Sam Chapman, baseball player, 180 home runs, 1938-1951

Sam Chapman

Born: 4/11/1916 in Tiburon, CA, USA

Died: 12/22/2006 in Kentfield, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1938-05-16 | Final Game: 1951-09-22

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Samuel Blake Chapman

Biography

Sam Chapman, born in 1916, was a prominent position player whose career spanned from 1938 to 1951. Over the course of 1,368 games, he established himself as a reliable hitter, accumulating 1,329 hits and achieving a batting average of .266. Known for his power at the plate, Chapman hit 180 home runs and drove in 773 runs throughout his career. He also exhibited speed on the base paths, recording 41 stolen bases. His contributions to the game earned him an All-Star selection, highlighting his standing among his peers. Chapman's career unfolded during a dynamic period in Major League Baseball, marked by the transition from the deadball era to a more offensively oriented game. His ability to combine power and speed made him a valuable asset to his teams, and he played a key role in the competitive landscape of the late 1930s and 1940s. As a player who experienced the challenges of World War II, which interrupted many players' careers, Chapman's resilience and dedication to the sport solidified his legacy in baseball history.

Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
70.0 65.0 7.0 16.0 0 1.0 0 6.0 3.0 4.0 1.0 0.246 0.290 0.277 0.567

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1368 4988 754 1329 210 52 180 773 41 562 682 0.266 0.342 0.438 0.780 7746.8

Season-by-Season Batting

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

Career Games by 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