Sam Chapman
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1938-1951)
Sam Chapman was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1938 to 1951 for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Cleveland Guardians, a span of 14 seasons. In 1,368 career games, he hit .266 with 1,329 hits, 180 home runs, and 773 RBI. Sam Chapman was an All-Star. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 8,114.
- 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 180 lb
- Died
- 12/22/2006 in Kentfield, CA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1938-05-16
- Last Game
- 1951-09-22
- Awards
- All-Star
Full name: Samuel Blake Chapman
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,368 | 4,988 | 754 | 1,329 | 210 | 52 | 180 | 773 | 41 | 562 | 682 | .266 | .342 | .438 | .780 | 8,114 |
Career AVG .266 vs. league average .265 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .342 vs. league average .337 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .438 vs. league average .380 across their career seasons — +15.1% above league average.
Career OPS .780 vs. league average .718 across their career seasons — +8.7% above 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | PHA | AL | 114 | 406 | 60 | 105 | 17 | 7 | 17 | 63 | 3 | 55 | 94 | .259 | .272 (-5%) | .341 (+3%) | .392 (+17%) | .734 (+11%) | 867.1 |
| 1939 | PHA | AL | 140 | 498 | 74 | 134 | 24 | 6 | 15 | 64 | 11 | 51 | 62 | .269 | .274 (-2%) | .342 (-1%) | .393 (+10%) | .735 (+5%) | 420.8 |
| 1940 | PHA | AL | 134 | 508 | 88 | 140 | 26 | 3 | 23 | 75 | 2 | 46 | 96 | .276 | .267 (+3%) | .335 (avg) | .387 (+22%) | .722 (+12%) | 1133.6 |
| 1941 | PHA | AL | 143 | 552 | 97 | 178 | 29 | 9 | 25 | 106 | 6 | 47 | 49 | .322 | .262 (+23%) | .332 (+14%) | .373 (+46%) | .705 (+31%) | 3168.6 |
| 1945 | PHA | AL | 9 | 30 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .200 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1946 | PHA | AL | 146 | 545 | 77 | 142 | 22 | 5 | 20 | 67 | 1 | 54 | 66 | .261 | .256 (+1%) | .328 (-1%) | .358 (+20%) | .687 (+10%) | 941.0 |
| 1947 | PHA | AL | 149 | 551 | 84 | 139 | 18 | 5 | 14 | 83 | 3 | 65 | 70 | .252 | .262 (-4%) | .336 (-2%) | .376 (+1%) | .712 (avg) | -27.7 |
| 1948 | PHA | AL | 123 | 445 | 58 | 115 | 18 | 6 | 13 | 70 | 6 | 55 | 50 | .258 | .263 (-2%) | .340 (avg) | .379 (+9%) | .719 (+5%) | 402.9 |
| 1949 | PHA | AL | 154 | 589 | 89 | 164 | 24 | 4 | 24 | 108 | 3 | 80 | 68 | .278 | .262 (+6%) | .343 (+7%) | .384 (+18%) | .727 (+13%) | 1612.4 |
| 1950 | PHA | AL | 144 | 553 | 93 | 139 | 20 | 6 | 23 | 95 | 3 | 68 | 79 | .251 | .265 (-5%) | .346 (-2%) | .401 (+8%) | .747 (+3%) | 313.4 |
| 1951 | PHA | AL | 18 | 65 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 12 | .169 | .260 (-35%) | .336 (-11%) | .385 (-52%) | .721 (-33%) | -312.7 |
| 1951 | CLE | AL | 94 | 246 | 24 | 56 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 36 | 3 | 27 | 32 | .228 | .260 (-13%) | .336 (-10%) | .385 (-10%) | .721 (-10%) | -312.7 |
| Career · 12 seasons | 1,368 | 4,988 | 754 | 1,329 | 210 | 52 | 180 | 773 | 41 | 562 | 682 | .266 | — | — | — | — | 8,207 | ||
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 (1368 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 658 | 2360 | 364 | 654 | 93 | 399 | .277 |
| Away | 710 | 2629 | 389 | 675 | 87 | 377 | .257 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951-09-22 | CLE | DET | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1951-09-21 | CLE | DET | L | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1951-09-19 | CLE | BOS | W | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 1951-09-18 | CLE | BOS | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1951-09-17 | CLE | NYY | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1951-09-16 | CLE | NYY | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1951-09-15 | CLE | MIN | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1951-09-15 | CLE | MIN | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1951-09-11 | CLE | PHA | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1951-09-08 | CLE | SLA | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 20 | 0 | 148 | 5 | 4 | 7 |
