Jelly Gardner
Center Fielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records
Jelly Gardner was a center fielder who played in Major League Baseball for 5 teams, including the Detroit Stars. In 698 career games, he hit .283 with 703 hits, 3 home runs, and 232 RBI. 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
- Center Fielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'7" / 160 lb
- Died
- 3/28/1977 in Chicago, IL, USA
Full name: Floyd Gardner
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 698 | 2,487 | 473 | 703 | 74 | 19 | 3 | 232 | 136 | 362 | 18 | .283 | .376 | .331 | .708 | -193 |
Career AVG .283 vs. league average .282 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .376 vs. league average .344 across their career seasons — +9.4% above league average.
Career SLG .331 vs. league average .394 across their career seasons — 15.9% below league average.
Career OPS .708 vs. league average .738 across their career seasons — near 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | DS | WES | 21 | 61 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 0 | .213 | .262 (-19%) | .322 (avg) | .347 (-25%) | .670 (-13%) | -82.8 |
| 1920 | DM | NNL | 2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1920 | CAG | NNL | 26 | 96 | 21 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 0 | .281 | .271 (+3%) | .331 (+14%) | .363 (-5%) | .694 (+4%) | 0.0 |
| 1921 | CAG | NNL | 62 | 194 | 16 | 45 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 15 | 26 | 8 | .232 | .286 (-19%) | .344 (-5%) | .395 (-40%) | .739 (-23%) | -634.4 |
| 1922 | CAG | NNL | 69 | 237 | 47 | 63 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 26 | 37 | 5 | .266 | .285 (-7%) | .345 (+5%) | .397 (-24%) | .743 (-10%) | -254.8 |
| 1923 | CAG | NNL | 75 | 283 | 70 | 79 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 21 | 43 | 0 | .279 | .282 (-1%) | .344 (+10%) | .390 (-20%) | .734 (-6%) | -105.9 |
| 1924 | CAG | NNL | 78 | 290 | 66 | 93 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 29 | 13 | 54 | 2 | .321 | .283 (+13%) | .345 (+24%) | .389 (-2%) | .734 (+10%) | 819.4 |
| 1925 | CAG | NNL | 84 | 320 | 46 | 90 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 42 | 9 | 33 | 0 | .281 | .288 (-2%) | .349 (avg) | .407 (-14%) | .756 (-8%) | -351.8 |
| 1926 | CAG | NNL | 68 | 247 | 57 | 82 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 6 | 37 | 1 | .332 | .279 (+19%) | .345 (+21%) | .390 (+6%) | .735 (+13%) | 722.0 |
| 1927 | NLG | ECL | 5 | 21 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .286 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1928 | CAG | NNL | 50 | 184 | 37 | 51 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 19 | 27 | 1 | .277 | .280 (-1%) | .342 (+10%) | .395 (-26%) | .737 (-9%) | -147.9 |
| 1928 | HG | EAS | 16 | 65 | 17 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 1 | .292 | .280 (+4%) | .342 (+5%) | .395 (-22%) | .737 (-9%) | -147.9 |
| 1929 | CAG | NNL | 73 | 260 | 50 | 84 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 31 | 9 | 45 | 0 | .323 | .289 (+12%) | .353 (+20%) | .415 (-4%) | .769 (+7%) | 530.6 |
| 1930 | CAG | NNL | 34 | 100 | 17 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 19 | 0 | .230 | .293 (-22%) | .354 (+6%) | .429 (-39%) | .784 (-19%) | -236.4 |
| 1931 | DS | NNL | 35 | 121 | 19 | 26 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .215 | .276 (-22%) | .338 (-19%) | .388 (-32%) | .726 (-26%) | -494.1 |
| Career · 15 seasons | 698 | 2,487 | 473 | 703 | 74 | 19 | 3 | 232 | 136 | 362 | 18 | .283 | — | — | — | — | -384 | ||
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 (13 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 11 | 32 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 2 | .219 |
| Away | 2 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | .444 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929-06-29 | CAG | KCM | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1929-06-09 | CAG | SSN | L | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1926-07-13 | CAG | DAY | W | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1924-08-18 | CAG | DT1 | W | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1924-05-18 | CAG | CUW | W | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1921-07-10 | CAG | SLG | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921-06-20 | CAG | CG1 | W | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1921-06-19 | CAG | CG1 | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921-06-13 | CAG | IN4 | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921-05-09 | CAG | KCM | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 8 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 4 | 2 |
