Billy Gardner
Born: 7/19/1927 in New London, CT, USA
Died: 1/3/2024 in Waterford, CT, USA
MLB Debut: 1954-04-22 | Final Game: 1963-09-11
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 170 lbs
Full name: William Frederick Gardner
Biography
Billy Gardner was a professional baseball player born in 1927, who played as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1954 until 1963. Over the course of his career, Gardner participated in 1,034 games, amassing a total of 841 hits. He demonstrated versatility and endurance on the field, finishing his career with a batting average of .237, 41 home runs, and 271 RBIs. Known for his speed, he contributed 19 stolen bases during his time in the league.
Gardner's career unfolded during a dynamic period in baseball history, characterized by the transition from the post-war era into a more modern approach to the game. Although his batting average may not reflect the prolific offensive production seen in some of his contemporaries, he was recognized for his solid defensive capabilities and his ability to contribute to his teams in various ways. His longevity in the game and contributions on the field made him a valued player in the organizations he represented, leaving an indelible mark on the teams he played for until his retirement in 1963.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1034 | 3544 | 356 | 841 | 159 | 18 | 41 | 271 | 19 | 246 | 439 | 0.237 | 0.292 | 0.327 | 0.619 | -9550.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | NY1 | NL | 62 | 108 | 10 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 19 | 0.213 | -473.0 |
| 1955 | NY1 | NL | 59 | 187 | 26 | 38 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 13 | 19 | 0.203 | -726.5 |
| 1956 | BAL | AL | 144 | 515 | 53 | 119 | 16 | 2 | 11 | 50 | 5 | 29 | 53 | 0.231 | -1693.8 |
| 1957 | BAL | AL | 154 | 644 | 79 | 169 | 36 | 3 | 6 | 55 | 10 | 53 | 67 | 0.262 | -551.6 |
| 1958 | BAL | AL | 151 | 560 | 32 | 126 | 28 | 2 | 3 | 33 | 2 | 34 | 53 | 0.225 | -2453.7 |
| 1959 | BAL | AL | 140 | 401 | 34 | 87 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 27 | 2 | 38 | 61 | 0.217 | -1426.2 |
| 1960 | WSN | AL | 145 | 592 | 71 | 152 | 26 | 5 | 9 | 56 | 0 | 43 | 76 | 0.257 | -595.2 |
| 1961 | MIN | AL | 45 | 154 | 13 | 36 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 14 | 0.234 | -502.2 |
| 1961 | NYY | AL | 41 | 99 | 11 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 0.212 | -502.2 |
| 1962 | BOS | AL | 53 | 199 | 22 | 54 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 39 | 0.271 | -360.1 |
| 1962 | NYY | AL | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | -360.1 |
| 1963 | BOS | AL | 36 | 84 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 0.190 | -409.7 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | WS | NYA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 839 | 805 | 1923 | 2173 | 91 | 559 |
| 3B | 92 | 57 | 63 | 159 | 10 | 10 |
| SS | 108 | 54 | 125 | 236 | 16 | 40 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | NY1 | 2B | 13 | 5 | 17 | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| 1954 | NY1 | 3B | 30 | 21 | 18 | 56 | 1 | 2 |
| 1954 | NY1 | SS | 5 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 1955 | NY1 | 2B | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1955 | NY1 | 3B | 10 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 1955 | NY1 | SS | 38 | 36 | 65 | 122 | 12 | 28 |
| 1956 | BAL | 2B | 132 | 126 | 274 | 331 | 16 | 76 |
| 1956 | BAL | 3B | 6 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956 | BAL | SS | 25 | 8 | 24 | 46 | 2 | 1 |
| 1957 | BAL | 2B | 148 | 148 | 393 | 424 | 11 | 96 |
| 1957 | BAL | SS | 9 | 6 | 13 | 26 | 1 | 7 |
| 1958 | BAL | 2B | 151 | 150 | 349 | 350 | 11 | 113 |
| 1958 | BAL | SS | 13 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | BAL | 2B | 139 | 129 | 333 | 392 | 18 | 104 |
| 1959 | BAL | 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | BAL | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1960 | WS1 | 2B | 145 | 145 | 355 | 407 | 21 | 101 |
| 1960 | WS1 | SS | 13 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 1961 | MIN | 2B | 41 | 41 | 86 | 96 | 5 | 32 |
| 1961 | MIN | 3B | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 1961 | NYA | 2B | 6 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
| 1961 | NYA | 3B | 33 | 22 | 26 | 54 | 4 | 6 |
| 1962 | BOS | 2B | 38 | 38 | 66 | 91 | 6 | 21 |
| 1962 | BOS | 3B | 7 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 3 | 1 |
| 1962 | BOS | SS | 4 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 1 |
| 1962 | NYA | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1962 | NYA | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1963 | BOS | 2B | 21 | 18 | 36 | 54 | 1 | 13 |
| 1963 | BOS | 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 840 |
| Third Base | 91 |
| Shortstop | 109 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 12th | 22.0 | 336 | 0 |