Don Cardwell
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1957-1970)
Don Cardwell was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1957 to 1970 for 5 teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies, a span of 14 seasons. Across 410 career appearances, he went 102-138 with a 3.92 ERA and 1,211 strikeouts. He also batted .135 with 15 home runs.
- 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
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'4" / 210 lb
- Died
- 1/14/2008 in Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1957-04-21
- Last Game
- 1970-09-27
Full name: Donald Eugene Cardwell
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | PHI | NL | 4 | 8 | 30 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 128.1 | 122 | 70 | 42 | 92 | 4.91 | 3.83 (-28%) | 42.3 |
| 1958 | PHI | NL | 3 | 6 | 16 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 107.2 | 99 | 54 | 37 | 77 | 4.51 | 3.86 (-17%) | -546.6 |
| 1959 | PHI | NL | 9 | 10 | 25 | 22 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 153.0 | 135 | 69 | 65 | 106 | 4.06 | 3.90 (-4%) | -1819.3 |
| 1960 | PHI | NL | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28.1 | 28 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 4.45 | 3.82 (-17%) | -236.1 |
| 1960 | CHN | NL | 8 | 14 | 31 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 177.0 | 166 | 86 | 68 | 129 | 4.37 | 3.82 (-15%) | 528.5 |
| 1961 | CHN | NL | 15 | 14 | 39 | 38 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 259.1 | 243 | 110 | 88 | 156 | 3.82 | 4.03 (+5%) | 2861.2 |
| 1962 | CHN | NL | 7 | 16 | 41 | 29 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 195.2 | 205 | 107 | 60 | 104 | 4.92 | 3.96 (-24%) | -2204.6 |
| 1963 | PIT | NL | 13 | 15 | 33 | 32 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 213.2 | 195 | 73 | 52 | 112 | 3.07 | 3.46 (+11%) | -1090.6 |
| 1964 | PIT | NL | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 19.1 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 2.79 | 3.58 (+22%) | -103.5 |
| 1965 | PIT | NL | 13 | 10 | 37 | 34 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 240.1 | 214 | 85 | 59 | 107 | 3.18 | 3.50 (+9%) | -902.1 |
| 1966 | PIT | NL | 6 | 6 | 32 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 101.2 | 112 | 52 | 27 | 60 | 4.60 | 3.52 (-31%) | -1894.8 |
| 1967 | NYN | NL | 5 | 9 | 26 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 118.1 | 112 | 47 | 39 | 71 | 3.57 | 3.30 (-8%) | -238.6 |
| 1968 | NYN | NL | 7 | 13 | 29 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 179.2 | 156 | 59 | 50 | 82 | 2.96 | 2.98 (+1%) | -643.8 |
| 1969 | NYN | NL | 8 | 10 | 30 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 152.1 | 145 | 51 | 47 | 60 | 3.01 | 3.61 (+17%) | -1569.7 |
| 1970 | NYN | NL | 0 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25.0 | 31 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 6.48 | 3.89 (-67%) | -470.3 |
| 1970 | ATL | NL | 2 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 23.0 | 31 | 23 | 13 | 16 | 9.00 | 3.89 (-132%) | -1157.7 |
| Career · 16 seasons | 102 | 138 | 410 | 301 | 72 | 17 | 7 | 2,122.2 | 2,009 | 924 | 671 | 1,211 | 3.92 | — | -9,446 | ||
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.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 416 | 698 | 44 | 94 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 53 | 2 | 25 | 340 | .135 | .171 | .216 | .387 | -3,777 |
Career AVG .135 vs. league average .251 across their career seasons — 46.3% below league average.
Career OBP .171 vs. league average .317 across their career seasons — 46.1% below league average.
Career SLG .216 vs. league average .378 across their career seasons — 42.8% below league average.
