Donn Clendenon
First Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1961-1972)
Donn Clendenon was a first baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1961 to 1972 for 4 teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, a span of 12 seasons. In 1,362 career games, he hit .274 with 1,273 hits, 159 home runs, and 682 RBI. Donn Clendenon was a World Series MVP. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 10,564.
- 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
- First Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'4" / 209 lb
- Died
- 9/17/2005 in Sioux Falls, SD, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1961-09-22
- Last Game
- 1972-08-05
- Awards
- World Series MVP
Full name: Donn Alvin Clendenon
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,362 | 4,648 | 594 | 1,273 | 192 | 57 | 159 | 682 | 90 | 379 | 1,140 | .274 | .328 | .442 | .771 | 10,564 |
Career AVG .274 vs. league average .248 across their career seasons — +10.3% above league average.
Career OBP .328 vs. league average .315 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .442 vs. league average .372 across their career seasons — +19.1% above league average.
Career OPS .771 vs. league average .686 across their career seasons — +12.3% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | PIT | NL | 9 | 35 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 10 | .314 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1962 | PIT | NL | 80 | 222 | 39 | 67 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 28 | 16 | 26 | 58 | .302 | .257 (+17%) | .326 (+15%) | .393 (+21%) | .719 (+19%) | 767.7 |
| 1963 | PIT | NL | 154 | 563 | 65 | 155 | 28 | 7 | 15 | 57 | 22 | 39 | 136 | .275 | .246 (+12%) | .308 (+5%) | .371 (+16%) | .680 (+11%) | 1082.6 |
| 1964 | PIT | NL | 133 | 457 | 53 | 129 | 23 | 8 | 12 | 64 | 12 | 26 | 96 | .282 | .250 (+13%) | .312 (+3%) | .377 (+18%) | .690 (+11%) | 792.1 |
| 1965 | PIT | NL | 162 | 612 | 89 | 184 | 32 | 14 | 14 | 96 | 9 | 48 | 128 | .301 | .245 (+22%) | .310 (+13%) | .371 (+26%) | .682 (+20%) | 2188.8 |
| 1966 | PIT | NL | 155 | 571 | 80 | 171 | 22 | 10 | 28 | 98 | 8 | 52 | 142 | .299 | .248 (+20%) | .309 (+16%) | .376 (+38%) | .685 (+28%) | 3024.7 |
| 1967 | PIT | NL | 131 | 478 | 46 | 119 | 15 | 2 | 13 | 56 | 4 | 34 | 107 | .249 | .242 (+3%) | .306 (-3%) | .357 (+4%) | .663 (+1%) | -11.0 |
| 1968 | PIT | NL | 158 | 584 | 63 | 150 | 20 | 6 | 17 | 87 | 10 | 47 | 163 | .257 | .236 (+9%) | .298 (+4%) | .340 (+17%) | .638 (+11%) | 1015.7 |
| 1969 | MON | NL | 38 | 129 | 14 | 31 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 32 | .240 | .248 (-3%) | .320 (-15%) | .369 (+7%) | .689 (-3%) | -118.6 |
| 1969 | NYN | NL | 72 | 202 | 31 | 51 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 37 | 3 | 19 | 62 | .252 | .248 (+2%) | .320 (avg) | .369 (+23%) | .689 (+13%) | -118.6 |
| 1970 | NYN | NL | 121 | 396 | 65 | 114 | 18 | 3 | 22 | 97 | 4 | 39 | 91 | .288 | .253 (+13%) | .325 (+7%) | .385 (+34%) | .711 (+21%) | 1481.9 |
| 1971 | NYN | NL | 88 | 263 | 29 | 65 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 37 | 1 | 21 | 78 | .247 | .249 (-1%) | .316 (-5%) | .365 (+12%) | .682 (+4%) | 143.0 |
| 1972 | SLN | NL | 61 | 136 | 13 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 17 | 37 | .191 | .243 (-22%) | .310 (-10%) | .353 (-13%) | .664 (-12%) | -221.8 |
| Career · 13 seasons | 1,362 | 4,648 | 594 | 1,273 | 192 | 57 | 159 | 682 | 90 | 379 | 1,140 | .274 | — | — | — | — | 10,026 | ||
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 (1362 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 674 | 2241 | 275 | 600 | 58 | 321 | .268 |
| Away | 688 | 2407 | 317 | 673 | 101 | 361 | .280 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972-08-05 | STL | PHI | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1972-08-03 | STL | PIT | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972-07-30 | STL | CHC | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1972-07-30 | STL | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1972-07-29 | STL | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972-07-28 | STL | WSN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972-07-22 | STL | ATL | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972-07-21 | STL | ATL | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1972-07-20 | STL | ATL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1972-07-19 | STL | HOU | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1200 | 1124 | 10913 | 819 | 146 | 1136 |
