Leon Durham
Born: 7/31/1957 in Cincinnati, OH, USA
MLB Debut: 1980-05-27 | Final Game: 1989-09-17
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 185 lbs
Biography
Leon Durham was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, known for his powerful bat and solid defensive skills. Born in 1957, he played professionally from 1980 until his retirement on September 17, 1989. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 1,067 games, accumulating 992 hits, 147 home runs, and 530 RBIs, while maintaining a respectable batting average of .277. His ability to steal bases added an extra dimension to his game, as he recorded 106 stolen bases during his time in the league.
Durham's contributions to the game extended beyond his statistics; he was selected as an All-Star twice, showcasing his impact during a competitive era in baseball. His playing style combined power with speed, making him a valuable asset to the teams he played for. Durham's legacy is marked not only by his on-field achievements but also by his role in a transformative period for baseball in the 1980s, where the game saw a blend of traditional skills and emerging power hitters. As a key player of his time, he remains a notable figure in the history of the sport.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1067 | 3587 | 522 | 992 | 192 | 40 | 147 | 530 | 106 | 444 | 679 | 0.277 | 0.356 | 0.475 | 0.831 | 11725.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | STL | NL | 96 | 303 | 42 | 82 | 15 | 4 | 8 | 42 | 8 | 18 | 55 | 0.271 | 39.5 |
| 1981 | CHC | NL | 87 | 328 | 42 | 95 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 35 | 25 | 27 | 53 | 0.290 | 909.7 |
| 1982 | CHC | NL | 148 | 539 | 84 | 168 | 33 | 7 | 22 | 90 | 28 | 66 | 77 | 0.312 | 3032.3 |
| 1983 | CHC | NL | 100 | 337 | 58 | 87 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 55 | 12 | 66 | 83 | 0.258 | 1335.9 |
| 1984 | CHC | NL | 137 | 473 | 86 | 132 | 30 | 4 | 23 | 96 | 16 | 69 | 86 | 0.279 | 2226.5 |
| 1985 | CHC | NL | 153 | 542 | 58 | 153 | 32 | 2 | 21 | 75 | 7 | 64 | 99 | 0.282 | 1721.4 |
| 1986 | CHC | NL | 141 | 484 | 66 | 127 | 18 | 7 | 20 | 65 | 8 | 67 | 98 | 0.262 | 1128.5 |
| 1987 | CHC | NL | 131 | 439 | 70 | 120 | 22 | 1 | 27 | 63 | 2 | 51 | 92 | 0.273 | 1332.4 |
| 1988 | CHC | NL | 24 | 73 | 10 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 | 20 | 0.219 | 87.3 |
| 1988 | CIN | NL | 21 | 51 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 0.216 | 87.3 |
| 1989 | STL | NL | 29 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.056 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0.150 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | NLCS | CHN | 5 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0.150 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 618 | 563 | 5308 | 377 | 37 | 448 |
| OF | 399 | 386 | 764 | 31 | 25 | 4 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | SLN | 1B | 8 | 4 | 44 | 8 | 1 | 6 |
| 1980 | SLN | OF | 78 | 69 | 136 | 14 | 2 | 2 |
| 1981 | CHN | 1B | 3 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1981 | CHN | OF | 83 | 83 | 159 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| 1982 | CHN | 1B | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982 | CHN | OF | 143 | 142 | 301 | 11 | 12 | 1 |
| 1983 | CHN | 1B | 6 | 5 | 35 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1983 | CHN | OF | 95 | 92 | 168 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 1984 | CHN | 1B | 130 | 126 | 1162 | 96 | 7 | 96 |
| 1985 | CHN | 1B | 151 | 144 | 1421 | 107 | 7 | 121 |
| 1986 | CHN | 1B | 141 | 133 | 1231 | 80 | 7 | 101 |
| 1987 | CHN | 1B | 123 | 114 | 1049 | 57 | 11 | 90 |
| 1988 | CHN | 1B | 20 | 19 | 167 | 15 | 1 | 16 |
| 1988 | CIN | 1B | 17 | 14 | 129 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
| 1989 | SLN | 1B | 18 | 2 | 44 | 5 | 2 | 7 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 618 |
| Left Field | 86 |
| Center Field | 115 |
| Right Field | 220 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Player of the Month | May |
| 1982 | Silver Slugger | OF |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | SLN | NL | $175,000 |
| 1988 | CHN | NL | $1,383,333 |
| 1987 | CHN | NL | $1,183,333 |
| 1986 | CHN | NL | $983,333 |
| 1985 | CHN | NL | $800,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $4,524,999 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 12th | 38.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1980 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 7th | 1.0 | 120 | 0 |