Ken Harrelson
Born: 9/4/1941 in Woodruff, SC, USA
MLB Debut: 1963-06-09 | Final Game: 1971-06-20
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 190 lbs
Full name: Kenneth Smith Harrelson
Biography
Ken Harrelson, born in 1941, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball who played from 1963 until 1971. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 900 games, amassing 703 hits, 131 home runs, and 421 RBIs, while maintaining a batting average of .239. Known for his power-hitting capabilities, Harrelson also demonstrated speed on the base paths, recording 53 stolen bases. His contributions to the game earned him an All-Star selection during his career, highlighting his significance as a player in the era.
Harrelson's career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, marked by the emergence of power hitters and the evolving strategies of the game. His ability to combine both hitting prowess and speed made him a valuable asset to his teams. After retiring from playing, Harrelson transitioned into a successful career as a broadcaster, where he continued to influence the game and connect with fans, solidifying his legacy in the world of baseball.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 900 | 2941 | 374 | 703 | 94 | 14 | 131 | 421 | 53 | 382 | 577 | 0.239 | 0.325 | 0.414 | 0.740 | 5678.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | KC1 | AL | 79 | 226 | 16 | 52 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 23 | 1 | 23 | 58 | 0.230 | -116.2 |
| 1964 | KC1 | AL | 49 | 139 | 15 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 13 | 34 | 0.194 | -172.9 |
| 1965 | KC1 | AL | 150 | 483 | 61 | 115 | 17 | 3 | 23 | 66 | 9 | 66 | 112 | 0.238 | 1090.5 |
| 1966 | KC1 | AL | 63 | 210 | 24 | 47 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 22 | 9 | 27 | 59 | 0.224 | -199.9 |
| 1966 | WS2 | AL | 71 | 250 | 25 | 62 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 28 | 4 | 26 | 53 | 0.248 | -199.9 |
| 1967 | BOS | AL | 23 | 80 | 9 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 12 | 0.200 | -86.3 |
| 1967 | KC1 | AL | 61 | 174 | 23 | 53 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 30 | 8 | 17 | 17 | 0.305 | -86.3 |
| 1967 | WS2 | AL | 26 | 79 | 10 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 15 | 0.203 | -86.3 |
| 1968 | BOS | AL | 150 | 535 | 79 | 147 | 17 | 4 | 35 | 109 | 2 | 69 | 90 | 0.275 | 3581.6 |
| 1969 | BOS | AL | 10 | 46 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0.217 | -0.9 |
| 1969 | CLE | AL | 149 | 519 | 83 | 115 | 13 | 4 | 27 | 84 | 17 | 95 | 96 | 0.222 | -0.9 |
| 1970 | CLE | AL | 17 | 39 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0.282 | 0.0 |
| 1971 | CLE | AL | 52 | 161 | 20 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 24 | 21 | 0.199 | -251.4 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.077 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | WS | BOS | 4 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.077 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 469 | 433 | 3780 | 280 | 41 | 338 |
| OF | 365 | 351 | 623 | 20 | 9 | 3 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | KC1 | 1B | 34 | 31 | 283 | 16 | 6 | 24 |
| 1963 | KC1 | OF | 28 | 26 | 43 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1964 | KC1 | 1B | 15 | 9 | 105 | 13 | 0 | 14 |
| 1964 | KC1 | OF | 24 | 21 | 40 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1965 | KC1 | 1B | 125 | 123 | 1044 | 70 | 9 | 93 |
| 1965 | KC1 | OF | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1966 | KC1 | 1B | 58 | 58 | 485 | 48 | 8 | 42 |
| 1966 | KC1 | OF | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | WS2 | 1B | 70 | 68 | 641 | 38 | 6 | 53 |
| 1967 | BOS | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1967 | BOS | OF | 23 | 22 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1967 | KC1 | 1B | 45 | 41 | 333 | 25 | 3 | 21 |
| 1967 | WS2 | 1B | 23 | 21 | 215 | 16 | 1 | 17 |
| 1968 | BOS | 1B | 19 | 17 | 135 | 9 | 3 | 9 |
| 1968 | BOS | OF | 132 | 127 | 241 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 1969 | BOS | 1B | 10 | 10 | 105 | 11 | 1 | 15 |
| 1969 | CLE | 1B | 16 | 3 | 40 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| 1969 | CLE | OF | 144 | 143 | 257 | 7 | 4 | 2 |
| 1970 | CLE | 1B | 13 | 13 | 80 | 7 | 0 | 15 |
| 1971 | CLE | 1B | 40 | 39 | 311 | 23 | 4 | 29 |
| 1971 | CLE | OF | 7 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 467 |
| Left Field | 70 |
| Right Field | 295 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1968 | TSN Comeback Player of the Year | |
| 1968 | TSN Player of the Year |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 3rd | 103.0 | 280 | 0 |