Benny Frey
Born: 4/6/1906 in Dexter, MI, USA
Died: 11/1/1937 in Spring Arbor Township, MI, USA
MLB Debut: 1929-09-18 | Final Game: 1936-09-22
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 165 lbs
Full name: Benjamin Rudolph Frey
Biography
Benny Frey was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1929 to 1936. Born in 1906, Frey made his debut during a transformative period in baseball, often marked by the end of the deadball era and the rise of more offensive play styles. Over his career, he compiled a record of 57 wins and 82 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.5. Frey recorded a total of 179 strikeouts and secured 8 saves, contributing to his teamsโ efforts on the mound during a time when pitching was evolving, and teams began to place greater emphasis on specialized roles.
Frey's playing style was characterized by a solid work ethic and a competitive spirit, as reflected in his performance statistics. He navigated the challenges of the game during his career, which included the Great Depression, a time that affected many players and franchises. While not a household name, Frey's contributions as a left-handed pitcher and his ability to adapt to the changing dynamics of the sport left a lasting mark on the teams he played for, and he remains a part of the rich tapestry of baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | 82 | 256 | 127 | 49 | 7 | 8 | 1160.0 | 1415 | 580 | 54 | 263 | 179 | 4.50 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | CIN | NL | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 24.0 | 29 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 4.12 | -414.1 |
| 1930 | CIN | NL | 11 | 18 | 44 | 28 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 245.0 | 295 | 128 | 62 | 43 | 4.70 | 441.4 |
| 1931 | CIN | NL | 8 | 12 | 34 | 17 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 133.7 | 166 | 73 | 36 | 19 | 4.92 | 847.0 |
| 1932 | CIN | NL | 4 | 10 | 28 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 131.3 | 159 | 63 | 30 | 27 | 4.32 | -429.3 |
| 1932 | STL | NL | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 12.00 | - |
| 1933 | CIN | NL | 6 | 4 | 37 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 132.0 | 144 | 56 | 21 | 12 | 3.82 | 1083.8 |
| 1934 | CIN | NL | 11 | 16 | 39 | 30 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 245.3 | 288 | 96 | 42 | 33 | 3.52 | 2332.9 |
| 1935 | CIN | NL | 6 | 10 | 38 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 114.3 | 164 | 87 | 32 | 24 | 6.85 | -78.5 |
| 1936 | CIN | NL | 10 | 8 | 31 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 131.3 | 164 | 62 | 30 | 20 | 4.25 | 1292.2 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 260 | 385 | 33 | 98 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 26 | 67 | 0.255 | 0.305 | 0.294 | 0.599 | -833.6 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | CIN | NL | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.375 | 0.0 |
| 1930 | CIN | NL | 44 | 88 | 7 | 25 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 0.284 | -259.3 |
| 1931 | CIN | NL | 34 | 44 | 4 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.318 | 0.0 |
| 1932 | CIN | NL | 28 | 44 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0.205 | 0.0 |
| 1932 | STL | NL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1933 | CIN | NL | 38 | 42 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0.262 | 0.0 |
| 1934 | CIN | NL | 41 | 82 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 21 | 0.171 | -574.3 |
| 1935 | CIN | NL | 38 | 32 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0.344 | 0.0 |
| 1936 | CIN | NL | 32 | 44 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 256 | 0 | 54 | 354 | 15 | 35 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | CIN | P | 3 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 2 |
| 1930 | CIN | P | 44 | 0 | 10 | 79 | 1 | 7 |
| 1931 | CIN | P | 34 | 0 | 4 | 48 | 1 | 5 |
| 1932 | CIN | P | 28 | 0 | 7 | 39 | 0 | 5 |
| 1932 | SLN | P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933 | CIN | P | 37 | 0 | 11 | 36 | 3 | 3 |
| 1934 | CIN | P | 39 | 0 | 8 | 74 | 1 | 6 |
| 1935 | CIN | P | 38 | 0 | 6 | 34 | 1 | 5 |
| 1936 | CIN | P | 31 | 0 | 6 | 33 | 5 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 256 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 16th | 4.0 | 80 | 0 |