Career OPS .387 vs. league average .695 across their career seasons — 44.3% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | PHI | NL | 30 | 35 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 17 | .200 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1958 | PHI | NL | 16 | 38 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | .211 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1959 | PHI | NL | 26 | 55 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 28 | .055 | .256 (-79%) | .323 (-73%) | .392 (-72%) | .715 (-73%) | -632.7 |
| 1960 | PHI | NL | 5 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .250 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1960 | CHN | NL | 33 | 69 | 9 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 30 | .203 | .255 (-20%) | .323 (-37%) | .387 (-10%) | .711 (-23%) | 0.0 |
| 1961 | CHN | NL | 40 | 95 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 55 | .105 | .258 (-59%) | .328 (-49%) | .399 (-42%) | .727 (-45%) | -709.1 |
| 1962 | CHN | NL | 41 | 61 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 27 | .148 | .257 (-43%) | .326 (-39%) | .393 (-54%) | .719 (-47%) | -458.1 |
| 1963 | PIT | NL | 33 | 71 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 35 | .085 | .246 (-66%) | .308 (-50%) | .371 (-77%) | .680 (-65%) | -680.0 |
| 1964 | PIT | NL | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .143 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1965 | PIT | NL | 37 | 74 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 35 | .162 | .245 (-34%) | .310 (-32%) | .371 (-31%) | .682 (-31%) | -361.8 |
| 1966 | PIT | NL | 32 | 29 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 12 | .103 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1967 | NYN | NL | 27 | 38 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 15 | .158 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1968 | NYN | NL | 30 | 61 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 34 | .049 | .236 (-79%) | .298 (-84%) | .340 (-71%) | .638 (-77%) | -671.1 |
| 1969 | NYN | NL | 30 | 47 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 26 | .170 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1970 | NYN | NL | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1970 | ATL | NL | 16 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .400 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 16 seasons | 416 | 698 | 44 | 94 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 53 | 2 | 25 | 340 | .135 | — | — | — | — | -3,513 | ||
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 (826 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 215 | 353 | 31 | 49 | 9 | 30 | .139 |
| Away | 201 | 345 | 13 | 45 | 6 | 23 | .130 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 212 | 1154.1 | 1054 | 471 | 336 | 679 | 3.67 |
| Away | 198 | 967.2 | 956 | 453 | 334 | 532 | 4.21 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970-09-27 | ATL | HOU | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970-09-26 | ATL | HOU | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970-09-18 | ATL | CIN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970-09-14 | ATL | SFG | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970-09-07 | ATL | LAD | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1970-09-05 | ATL | SFG | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1970-08-27 | ATL | NYN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970-08-26 | ATL | NYN | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970-08-22 | ATL | WSN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970-08-21 | ATL | WSN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970-09-27 | ATL | HOU | — | 1.0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1970-09-26 | ATL | HOU | — | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1970-09-18 | ATL | CIN | — | 1.0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1970-09-14 | ATL | SFG | — | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970-09-07 | ATL | LAD | — | 2.1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970-09-05 | ATL | SFG | W | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1970-08-27 | ATL | NYN | — | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1970-08-26 | ATL | NYN | — | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1970-08-22 | ATL | WSN | — | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1970-08-21 | ATL | WSN | — | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | PHI | P | 30 | 19 | 12 | 18 | 2 | 0 |
| 1958 | PHI | P | 16 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 0 | 2 |
| 1959 | PHI | P | 25 | 22 | 4 | 13 | 3 | 2 |
| 1960 | PHI | P | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1960 | CHN | P | 31 | 26 | 12 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 | CHN | P | 39 | 38 | 18 | 54 | 2 | 3 |
| 1962 | CHN | P | 41 | 29 | 15 | 37 | 1 | 2 |
| 1963 | PIT | P | 33 | 32 | 16 | 35 | 5 | 1 |
| 1964 | PIT | P | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 1965 | PIT | P | 37 | 34 | 23 | 51 | 2 | 6 |
| 1966 | PIT | P | 32 | 14 | 13 | 24 | 2 | 2 |
| 1967 | NYN | P | 26 | 16 | 13 | 27 | 0 | 3 |
| 1968 | NYN | P | 29 | 25 | 16 | 39 | 1 | 1 |
| 1969 | NYN | P | 30 | 21 | 9 | 41 | 3 | 0 |
| 1970 | NYN | P | 16 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | ATL | P | 16 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 410 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Don Cardwell (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Don Cardwell: the record in brief
April 21, 1957 and September 27, 1970 bracket Don Cardwell's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. The team column moves through the Philadelphia Phillies (1957 through 1960), the Chicago Cubs (1960 through 1962), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1963 to 1966), the New York Mets (1967 to 1970), and the Atlanta Braves (1970). Cardwell played primarily as a pitcher and threw and hit right-handed. Born on December 7, 1935, in Winston-Salem, NC, USA, Cardwell was listed at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds. Cardwell's death is recorded on January 14, 2008, in Winston-Salem, NC, USA. The bio lists the given name Donald Eugene.
The pitching table credits Cardwell with a 102-138 record and a 3.92 ERA in 410 games. Also on Cardwell's record: 1,211 strikeouts, 72 complete games, and 17 shutouts. The league ERA over Cardwell's seasons was 3.64, so the 3.92 figure ran 7.5% worse than average. The best win total was 15, in 1961.
Frequently Asked Questions about Don Cardwell
- What years did Don Cardwell play?
- Don Cardwell played in Major League Baseball from 1957 to 1970.
- Was Don Cardwell a pitcher?
- Yes. Don Cardwell pitched in the major leagues, recording 102 wins and 1211 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Don Cardwell hit?
- Don Cardwell hit 15 career home runs with 94 hits.
- What teams did Don Cardwell play for?
- Don Cardwell played for 5 teams: the Philadelphia Phillies (1957–1960), the Chicago Cubs (1960–1962), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1963–1966), the New York Mets (1967–1970), and the Atlanta Braves (1970).
- What were Don Cardwell's career stats?
- In 410 games, Don Cardwell went 102-138 with a 3.92 ERA, 1,211 strikeouts, 2,122.2 innings pitched, and 7 saves. At the plate he had 94 hits and 15 home runs.
- What position did Don Cardwell play?
- Don Cardwell played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Don Cardwell and how much did he weigh?
- Don Cardwell was listed at 6 feet 4 inches and 210 pounds.
- What was Don Cardwell's career ERA?
- Don Cardwell finished with a 3.92 career ERA, going 102-138 with 1,211 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Don Cardwell have?
- Don Cardwell recorded 1,211 career strikeouts.
- Is Don Cardwell in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Don Cardwell has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.