Lew Fonseca
Born: 1/21/1899 in Oakland, CA, USA
Died: 11/26/1989 in Ely, IA, USA
MLB Debut: 1921-04-13 | Final Game: 1933-09-11
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Lewis Albert Fonseca
Biography
Lew Fonseca was a prominent figure in Major League Baseball during the early 20th century, playing from 1921 until his retirement in 1933. Born in 1899, he established himself as a skilled position player known for his exceptional batting prowess. Over the course of his career, Fonseca appeared in 937 games, amassing 1,075 hits and achieving a remarkable batting average of .316. His offensive contributions included 31 home runs and 485 runs batted in, alongside 64 stolen bases, which showcased his versatility and speed on the base paths.
Fonseca's career unfolded during a transformative era in baseball, as the game was evolving with the increasing prominence of power hitting and the integration of new strategies. He played significant roles with teams such as the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Indians, where he was known for his strong offensive presence and leadership qualities. His career achievements have solidified his legacy, as he remains a respected figure in baseball history for his contributions to the game during a period characterized by competitive play and the emergence of baseball as America's pastime.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.0 | 17.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.235 | 0.278 | 0.353 | 0.631 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 19.0 | 17.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.235 | 0.278 | 0.353 | 0.631 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 937 | 3404 | 518 | 1075 | 203 | 50 | 31 | 485 | 64 | 186 | 199 | 0.316 | 0.355 | 0.432 | 0.788 | 3510.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | CIN | NL | 82 | 297 | 38 | 82 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 41 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 0.276 | -819.0 |
| 1922 | CIN | NL | 81 | 291 | 55 | 105 | 20 | 3 | 4 | 45 | 7 | 14 | 18 | 0.361 | 918.3 |
| 1923 | CIN | NL | 65 | 237 | 33 | 66 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 28 | 4 | 9 | 16 | 0.278 | -255.0 |
| 1924 | CIN | NL | 20 | 57 | 5 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0.228 | -222.6 |
| 1925 | PHI | NL | 126 | 467 | 78 | 149 | 30 | 5 | 7 | 60 | 6 | 21 | 42 | 0.319 | 364.9 |
| 1927 | CLE | AL | 112 | 428 | 60 | 133 | 20 | 7 | 2 | 40 | 12 | 12 | 17 | 0.311 | -132.1 |
| 1928 | CLE | AL | 75 | 263 | 38 | 86 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 0.327 | 484.9 |
| 1929 | CLE | AL | 148 | 566 | 97 | 209 | 44 | 15 | 6 | 103 | 19 | 50 | 23 | 0.369 | 3023.6 |
| 1930 | CLE | AL | 40 | 129 | 20 | 36 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0.279 | -306.5 |
| 1931 | CHW | AL | 121 | 465 | 65 | 139 | 26 | 5 | 2 | 71 | 4 | 32 | 22 | 0.299 | 84.2 |
| 1931 | CLE | AL | 26 | 108 | 21 | 40 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 0.370 | 84.2 |
| 1932 | CHW | AL | 18 | 37 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0.135 | 0.0 |
| 1933 | CHW | AL | 23 | 59 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 0.203 | -105.1 |
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | CHW | AL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | - |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 375 | 0 | 3674 | 242 | 24 | 323 |
| 2B | 363 | 0 | 882 | 1172 | 72 | 180 |
| 3B | 22 | 0 | 14 | 38 | 6 | 1 |
| OF | 119 | 0 | 229 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
| P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | CIN | 1B | 16 | 0 | 150 | 6 | 1 | 11 |
| 1921 | CIN | 2B | 50 | 0 | 125 | 149 | 11 | 20 |
| 1921 | CIN | OF | 16 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1922 | CIN | 2B | 71 | 0 | 197 | 251 | 14 | 40 |
| 1923 | CIN | 1B | 14 | 0 | 129 | 7 | 2 | 10 |
| 1923 | CIN | 2B | 45 | 0 | 123 | 169 | 13 | 27 |
| 1924 | CIN | 1B | 6 | 0 | 51 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1924 | CIN | 2B | 10 | 0 | 11 | 27 | 0 | 3 |
| 1925 | PHI | 1B | 55 | 0 | 498 | 26 | 3 | 37 |
| 1925 | PHI | 2B | 69 | 0 | 150 | 219 | 17 | 31 |
| 1927 | CLE | 1B | 13 | 0 | 118 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 1927 | CLE | 2B | 96 | 0 | 229 | 304 | 15 | 51 |
| 1928 | CLE | 1B | 56 | 0 | 541 | 41 | 0 | 65 |
| 1928 | CLE | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1928 | CLE | 3B | 15 | 0 | 11 | 32 | 3 | 1 |
| 1928 | CLE | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1929 | CLE | 1B | 147 | 0 | 1486 | 107 | 8 | 141 |
| 1930 | CLE | 1B | 28 | 0 | 274 | 24 | 6 | 15 |
| 1930 | CLE | 3B | 6 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| 1931 | CHA | 1B | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1931 | CHA | 2B | 21 | 0 | 46 | 49 | 2 | 8 |
| 1931 | CHA | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1931 | CHA | OF | 95 | 0 | 183 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| 1931 | CLE | 1B | 26 | 0 | 284 | 15 | 2 | 18 |
| 1932 | CHA | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1932 | CHA | OF | 8 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1933 | CHA | 1B | 12 | 0 | 138 | 12 | 0 | 15 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 1 |
| First Base | 375 |
| Second Base | 363 |
| Third Base | 22 |
| Shortstop | 4 |
| Left Field | 99 |
| Right Field | 21 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1929 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | 1B |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 22th | 2.0 | 64 | 0 |