Billy Cox
Born: 8/29/1919 in Newport, PA, USA
Died: 3/30/1978 in Harrisburg, PA, USA
MLB Debut: 1941-09-20 | Final Game: 1955-06-11
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 150 lbs
Full name: William Richard Cox
Biography
Billy Cox was a prominent American baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1941 to 1955. Born in 1919, he played primarily as a position player during a time that saw significant changes in the game, including the integration of baseball and the post-war resurgence of the sport. Cox was known for his solid defensive skills and versatility on the field, which allowed him to play various infield positions, particularly third base.
Over the course of his career, Cox appeared in 1,058 games, accumulating 974 hits and 66 home runs. He drove in 351 runs and maintained a batting average of .262. His speed on the bases was evidenced by his 42 stolen bases, showcasing an ability to contribute both offensively and defensively. As a key player for teams like the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cox’s contributions during the early years of the post-war era helped shape the dynamics of the game and provided a foundation for the players that followed in the 1960s and beyond.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1058 | 3712 | 470 | 974 | 174 | 32 | 66 | 351 | 42 | 298 | 218 | 0.262 | 0.318 | 0.380 | 0.698 | -2671.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | PIT | NL | 10 | 37 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0.270 | 0.0 |
| 1946 | PIT | NL | 121 | 411 | 32 | 119 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 36 | 4 | 26 | 15 | 0.290 | 245.9 |
| 1947 | PIT | NL | 132 | 529 | 75 | 145 | 30 | 7 | 15 | 54 | 5 | 29 | 28 | 0.274 | 342.7 |
| 1948 | BRO | NL | 88 | 237 | 36 | 59 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 3 | 38 | 19 | 0.249 | -14.9 |
| 1949 | BRO | NL | 100 | 390 | 48 | 91 | 18 | 2 | 8 | 40 | 5 | 30 | 18 | 0.233 | -1002.5 |
| 1950 | BRO | NL | 119 | 451 | 62 | 116 | 17 | 2 | 8 | 44 | 6 | 35 | 24 | 0.257 | -1044.5 |
| 1951 | BRO | NL | 142 | 455 | 62 | 127 | 25 | 4 | 9 | 51 | 5 | 37 | 30 | 0.279 | 229.2 |
| 1952 | BRO | NL | 116 | 455 | 56 | 118 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 34 | 10 | 25 | 32 | 0.259 | -777.0 |
| 1953 | BRO | NL | 100 | 327 | 44 | 95 | 18 | 1 | 10 | 44 | 2 | 37 | 21 | 0.291 | 644.7 |
| 1954 | BRO | NL | 77 | 226 | 26 | 53 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 21 | 13 | 0.235 | -631.9 |
| 1955 | BAL | AL | 53 | 194 | 25 | 41 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 17 | 16 | 0.211 | -663.3 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 53 | 7 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 0.302 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | WS | BRO | 6 | 23 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0.304 |
| 1952 | WS | BRO | 7 | 27 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0.296 |
| 1949 | WS | BRO | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.333 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 53 | 21 | 92 | 99 | 2 | 20 |
| 3B | 700 | 78 | 668 | 1273 | 71 | 154 |
| SS | 299 | 8 | 537 | 814 | 66 | 144 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | PIT | SS | 10 | 0 | 15 | 35 | 3 | 8 |
| 1946 | PIT | SS | 114 | 0 | 235 | 323 | 39 | 59 |
| 1947 | PIT | SS | 129 | 0 | 220 | 388 | 20 | 63 |
| 1948 | BRO | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948 | BRO | 3B | 70 | 0 | 51 | 107 | 7 | 7 |
| 1948 | BRO | SS | 6 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 4 |
| 1949 | BRO | 3B | 100 | 0 | 104 | 213 | 12 | 28 |
| 1950 | BRO | 2B | 13 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 7 |
| 1950 | BRO | 3B | 107 | 0 | 102 | 233 | 15 | 35 |
| 1950 | BRO | SS | 9 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| 1951 | BRO | 3B | 139 | 0 | 140 | 264 | 14 | 26 |
| 1951 | BRO | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1952 | BRO | 2B | 9 | 0 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 4 |
| 1952 | BRO | 3B | 100 | 0 | 100 | 157 | 8 | 26 |
| 1952 | BRO | SS | 10 | 0 | 27 | 20 | 1 | 4 |
| 1953 | BRO | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1953 | BRO | 3B | 89 | 0 | 86 | 142 | 6 | 20 |
| 1953 | BRO | SS | 6 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 1954 | BRO | 2B | 11 | 11 | 22 | 27 | 1 | 5 |
| 1954 | BRO | 3B | 58 | 44 | 57 | 90 | 6 | 7 |
| 1954 | BRO | SS | 8 | 6 | 14 | 13 | 0 | 3 |
| 1955 | BAL | 2B | 18 | 10 | 25 | 28 | 0 | 4 |
| 1955 | BAL | 3B | 37 | 34 | 28 | 67 | 3 | 5 |
| 1955 | BAL | SS | 6 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 53 |
| Third Base | 699 |
| Shortstop | 299 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 23th | 8.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1946 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 27th | 5.0 | 336 | 0 |