Pinky Hargrave
Born: 1/31/1896 in New Haven, IN, USA
Died: 10/3/1942 in Fort Wayne, IN, USA
MLB Debut: 1923-05-18 | Final Game: 1933-09-23
Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 5'8" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: William McKinley Hargrave
Biography
Pinky Hargrave was a professional baseball player born in 1896, who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1923 to 1933. A versatile position player, Hargrave played a total of 650 games during his career, where he established himself as a reliable hitter with a career batting average of .278. He recorded 445 hits, including 39 home runs, and drove in 265 runs, showcasing his ability to contribute significantly to his team's offensive efforts. Additionally, he demonstrated speed on the basepaths with 17 stolen bases, adding another dimension to his playing style.
Hargrave's playing era was characterized by the transition from the deadball era to a more offense-driven game as the league began to embrace power hitting. His performance in the decade of the 1920s and early 1930s reflected the changing landscape of baseball, where players were beginning to redefine their approach to hitting and run production. Though he may not have achieved the same level of fame as some of his contemporaries, Pinky Hargrave's contributions to the game and his consistent performance during his career solidified his place in baseball history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 650 | 1601 | 177 | 445 | 91 | 16 | 39 | 265 | 17 | 140 | 165 | 0.278 | 0.339 | 0.428 | 0.767 | 927.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 | WSN | AL | 33 | 59 | 4 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0.288 | -146.3 |
| 1924 | WSN | AL | 24 | 33 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.152 | 0.0 |
| 1925 | SLA | AL | 67 | 225 | 34 | 64 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 43 | 2 | 13 | 13 | 0.284 | 129.6 |
| 1925 | WSN | AL | 5 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.500 | 129.6 |
| 1926 | SLA | AL | 92 | 235 | 20 | 66 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 37 | 3 | 10 | 38 | 0.281 | 196.3 |
| 1928 | DET | AL | 121 | 320 | 38 | 88 | 13 | 5 | 10 | 63 | 4 | 32 | 28 | 0.275 | 342.3 |
| 1929 | DET | AL | 76 | 185 | 26 | 61 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 2 | 20 | 24 | 0.330 | 410.1 |
| 1930 | DET | AL | 55 | 137 | 18 | 39 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 2 | 20 | 12 | 0.285 | 185.7 |
| 1930 | WSN | AL | 10 | 31 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0.194 | 185.7 |
| 1931 | WSN | AL | 40 | 80 | 6 | 26 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 0.325 | 249.3 |
| 1932 | BSN | NL | 82 | 217 | 20 | 57 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 33 | 1 | 24 | 18 | 0.263 | 47.3 |
| 1933 | BSN | NL | 45 | 73 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 0.178 | -486.9 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | 8 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| C | 442 | 0 | 1445 | 246 | 41 | 38 |
| OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 | WS1 | C | 5 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 1923 | WS1 | 3B | 8 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 1923 | WS1 | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1924 | WS1 | C | 8 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1925 | SLA | C | 62 | 0 | 211 | 44 | 5 | 4 |
| 1925 | WS1 | C | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926 | SLA | C | 58 | 0 | 165 | 50 | 5 | 7 |
| 1928 | DET | C | 88 | 0 | 301 | 35 | 8 | 5 |
| 1929 | DET | C | 48 | 0 | 175 | 38 | 6 | 7 |
| 1930 | DET | C | 40 | 0 | 175 | 14 | 3 | 3 |
| 1930 | WS1 | C | 9 | 0 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 1931 | WS1 | C | 25 | 0 | 79 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| 1932 | BSN | C | 73 | 0 | 206 | 39 | 8 | 4 |
| 1933 | BSN | C | 25 | 0 | 59 | 7 | 3 | 3 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 442 |
| Third Base | 8 |
| Left Field | 1 |