Ed Butka, baseball player, 1943-1944

Ed Butka

Born: 1/7/1916 in Canonsburg, PA, USA

Died: 4/21/2005 in Pittsburgh, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1943-09-26 | Final Game: 1944-09-30

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 193 lbs

Full name: Edward Luke Butka

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Biography

Ed Butka, born in 1916, was a position player who played in Major League Baseball during the early 1940s. His career spanned from 1943 to 1944, a time marked by the challenges of World War II, which saw many star players serve in the military. Butka made his mark in the league with the Philadelphia Phillies, appearing in a total of 18 games. Throughout his brief career, he showcased his skills at the plate, accumulating 11 hits and driving in 2 runs, finishing with a batting average of .22. Butka's playing style reflected the era's emphasis on speed and small ball, although his statistics indicated a more limited offensive output, as he did not hit any home runs and recorded no stolen bases. Despite the brevity of his time in the majors, Butka's contributions to the game during a tumultuous period in American history highlight the resilience of baseball as a national pastime. His career serves as a reminder of the many players who took the field during the war years, contributing to the rich tapestry of baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
18 50 1 11 2 0 0 2 0 2 14 0.220 0.250 0.260 0.510 0.0

Career AVG .220 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — 15.0% below league average.

Career OBP .250 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 23.2% below league average.

Career SLG .260 vs. league average .352 across their career seasons — 26.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.510 vs. league average 0.677 across their career seasons — 24.7% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1943 WSN AL 3 9 0 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 0.333 — — — — 0.0
1944 WSN AL 15 41 1 8 1 0 0 1 0 2 11 0.195 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 17 0 115 10 3 9

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1943 WS1 1B 3 0 17 3 0 1
1944 WS1 1B 14 0 98 7 3 8

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 17