Jimmy Ford
Second Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records
Jimmy Ford was a second baseman who played in Major League Baseball for 10 teams, including the Memphis Red Sox. In 169 career games, he hit .260 with 160 hits, 3 home runs, and 76 RBI. Jimmy Ford was a 2-time All-Star. His totals include Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB recognized as major league in 2020.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Second Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'8" / 185 lb
- Died
- 1982 in Memphis, TN, USA
- Awards
- 2× All-Star
Full name: James Ford
Negro Leagues (season totals). Additive Retrosheet-digitized totals for seasons not already in the logs above; they are not summed into the career line. No team/league breakdown is available, and coverage may be partial.
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 169 | 616 | 82 | 160 | 20 | 9 | 3 | 76 | 11 | 45 | 1 | .260 | .311 | .336 | .647 | -581 |
Career AVG .260 vs. league average .265 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .311 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — 6.7% below league average.
Career SLG .336 vs. league average .373 across their career seasons — 9.8% below league average.
Career OPS .647 vs. league average .706 across their career seasons — 8.3% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | MRS | NAL | 15 | 64 | 7 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .250 | .276 (-10%) | .342 (-24%) | .398 (-25%) | .740 (-25%) | -266.6 |
| 1938 | SEN | NN2 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .182 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1938 | BEG | NN2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1938 | BBB | NAL | 3 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .385 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1939 | SL3 | NAL | 6 | 22 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .227 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1940 | SNS | NAL | 31 | 112 | 16 | 33 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 0 | .295 | .267 (+10%) | .335 (-3%) | .387 (-3%) | .722 (-3%) | -79.8 |
| 1941 | SNS | NAL | 18 | 56 | 13 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 0 | .321 | .262 (+23%) | .332 (+22%) | .373 (+10%) | .705 (+16%) | 161.1 |
| 1942 | NBY | NN2 | 23 | 77 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 1 | .182 | .253 (-28%) | .323 (-15%) | .349 (-37%) | .672 (-26%) | -286.5 |
| 1942 | CAG | NAL | 2 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .111 | — | — | — | — | -286.5 |
| 1943 | MRS | NAL | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .500 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1943 | PS | NN2 | 12 | 43 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | .302 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1943 | HSS | NN2 | 8 | 35 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .143 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1943 | NBY | NN2 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .375 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1944 | MRS | NAL | 28 | 103 | 8 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 0 | .282 | .261 (+8%) | .325 (+3%) | .357 (-5%) | .683 (-1%) | -8.7 |
| 1945 | MRS | NAL | 16 | 55 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .218 | .260 (-16%) | .328 (-21%) | .354 (+2%) | .683 (-9%) | -100.8 |
| Career · 15 seasons | 169 | 616 | 82 | 160 | 20 | 9 | 3 | 76 | 11 | 45 | 1 | .260 | — | — | — | — | -868 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (159 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 57 | 183 | 19 | 55 | 1 | 21 | .301 |
| Away | 102 | 341 | 55 | 90 | 1 | 28 | .264 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945-09-03 | MEM | KCM | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945-09-03 | MEM | KCM | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945-09-02 | MEM | KCM | W | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945-07-22 | MEM | KCM | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945-07-22 | MEM | KCM | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945-07-19 | MEM | CAG | L | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945-07-17 | MEM | CAG | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1945-07-15 | MEM | CAG | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1945-07-15 | MEM | CAG | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945-07-02 | MEM | BIR | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 75 | 73 | 140 | 223 | 20 | 22 |
| 3B | 74 | 70 | 61 | 101 | 28 | 8 |
| OF | 11 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| SS | 6 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 1 | 2 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | MRS | 2B | 15 | 14 | 27 | 47 | 3 | 8 |
