Dave Ferriss
Born: 12/5/1921 in Shaw, MS, USA
Died: 11/24/2016 in Cleveland, MS, USA
MLB Debut: 1945-04-29 | Final Game: 1950-04-18
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 208 lbs
Full name: David Meadow Ferriss
Biography
Dave Ferriss was a prominent pitcher in Major League Baseball, who made his mark during the late 1940s. Born in 1921, Ferriss's professional career spanned from 1945 to 1950, during which he played his entire tenure with the Boston Red Sox. Known for his exceptional control and competitive spirit, he finished his career with a remarkable record of 65-30 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.64. Ferriss was also recognized for his ability to strike out batters, accumulating a total of 296 strikeouts, alongside 8 saves, which underscored his versatility on the mound.
Ferriss was selected as an All-Star twice, reflecting his status as one of the top pitchers of his era. His playing career coincided with a transformative period in baseball, following World War II, when the sport experienced a surge in popularity and talent, particularly with the integration of African American players into the Major Leagues. His contributions to the Red Sox during this time helped solidify his legacy in the franchise's history. Although his career was relatively brief, Ferriss's impact on the game and his impressive performance remain notable in the annals of baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | 30 | 144 | 103 | 67 | 12 | 8 | 880.0 | 914 | 356 | 42 | 314 | 296 | 3.64 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | BOS | AL | 21 | 10 | 35 | 31 | 26 | 5 | 2 | 264.7 | 263 | 87 | 85 | 94 | 2.96 | 2912.4 |
| 1946 | BOS | AL | 25 | 6 | 40 | 35 | 26 | 6 | 3 | 274.0 | 274 | 99 | 71 | 106 | 3.25 | 2700.2 |
| 1947 | BOS | AL | 12 | 11 | 33 | 28 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 218.3 | 241 | 98 | 92 | 64 | 4.04 | -1248.3 |
| 1948 | BOS | AL | 7 | 3 | 31 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 115.3 | 127 | 67 | 61 | 30 | 5.23 | -1701.8 |
| 1949 | BOS | AL | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.7 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4.05 | 0.0 |
| 1950 | BOS | AL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 18.00 | 0.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 194 | 372 | 44 | 93 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 52 | 0 | 37 | 46 | 0.250 | 0.318 | 0.333 | 0.651 | -404.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | BOS | AL | 61 | 120 | 16 | 32 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 11 | 0.267 | 192.3 |
| 1946 | BOS | AL | 45 | 115 | 12 | 24 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 19 | 0.209 | -539.9 |
| 1947 | BOS | AL | 52 | 99 | 11 | 27 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0.273 | -56.5 |
| 1948 | BOS | AL | 31 | 37 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0.243 | 0.0 |
| 1949 | BOS | AL | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 |
| 1950 | BOS | AL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | WS | BOS | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 13.3 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2.02 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | WS | BOS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 13.3 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2.02 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 144 | 0 | 71 | 164 | 5 | 18 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | BOS | P | 35 | 0 | 22 | 67 | 2 | 10 |
| 1946 | BOS | P | 40 | 0 | 25 | 43 | 1 | 5 |
| 1947 | BOS | P | 33 | 0 | 13 | 33 | 2 | 2 |
| 1948 | BOS | P | 31 | 0 | 10 | 21 | 0 | 1 |
| 1949 | BOS | P | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1950 | BOS | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 144 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | P3 |
| 1946 | TSN All-Star | P |
| 1945 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | P2 |
| 1945 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | P3 |
| 1945 | TSN All-Star | P |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi State | MS | 1939, 1940, 1941 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 7th | 94.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1945 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 148.0 | 336 | 2 |