Charlie Gehringer
⭐ Hall of Fame 1949
Born: 5/11/1903 in Fowlerville, MI, USA
Died: 1/21/1993 in Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA
MLB Debut: 1924-09-22 | Final Game: 1942-09-27
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Charles Leonard Gehringer
Biography
Charlie Gehringer, born in 1903, was a distinguished American baseball player whose career spanned from 1924 to 1942. A prominent figure in the Detroit Tigers' lineup, Gehringer established himself as one of the premier second basemen of his era. Known for his exceptional batting ability and keen baseball intellect, he finished his career with an impressive .32 batting average, accumulating 2,839 hits and 1,427 RBIs over 2,323 games. He also showcased versatility on the base paths with 181 stolen bases and demonstrated power with 184 home runs, making him a well-rounded offensive threat.
Gehringer was recognized for his contributions to the game with six All-Star selections and was honored as the TSN Guide MVP during his tenure. His induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1949 solidified his legacy as one of the all-time greats. Playing during a transformative era in baseball, Gehringer's skill set and leadership helped the Tigers secure success in the 1930s and early 1940s, and he remains celebrated for his role in popularizing the second base position as a crucial part of the team's offensive strategy.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36.0 | 30.0 | 4.0 | 11.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.367 | 0.457 | 0.567 | 1.024 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | 23.0 | 21.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.190 | 0.261 | 0.476 | 0.737 |
| 1930 | 9.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 2.000 |
| 1935 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 0.500 | 0.500 | 1.000 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2323 | 8860 | 1774 | 2839 | 574 | 146 | 184 | 1427 | 181 | 1186 | 372 | 0.320 | 0.404 | 0.480 | 0.884 | 38613.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | DET | AL | 5 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.462 | 0.0 |
| 1925 | DET | AL | 8 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 1926 | DET | AL | 123 | 459 | 62 | 127 | 19 | 17 | 1 | 48 | 9 | 30 | 42 | 0.277 | -328.8 |
| 1927 | DET | AL | 133 | 508 | 110 | 161 | 29 | 11 | 4 | 61 | 17 | 52 | 31 | 0.317 | 1229.5 |
| 1928 | DET | AL | 154 | 603 | 108 | 193 | 29 | 16 | 6 | 74 | 15 | 69 | 22 | 0.320 | 1939.2 |
| 1929 | DET | AL | 155 | 634 | 131 | 215 | 45 | 19 | 13 | 106 | 27 | 64 | 19 | 0.339 | 2948.8 |
| 1930 | DET | AL | 154 | 610 | 144 | 201 | 47 | 15 | 16 | 98 | 19 | 69 | 17 | 0.330 | 2587.3 |
| 1931 | DET | AL | 101 | 383 | 67 | 119 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 53 | 13 | 29 | 15 | 0.311 | 564.6 |
| 1932 | DET | AL | 152 | 618 | 112 | 184 | 44 | 11 | 19 | 107 | 9 | 68 | 34 | 0.298 | 2251.5 |
| 1933 | DET | AL | 155 | 628 | 103 | 204 | 42 | 6 | 12 | 105 | 5 | 68 | 27 | 0.325 | 2915.8 |
| 1934 | DET | AL | 154 | 601 | 134 | 214 | 50 | 7 | 11 | 127 | 11 | 99 | 25 | 0.356 | 4340.3 |
| 1935 | DET | AL | 150 | 610 | 123 | 201 | 32 | 8 | 19 | 108 | 11 | 79 | 16 | 0.330 | 3175.1 |
| 1936 | DET | AL | 154 | 641 | 144 | 227 | 60 | 12 | 15 | 116 | 4 | 83 | 13 | 0.354 | 4352.3 |
| 1937 | DET | AL | 144 | 564 | 133 | 209 | 40 | 1 | 14 | 96 | 11 | 90 | 25 | 0.371 | 4165.4 |
| 1938 | DET | AL | 152 | 568 | 133 | 174 | 32 | 5 | 20 | 107 | 14 | 113 | 21 | 0.306 | 3248.4 |
| 1939 | DET | AL | 118 | 406 | 86 | 132 | 29 | 6 | 16 | 86 | 4 | 68 | 16 | 0.325 | 2633.9 |
| 1940 | DET | AL | 139 | 515 | 108 | 161 | 33 | 3 | 10 | 81 | 10 | 101 | 17 | 0.313 | 2662.6 |
| 1941 | DET | AL | 127 | 436 | 65 | 96 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 46 | 1 | 95 | 26 | 0.220 | -127.0 |
| 1942 | DET | AL | 45 | 45 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0.267 | 55.1 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 81 | 12 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0.321 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | WS | DET | 7 | 28 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0.214 |
| 1935 | WS | DET | 6 | 24 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0.375 |
| 1934 | WS | DET | 7 | 29 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0.379 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 9 | 0 | 68 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| 2B | 2206 | 0 | 5369 | 7068 | 309 | 1444 |
| 3B | 6 | 0 | 9 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | DET | 2B | 5 | 0 | 12 | 17 | 1 | 2 |
| 1925 | DET | 2B | 6 | 0 | 8 | 20 | 0 | 5 |
| 1926 | DET | 2B | 112 | 0 | 255 | 323 | 16 | 56 |
| 1926 | DET | 3B | 6 | 0 | 9 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 1927 | DET | 2B | 121 | 0 | 304 | 438 | 27 | 84 |
| 1928 | DET | 2B | 154 | 0 | 377 | 507 | 35 | 101 |
| 1929 | DET | 2B | 154 | 0 | 404 | 501 | 23 | 93 |
| 1930 | DET | 2B | 154 | 0 | 399 | 501 | 19 | 97 |
| 1931 | DET | 1B | 9 | 0 | 68 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| 1931 | DET | 2B | 78 | 0 | 224 | 236 | 10 | 54 |
| 1932 | DET | 2B | 152 | 0 | 396 | 495 | 30 | 110 |
| 1933 | DET | 2B | 155 | 0 | 358 | 542 | 17 | 111 |
| 1934 | DET | 2B | 154 | 0 | 355 | 516 | 17 | 100 |
| 1935 | DET | 2B | 149 | 0 | 349 | 489 | 13 | 99 |
| 1936 | DET | 2B | 154 | 0 | 397 | 524 | 25 | 116 |
| 1937 | DET | 2B | 142 | 0 | 331 | 485 | 12 | 102 |
| 1938 | DET | 2B | 152 | 0 | 393 | 455 | 21 | 115 |
| 1939 | DET | 2B | 107 | 0 | 245 | 312 | 13 | 67 |
| 1940 | DET | 2B | 138 | 0 | 276 | 374 | 19 | 72 |
| 1941 | DET | 2B | 116 | 0 | 279 | 324 | 11 | 59 |
| 1942 | DET | 2B | 3 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 9 |
| Second Base | 2205 |
| Third Base | 6 |
Awards & Honors
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 23th | 3.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1939 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 14th | 21.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1938 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 10th | 27.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1937 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 1st | 78.0 | 80 | 6 |
| 1936 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 39.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1935 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 6th | 26.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1934 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 2nd | 65.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1933 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 6th | 32.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1932 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 9th | 13.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1931 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 17th | 4.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1928 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 12.0 | 64 | 0 |