Tom Fordham
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1997-1998)
Tom Fordham was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1997 to 1998 for the Chicago White Sox, a span of 2 seasons. Across 36 career appearances, he went 1-3 with a 6.61 ERA and 33 strikeouts.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 210 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1997-08-19
- Last Game
- 1998-08-30
Full name: Thomas James Fordham
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | CHA | AL | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17.1 | 17 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 6.23 | 4.39 (-42%) | -420.2 |
| 1998 | CHA | AL | 1 | 2 | 29 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48.0 | 51 | 36 | 42 | 23 | 6.75 | 4.43 (-52%) | -2799.0 |
| Career · 2 seasons | 1 | 3 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65.1 | 68 | 48 | 52 | 33 | 6.61 | — | -3,219 | ||
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.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0 |
Career AVG .000 vs. league average .266 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.
Career OBP .000 vs. league average .336 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.
Career SLG .000 vs. league average .420 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.
Career OPS .000 vs. league average .756 across their career seasons — 100.0% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | CHA | AL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1998 | CHA | AL | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 2 seasons | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
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 (72 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Away | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 21 | 35.1 | 30 | 23 | 30 | 14 | 5.86 |
| Away | 15 | 30.0 | 38 | 25 | 22 | 19 | 7.50 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-08-30 | CHW | TEX | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-08-25 | CHW | BAL | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-08-20 | CHW | OAK | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-06-27 | CHW | MIL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-06-22 | CHW | PIT | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998-06-19 | CHW | MIN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-06-16 | CHW | BOS | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-06-10 | CHW | STL | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-06-08 | CHW | STL | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-06-07 | CHW | CHC | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-08-30 | CHW | TEX | — | 4.2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998-08-25 | CHW | BAL | — | 4.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998-08-20 | CHW | OAK | L | 6.1 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 1998-06-27 | CHW | MIL | L | 2.1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 1998-06-22 | CHW | PIT | — | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-06-19 | CHW | MIN | — | 4.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998-06-16 | CHW | BOS | — | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998-06-10 | CHW | STL | — | 0.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998-06-08 | CHW | STL | — | 0.1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998-06-07 | CHW | CHC | — | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 36 |
Salary History
Tom Fordham's recorded salaries total $175,000 over 1 season, in 1998. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Fordham's career ran from 1997 to 1998. No salary is recorded for 1997.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | CHA | AL | $175,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $175,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grossmont College | El Cajon | CA | 1993 |
Tom Fordham: the record in brief
Between the debut on August 19, 1997 and the final game on August 30, 1998, Tom Fordham built the record summarized on this page. Fordham's only club in the season tables is the Chicago White Sox. Listed as a pitcher, Fordham batted and threw left-handed. The recorded size is 210 pounds on a 6-foot-2 frame. The birth record reads February 20, 1974, in San Diego, CA, USA. Tom Fordham was the playing name; the full given name is Thomas James.
The pitching table credits Fordham with a 1-3 record and a 6.61 ERA in 36 games. Fordham had 33 strikeouts. The league ERA over Fordham's seasons was 4.41, so the 6.61 figure ran 49.9% worse than average. In 1998, one of the busiest seasons, Fordham posted a 6.75 ERA; the league figure that year was 4.43.
Fordham appears at one position only: pitcher, in 36 games. Fielding on the mound produced 3 putouts and 13 assists against 0 errors.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tom Fordham
- What years did Tom Fordham play?
- Tom Fordham played in Major League Baseball from 1997 to 1998.
- Was Tom Fordham a pitcher?
- Yes. Tom Fordham pitched in the major leagues, recording 1 wins and 33 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Tom Fordham hit?
- Tom Fordham hit 0 career home runs.
- What teams did Tom Fordham play for?
- Tom Fordham played for one team, the Chicago White Sox (1997–1998).
- What were Tom Fordham's career stats?
- In 36 games, Tom Fordham went 1-3 with a 6.61 ERA, 33 strikeouts, and 65.1 innings pitched.
- How much did Tom Fordham earn in his career?
- Tom Fordham's recorded salaries total $175,000 over 1 season, in 1998. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Fordham's career ran from 1997 to 1998. No salary is recorded for 1997.
- What was Tom Fordham's salary?
- Tom Fordham's recorded salary was $175,000 in 1998.
- What position did Tom Fordham play?
- Tom Fordham played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Tom Fordham and how much did he weigh?
- Tom Fordham was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 210 pounds.
- What was Tom Fordham's career ERA?
- Tom Fordham finished with a 6.61 career ERA, going 1-3 with 33 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Tom Fordham have?
- Tom Fordham recorded 33 career strikeouts.
- Is Tom Fordham in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Tom Fordham has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.