Wes Covington
Born: 3/27/1932 in Laurinburg, NC, USA
Died: 7/4/2011 in Edmonton, AB, CAN
MLB Debut: 1956-04-19 | Final Game: 1966-10-02
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 205 lbs
Full name: John Wesley Covington
Biography
Wes Covington was a professional baseball player who made significant contributions to the game as a position player from 1956 to 1966. Born in 1932, Covington played a total of 1,075 games during his career, showcasing a solid offensive skill set. He finished with 832 hits, including 131 home runs, and drove in 499 runs, resulting in a commendable batting average of .279. Known for his powerful swing and ability to drive in runs, Covington was a valuable asset to the teams he played for, which included the Milwaukee Braves and the Chicago White Sox.
Covington's career unfolded during a transformative era in baseball, marked by the rise of power hitting and an evolving game strategy. Although he was not known for his speed on the bases, with only 7 stolen bases throughout his career, his ability to hit for average and power made him a prominent figure in the lineups he occupied. After retiring in 1966, Covington left behind a legacy that reflected the competitive spirit and dynamic play of the post-war baseball era, contributing to the rich history of the sport.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1075 | 2978 | 355 | 832 | 128 | 17 | 131 | 499 | 7 | 247 | 414 | 0.279 | 0.337 | 0.466 | 0.803 | 7355.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | ATL | NL | 75 | 138 | 17 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 16 | 20 | 0.283 | 19.9 |
| 1957 | ATL | NL | 96 | 328 | 51 | 93 | 4 | 8 | 21 | 65 | 4 | 29 | 44 | 0.284 | 1221.5 |
| 1958 | ATL | NL | 90 | 294 | 43 | 97 | 12 | 1 | 24 | 74 | 0 | 20 | 35 | 0.330 | 2078.4 |
| 1959 | ATL | NL | 103 | 373 | 38 | 104 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 45 | 0 | 26 | 41 | 0.279 | 76.8 |
| 1960 | ATL | NL | 95 | 281 | 25 | 70 | 16 | 1 | 10 | 35 | 1 | 15 | 37 | 0.249 | -137.0 |
| 1961 | CHW | AL | 22 | 59 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0.288 | 145.3 |
| 1961 | KC1 | AL | 17 | 44 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0.159 | 145.3 |
| 1961 | ATL | NL | 9 | 21 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.190 | 145.3 |
| 1961 | PHI | NL | 57 | 165 | 23 | 50 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 0 | 15 | 17 | 0.303 | 145.3 |
| 1962 | PHI | NL | 116 | 304 | 36 | 86 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 44 | 0 | 19 | 44 | 0.283 | 112.1 |
| 1963 | PHI | NL | 119 | 353 | 46 | 107 | 24 | 1 | 17 | 64 | 1 | 26 | 56 | 0.303 | 1782.2 |
| 1964 | PHI | NL | 129 | 339 | 37 | 95 | 18 | 0 | 13 | 58 | 0 | 38 | 50 | 0.280 | 1108.8 |
| 1965 | PHI | NL | 101 | 235 | 27 | 58 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 45 | 0 | 26 | 47 | 0.247 | 751.4 |
| 1966 | CHC | NL | 9 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.091 | 0.0 |
| 1966 | LAD | NL | 37 | 33 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0.121 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 51 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 0.235 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | WS | LAN | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| 1958 | WS | ML1 | 7 | 26 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0.269 |
| 1957 | WS | ML1 | 7 | 24 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0.208 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 803 | 754 | 1054 | 41 | 45 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | ML1 | OF | 35 | 33 | 44 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | ML1 | OF | 89 | 87 | 150 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| 1958 | ML1 | OF | 82 | 82 | 118 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 1959 | ML1 | OF | 94 | 93 | 148 | 6 | 6 | 2 |
| 1960 | ML1 | OF | 72 | 71 | 106 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 1961 | CHA | OF | 14 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1961 | KC1 | OF | 12 | 11 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1961 | ML1 | OF | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1961 | PHI | OF | 45 | 41 | 53 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 1962 | PHI | OF | 88 | 78 | 98 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 1963 | PHI | OF | 101 | 87 | 114 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| 1964 | PHI | OF | 99 | 89 | 99 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 1965 | PHI | OF | 64 | 60 | 88 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1966 | CHN | OF | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | LAN | OF | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 759 |
| Center Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 42 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 16th | 16.0 | 336 | 0 |