| 3B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 694 | 590 | 1098 | 86 | 45 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | DS | OF | 21 | 20 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1920 | DM | OF | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1920 | CAG | OF | 27 | 26 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 1921 | CAG | OF | 61 | 58 | 70 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| 1922 | CAG | OF | 69 | 67 | 119 | 6 | 5 | 2 |
| 1923 | CAG | OF | 78 | 75 | 115 | 9 | 5 | 3 |
| 1924 | CAG | OF | 78 | 78 | 197 | 14 | 6 | 1 |
| 1925 | CAG | OF | 83 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926 | CAG | OF | 68 | 66 | 120 | 11 | 2 | 1 |
| 1927 | NLG | OF | 5 | 5 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1928 | CAG | OF | 50 | 49 | 121 | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| 1928 | HG | OF | 16 | 16 | 35 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 1929 | CAG | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1929 | CAG | OF | 74 | 73 | 171 | 10 | 6 | 1 |
| 1930 | CAG | 3B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930 | CAG | OF | 37 | 30 | 54 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1931 | DS | 2B | 7 | 7 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 2 |
| 1931 | DS | OF | 25 | 25 | 38 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 8 |
| Third Base | 1 |
| Left Field | 54 |
| Center Field | 324 |
| Right Field | 316 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Jelly Gardner: the record in brief
Jelly Gardner's record on this page is drawn from the season tables, which run from 1919 to 1931. The team column moves through the Detroit Stars (1919 to 1931), the Dayton Marcos (1920), the Chicago American Giants (1920 through 1930), the New York Lincoln Giants (1927), and the Homestead Grays (1928). The bio lists Gardner as a center fielder who threw right-handed and batted left-handed. Gardner is listed at 5'7" and 160 pounds. The birth record reads September 27, 1895, in Russellville, AR, USA. Gardner died on March 28, 1977, in Chicago, IL, USA. Gardner's full given name, per the bio, is Floyd Gardner.
Gardner's career batting table shows 698 games, 2,487 at bats and 703 hits, a .283 average, adding 3 homers, 232 runs batted in, and 136 stolen bases. Gardner's career OPS of .708 combines a .376 on-base mark with .331 slugging. Against a .282 league average for those years, Gardner's .283 average was near the norm. No season topped the 93 hits of 1924. Gardner stole 26 bases in 1922, the most of any season listed.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jelly Gardner
- Was Jelly Gardner a pitcher?
- No. Jelly Gardner was a position player (Center Fielder).
- How many home runs did Jelly Gardner hit?
- Jelly Gardner hit 3 career home runs with 703 hits.
- What teams did Jelly Gardner play for?
- Jelly Gardner played for 5 teams: the Detroit Stars (1919, 1931), the Dayton Marcos (1920), the Chicago American Giants (1920–1926, 1928–1930), the New York Lincoln Giants (1927), and the Homestead Grays (1928).
- What were Jelly Gardner's career stats?
- In 698 games, Jelly Gardner had 703 hits, 3 home runs, 232 RBI, 473 runs, and 136 stolen bases, with a .283 batting average.
- What position did Jelly Gardner play?
- Jelly Gardner played primarily as a center fielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Jelly Gardner and how much did he weigh?
- Jelly Gardner was listed at 5 feet 7 inches and 160 pounds.
- How many home runs did Jelly Gardner hit each season?
- Jelly Gardner's home runs by season: 0 in 1919, 0 in 1920, 0 in 1921, 1 in 1922, 0 in 1923, 0 in 1924, 2 in 1925, 0 in 1926, 0 in 1927, 0 in 1928, 0 in 1929, 0 in 1930, and 0 in 1931. His most in one season was 2, in 1925.
- What was Jelly Gardner's career batting average?
- Jelly Gardner batted .283 over his career, with 703 hits in 2,487 at bats.
- How many RBI did Jelly Gardner have?
- Jelly Gardner drove in 232 runs in his career.
- Is Jelly Gardner in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jelly Gardner has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.