Jerry Hairston
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1973-1989)
Jerry Hairston was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1973 to 1989 for the Chicago White Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates, a span of 17 seasons. In 859 career games, he hit .258 with 438 hits, 30 home runs, and 205 RBI. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 1,817.
- 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- B / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 170 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1973-07-26
- Last Game
- 1989-09-25
Full name: Jerry Wayne Hairston
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 859 | 1,699 | 216 | 438 | 91 | 6 | 30 | 205 | 4 | 282 | 240 | .258 | .362 | .371 | .734 | 1,817 |
Career AVG .258 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .362 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — +11.8% above league average.
Career SLG .371 vs. league average .384 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .734 vs. league average .708 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | CHA | AL | 60 | 210 | 25 | 57 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 33 | 30 | .271 | .256 (+6%) | .325 (+14%) | .378 (-12%) | .703 (avg) | 129.0 |
| 1974 | CHA | AL | 45 | 109 | 8 | 25 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 18 | .229 | .256 (-11%) | .324 (-4%) | .369 (-20%) | .693 (-13%) | -192.6 |
| 1975 | CHA | AL | 69 | 219 | 26 | 62 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 46 | 23 | .283 | .257 (+10%) | .327 (+24%) | .374 (-15%) | .701 (+4%) | 393.8 |
| 1976 | CHA | AL | 44 | 119 | 20 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 24 | 19 | .227 | .255 (-11%) | .320 (+10%) | .360 (-23%) | .681 (-8%) | -59.9 |
| 1977 | CHA | AL | 13 | 26 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 7 | .308 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1977 | PIT | NL | 51 | 52 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 10 | .192 | .264 (-27%) | .329 (-18%) | .401 (-14%) | .730 (-15%) | 0.0 |
| 1981 | CHA | AL | 9 | 25 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .280 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1982 | CHA | AL | 85 | 90 | 11 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 0 | 9 | 15 | .233 | .261 (-11%) | .324 (-9%) | .388 (+17%) | .712 (+5%) | 36.1 |
| 1983 | CHA | AL | 101 | 126 | 17 | 37 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 0 | 23 | 16 | .294 | .260 (+13%) | .324 (+22%) | .389 (+28%) | .714 (+26%) | 657.6 |
| 1984 | CHA | AL | 115 | 227 | 41 | 59 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 2 | 41 | 29 | .260 | .259 (avg) | .322 (+15%) | .384 (+4%) | .707 (+9%) | 537.1 |
| 1985 | CHA | AL | 95 | 140 | 9 | 34 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 29 | 18 | .243 | .257 (-6%) | .323 (+15%) | .390 (-12%) | .714 (avg) | 109.2 |
| 1986 | CHA | AL | 101 | 225 | 32 | 61 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 26 | 0 | 26 | 26 | .271 | .257 (+5%) | .325 (+7%) | .395 (+2%) | .720 (+4%) | 224.0 |
| 1987 | CHA | AL | 66 | 126 | 14 | 29 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 20 | 0 | 25 | 25 | .230 | .262 (-12%) | .331 (+8%) | .415 (-1%) | .746 (+3%) | 122.4 |
| 1988 | CHA | AL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1989 | CHA | AL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 15 seasons | 859 | 1,699 | 216 | 438 | 91 | 6 | 30 | 205 | 4 | 282 | 240 | .258 | — | — | — | — | 1,957 | ||
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 (859 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 411 | 806 | 123 | 212 | 14 | 113 | .263 |
| Away | 448 | 893 | 93 | 226 | 16 | 92 | .253 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-09-25 | CHW | MIN | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-12 | CHW | BAL | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-09 | CHW | DET | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988-09-17 | CHW | MIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988-09-15 | CHW | MIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-10-02 | CHW | OAK | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987-09-25 | CHW | OAK | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987-09-23 | CHW | LAA | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-09-22 | CHW | LAA | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987-09-18 | CHW | SEA | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 45 | 36 | 306 | 23 | 2 | 29 |