| 1937 | MRS | OF | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938 | SEN | 2B | 3 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| 1938 | BEG | 3B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938 | BBB | 3B | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1938 | BBB | SS | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1939 | SL3 | 2B | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 1939 | SL3 | OF | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1939 | SL3 | SS | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 1940 | SNS | 2B | 11 | 11 | 21 | 29 | 1 | 3 |
| 1940 | SNS | 3B | 14 | 14 | 16 | 22 | 9 | 3 |
| 1940 | SNS | OF | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1940 | SNS | SS | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1941 | SNS | 2B | 10 | 10 | 11 | 27 | 2 | 2 |
| 1941 | SNS | 3B | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 1942 | NBY | 2B | 4 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| 1942 | NBY | 3B | 20 | 18 | 10 | 29 | 8 | 2 |
| 1942 | CAG | 2B | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| 1943 | MRS | SS | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1943 | PS | 2B | 12 | 12 | 24 | 40 | 5 | 2 |
| 1943 | HSS | 2B | 8 | 8 | 21 | 26 | 0 | 2 |
| 1943 | NBY | 2B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943 | NBY | 3B | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1944 | MRS | 2B | 5 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| 1944 | MRS | 3B | 23 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 5 | 1 |
| 1945 | MRS | 2B | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1945 | MRS | 3B | 7 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| 1945 | MRS | OF | 6 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 75 |
| Third Base | 74 |
| Shortstop | 6 |
| Left Field | 3 |
| Center Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 7 |
Jimmy Ford: the record in brief
The season rows for Jimmy Ford begin in 1937. By club, Ford's seasons break down as the Memphis Red Sox (1937 through 1945), the Washington Black Senators (1938), the Baltimore Elite Giants (1938), the Birmingham Black Barons (1938), the St. Louis Stars (1939), the St. Louis-New Orleans Stars (1940 to 1941), the New York Black Yankees (1942 through 1943), and the Chicago American Giants (1942), with further stops in the season rows. At 5-foot-8 and 185 pounds, Ford is listed as a second baseman. Ford threw and hit right-handed, per the bio block. The recorded birth is October 16, 1912, in Memphis, TN, USA. Ford died in 1982, in Memphis, TN, USA. Ford's full given name, per the bio, is James Ford.
Across 169 games at the plate, Ford's career line reads 160 hits in 616 at bats for a .260 average, adding 3 home runs and 76 runs batted in. Ford got on base at a .311 rate and slugged .336 (.647 OPS). The .260 career average is close to the .265 the league hit across the same seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jimmy Ford
- Was Jimmy Ford a pitcher?
- No. Jimmy Ford was a position player (Second Baseman).
- How many home runs did Jimmy Ford hit?
- Jimmy Ford hit 3 career home runs with 160 hits.
- What teams did Jimmy Ford play for?
- Jimmy Ford played for 8 teams: the Memphis Red Sox (1937, 1943–1945), the Washington Black Senators (1938), the Baltimore Elite Giants (1938), the Birmingham Black Barons (1938), the Harrisburg-St. Louis Stars (1939–1941, 1943), the New York Black Yankees (1942–1943), the Chicago American Giants (1942), and the Philadelphia Stars (1943).
- Did Jimmy Ford win an MVP award?
- No. Jimmy Ford did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Jimmy Ford win?
- Jimmy Ford was selected to 2 All-Star Games.
- What were Jimmy Ford's career stats?
- In 169 games, Jimmy Ford had 160 hits, 3 home runs, 76 RBI, 82 runs, and 11 stolen bases, with a .260 batting average.
- What position did Jimmy Ford play?
- Jimmy Ford played primarily as a second baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Jimmy Ford and how much did he weigh?
- Jimmy Ford was listed at 5 feet 8 inches and 185 pounds.
- How many home runs did Jimmy Ford hit each season?
- Jimmy Ford's home runs by season: 0 in 1937, 0 in 1938, 0 in 1939, 0 in 1940, 0 in 1941, 0 in 1942, 1 in 1943, 1 in 1944, and 1 in 1945. His most in one season was 1, in 1943, 1944, and 1945.
- What was Jimmy Ford's career batting average?
- Jimmy Ford batted .260 over his career, with 160 hits in 616 at bats.
- How many RBI did Jimmy Ford have?
- Jimmy Ford drove in 76 runs in his career.
- Is Jimmy Ford in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jimmy Ford has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- How many All-Star Games did Jimmy Ford make?
- Jimmy Ford was selected to 2 All-Star Games.