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
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 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 |
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
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | PHA | AL | 114 | 406 | 60 | 105 | 17 | 7 | 17 | 63 | 3 | 55 | 94 | 0.259 | 812.1 |
| 1939 | PHA | AL | 140 | 498 | 74 | 134 | 24 | 6 | 15 | 64 | 11 | 51 | 62 | 0.269 | 346.1 |
| 1940 | PHA | AL | 134 | 508 | 88 | 140 | 26 | 3 | 23 | 75 | 2 | 46 | 96 | 0.276 | 1105.9 |
| 1941 | PHA | AL | 143 | 552 | 97 | 178 | 29 | 9 | 25 | 106 | 6 | 47 | 49 | 0.322 | 3112.1 |
| 1945 | PHA | AL | 9 | 30 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1946 | PHA | AL | 146 | 545 | 77 | 142 | 22 | 5 | 20 | 67 | 1 | 54 | 66 | 0.261 | 934.9 |
| 1947 | PHA | AL | 149 | 551 | 84 | 139 | 18 | 5 | 14 | 83 | 3 | 65 | 70 | 0.252 | -37.3 |
| 1948 | PHA | AL | 123 | 445 | 58 | 115 | 18 | 6 | 13 | 70 | 6 | 55 | 50 | 0.258 | 350.0 |
| 1949 | PHA | AL | 154 | 589 | 89 | 164 | 24 | 4 | 24 | 108 | 3 | 80 | 68 | 0.278 | 1612.4 |
| 1950 | PHA | AL | 144 | 553 | 93 | 139 | 20 | 6 | 23 | 95 | 3 | 68 | 79 | 0.251 | 313.4 |
| 1951 | CLE | AL | 94 | 246 | 24 | 56 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 36 | 3 | 27 | 32 | 0.228 | -479.0 |
| 1951 | PHA | AL | 18 | 65 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 0.169 | -479.0 |
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 | CLE | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1951 | CLE | OF | 84 | 0 | 132 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 1951 | PHA | OF | 17 | 0 | 43 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
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 |