| 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 320 | 216 | 474 | 18 | 19 | 2 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | CHA | 1B | 19 | 15 | 130 | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| 1973 | CHA | OF | 33 | 33 | 64 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 1974 | CHA | OF | 22 | 15 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1975 | CHA | OF | 59 | 58 | 111 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| 1976 | CHA | OF | 40 | 31 | 71 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1977 | CHA | OF | 11 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | PIT | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | PIT | OF | 14 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 | CHA | OF | 7 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | CHA | OF | 36 | 9 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1983 | CHA | OF | 32 | 12 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | CHA | OF | 37 | 25 | 57 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1985 | CHA | OF | 5 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | CHA | 1B | 19 | 15 | 121 | 8 | 0 | 11 |
| 1986 | CHA | OF | 11 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | CHA | 1B | 7 | 6 | 55 | 5 | 1 | 7 |
| 1987 | CHA | OF | 13 | 9 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 45 |
| Second Base | 1 |
| Left Field | 216 |
| Center Field | 38 |
| Right Field | 72 |
| Designated Hitter | 130 |
Salary History
Jerry Hairston's recorded salaries total $306,667 over 2 seasons, 1985 to 1986. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Hairston's career ran from 1973 to 1989. His seasons before 1985 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 1987, 1988, and 1989.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | CHA | AL | $156,667 |
| 1985 | CHA | AL | $150,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $306,667 | ||
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Jerry Hairston (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Jerry Hairston: the record in brief
Jerry Hairston's major league career runs from a debut on July 26, 1973 to a final game on September 25, 1989. Hairston played for the Chicago White Sox (1973 to 1989) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1977). Born on February 16, 1952, in Birmingham, AL, USA, Hairston is listed as an outfielder and batted from both sides and threw right-handed. Hairston's listed size is 170 pounds on a 5-foot-10 frame. The given name on file is Jerry Wayne Hairston.
Hairston collected 438 hits in 1,699 at bats across 859 games, good for a .258 batting average, along with 30 homers and 205 runs batted in. On-base and slugging figures of .362 and .371 give Hairston a career OPS of .734. Hairston hit .258 while the league hit .258 over the same span, a figure close to average. No season topped the 62 hits of 1975. 1986 brought the most runs batted in, 26. Among the seasons with the heaviest workload, the best average was .283 in 1975, 10% above that year's league mark of .257.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jerry Hairston
- What years did Jerry Hairston play?
- Jerry Hairston played in Major League Baseball from 1973 to 1989.
- Was Jerry Hairston a pitcher?
- No. Jerry Hairston was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Jerry Hairston hit?
- Jerry Hairston hit 30 career home runs with 438 hits.
- What teams did Jerry Hairston play for?
- Jerry Hairston played for 2 teams: the Chicago White Sox (1973–1977, 1981–1989) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1977).
- What were Jerry Hairston's career stats?
- In 859 games, Jerry Hairston had 438 hits, 30 home runs, 205 RBI, 216 runs, and 4 stolen bases, with a .258 batting average.
- How much did Jerry Hairston earn in his career?
- Jerry Hairston's recorded salaries total $306,667 over 2 seasons, 1985 to 1986. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Hairston's career ran from 1973 to 1989. His seasons before 1985 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 1987, 1988, and 1989.
- What was Jerry Hairston's salary?
- Jerry Hairston's last recorded salary was $156,667, in 1986. His highest recorded salary was $156,667, in 1986, and his lowest was $150,000, in 1985. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 1986.
- What position did Jerry Hairston play?
- Jerry Hairston played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Jerry Hairston and how much did he weigh?
- Jerry Hairston was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 170 pounds.
- How many home runs did Jerry Hairston hit each season?
- Jerry Hairston's home runs by season: 0 in 1973, 0 in 1974, 0 in 1975, 0 in 1976, 2 in 1977, 1 in 1981, 5 in 1982, 5 in 1983, 5 in 1984, 2 in 1985, 5 in 1986, 5 in 1987, 0 in 1988, and 0 in 1989. His most in one season was 5, in 1982–1984, 1986–1987.
- What was Jerry Hairston's career batting average?
- Jerry Hairston batted .258 over his career, with 438 hits in 1,699 at bats.
- How many RBI did Jerry Hairston have?
- Jerry Hairston drove in 205 runs in his career.
- Is Jerry Hairston in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jerry Hairston has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.