burns play for?
- Britt Burns played for the Chicago White Sox.