| 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 39 | 36 | 63 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | PIT | OF | 8 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1962 | PIT | 1B | 52 | 41 | 382 | 24 | 4 | 44 |
| 1962 | PIT | OF | 19 | 18 | 32 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1963 | PIT | 1B | 151 | 146 | 1450 | 118 | 15 | 154 |
| 1964 | PIT | 1B | 119 | 113 | 1153 | 75 | 14 | 116 |
| 1965 | PIT | 1B | 158 | 156 | 1572 | 119 | 28 | 161 |
| 1965 | PIT | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | PIT | 1B | 152 | 148 | 1452 | 96 | 24 | 182 |
| 1967 | PIT | 1B | 123 | 119 | 1199 | 89 | 15 | 122 |
| 1968 | PIT | 1B | 155 | 152 | 1587 | 128 | 17 | 134 |
| 1969 | MON | 1B | 24 | 21 | 214 | 20 | 3 | 22 |
| 1969 | MON | OF | 11 | 10 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1969 | NYN | 1B | 58 | 46 | 418 | 25 | 7 | 46 |
| 1969 | NYN | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | NYN | 1B | 100 | 96 | 722 | 62 | 7 | 72 |
| 1971 | NYN | 1B | 72 | 55 | 505 | 37 | 8 | 49 |
| 1972 | SLN | 1B | 36 | 31 | 259 | 26 | 4 | 34 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 1200 |
| Third Base | 1 |
| Left Field | 28 |
| Center Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 10 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | World Series MVP |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 13th | 26.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1962 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 2nd | 1.0 | 20 | 1 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Donn Clendenon (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Donn Clendenon: the record in brief
Between the debut on September 22, 1961 and the final game on August 5, 1972, Donn Clendenon built the record summarized on this page. The team column moves through the Pittsburgh Pirates (1961 to 1968), the Montreal Expos (1969), the New York Mets (1969 through 1971), and the St. Louis Cardinals (1972). Clendenon, a first baseman by primary position, both batted and threw right-handed. Clendenon is listed at 209 pounds on a 6-foot-4 frame. The birth record reads July 15, 1935, in Neosho, MO, USA. Clendenon's death is recorded on September 17, 2005, in Sioux Falls, SD, USA. Clendenon's full given name, per the bio, is Donn Alvin Clendenon.
The batting record for Clendenon: 1,362 games, 1,273 hits in 4,648 at bats, and a .274 average, adding 159 homers, 682 RBI, and 90 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .328 clip and slugging .442, Clendenon finished with a .771 OPS. Over the seasons Clendenon played, league hitters batted .248; the .274 career figure is 10.3% above that.
Frequently Asked Questions about Donn Clendenon
- What years did Donn Clendenon play?
- Donn Clendenon played in Major League Baseball from 1961 to 1972.
- Was Donn Clendenon a pitcher?
- No. Donn Clendenon was a position player (First Baseman).
- How many home runs did Donn Clendenon hit?
- Donn Clendenon hit 159 career home runs with 1,273 hits.
- What teams did Donn Clendenon play for?
- Donn Clendenon played for 4 teams: the Pittsburgh Pirates (1961–1968), the Montreal Expos (1969), the New York Mets (1969–1971), and the St. Louis Cardinals (1972).
- What awards did Donn Clendenon win?
- Donn Clendenon won the World Series MVP award (1969).
- What were Donn Clendenon's career stats?
- In 1,362 games, Donn Clendenon had 1,273 hits, 159 home runs, 682 RBI, 594 runs, and 90 stolen bases, with a .274 batting average.
- What position did Donn Clendenon play?
- Donn Clendenon played primarily as a first baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Donn Clendenon and how much did he weigh?
- Donn Clendenon was listed at 6 feet 4 inches and 209 pounds.
- How many home runs did Donn Clendenon hit each season?
- Donn Clendenon's home runs by season: 0 in 1961, 7 in 1962, 15 in 1963, 12 in 1964, 14 in 1965, 28 in 1966, 13 in 1967, 17 in 1968, 16 in 1969, 22 in 1970, 11 in 1971, and 4 in 1972. His most in one season was 28, in 1966.
- What was Donn Clendenon's career batting average?
- Donn Clendenon batted .274 over his career, with 1,273 hits in 4,648 at bats.
- How many RBI did Donn Clendenon have?
- Donn Clendenon drove in 682 runs in his career.
- Is Donn Clendenon in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Donn Clendenon has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.