| OF | 1309 | 0 | 3579 | 115 | 107 | 25 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | PHA | OF | 110 | 0 | 229 | 8 | 12 | 0 |
| 1939 | PHA | 1B | 19 | 0 | 147 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| 1939 | PHA | OF | 117 | 0 | 350 | 11 | 17 | 2 |
| 1940 | PHA | OF | 129 | 0 | 348 | 13 | 14 | 2 |
| 1941 | PHA | OF | 141 | 0 | 416 | 21 | 15 | 5 |
| 1945 | PHA | OF | 8 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946 | PHA | OF | 145 | 0 | 369 | 13 | 12 | 4 |
| 1947 | PHA | OF | 146 | 0 | 428 | 16 | 6 | 2 |
| 1948 | PHA | OF | 118 | 0 | 368 | 8 | 7 | 2 |
| 1949 | PHA | OF | 154 | 0 | 450 | 11 | 10 | 3 |
| 1950 | PHA | OF | 140 | 0 | 428 | 11 | 10 | 4 |
| 1951 | PHA | OF | 17 | 0 | 43 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1951 | CLE | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1951 | CLE | OF | 84 | 0 | 132 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 20 |
| Left Field | 236 |
| Center Field | 1076 |
| Right Field | 7 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California - Berkeley | Berkeley | CA | 1935, 1936, 1937 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 12th | 25.0 | 336 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Sam Chapman (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Sam Chapman: the record in brief
Sam Chapman's major league career runs from a debut on May 16, 1938 to a final game on September 22, 1951. Chapman played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1938 to 1951) and the Cleveland Indians (1951). Listed as an outfielder, Chapman threw and hit right-handed. Height and weight on file: 6'0" and 180 pounds. Chapman was born on April 11, 1916, in Tiburon, CA, USA. Chapman's death is recorded on December 22, 2006, in Kentfield, CA, USA. On the record, Sam Chapman was born Samuel Blake Chapman.
Across 1,368 games at the plate, Chapman's career line reads 1,329 hits in 4,988 at bats for a .266 average, along with 180 home runs, 773 runs batted in, and 41 stolen bases. On-base and slugging figures of .342 and .438 give Chapman a career OPS of .780. Chapman hit .266 while the league hit .265 over the same span, a figure close to average. The home run peak was 25 in 1941 with the Philadelphia Athletics.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sam Chapman
- What years did Sam Chapman play?
- Sam Chapman played in Major League Baseball from 1938 to 1951.
- Was Sam Chapman a pitcher?
- No. Sam Chapman was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Sam Chapman hit?
- Sam Chapman hit 180 career home runs with 1,329 hits.
- What teams did Sam Chapman play for?
- Sam Chapman played for 2 teams: the Philadelphia Athletics (1938–1941, 1945–1951) and the Cleveland Indians (1951).
- Did Sam Chapman win an MVP award?
- No. Sam Chapman did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Sam Chapman win?
- Sam Chapman was selected to 1 All-Star Game.
- What were Sam Chapman's career stats?
- In 1,368 games, Sam Chapman had 1,329 hits, 180 home runs, 773 RBI, 754 runs, and 41 stolen bases, with a .266 batting average.
- What position did Sam Chapman play?
- Sam Chapman played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Sam Chapman and how much did he weigh?
- Sam Chapman was listed at 6 feet and 180 pounds.
- How many home runs did Sam Chapman hit each season?
- Sam Chapman's home runs by season: 17 in 1938, 15 in 1939, 23 in 1940, 25 in 1941, 0 in 1945, 20 in 1946, 14 in 1947, 13 in 1948, 24 in 1949, 23 in 1950, and 6 in 1951. His most in one season was 25, in 1941.
- What was Sam Chapman's career batting average?
- Sam Chapman batted .266 over his career, with 1,329 hits in 4,988 at bats.
- How many RBI did Sam Chapman have?
- Sam Chapman drove in 773 runs in his career.
- Is Sam Chapman in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Sam Chapman has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- How many All-Star Games did Sam Chapman make?
- Sam Chapman was selected to 1 All-Star Game.