Rollie Hemsley
Born: 6/24/1907 in Syracuse, OH, USA
Died: 7/31/1972 in Washington, DC, USA
MLB Debut: 1928-04-19 | Final Game: 1947-04-17
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 170 lbs
Full name: Ralston Burdett Hemsley
Biography
Rollie Hemsley was a professional baseball player born in 1907 who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball from 1928 to 1947. Known for his versatility as a position player, Hemsley played in 1,593 games over the course of his career, accumulating 1,321 hits and achieving a batting average of .262. His offensive contributions included 31 home runs and 555 runs batted in (RBIs), showcasing his ability to drive in runs during critical moments. Additionally, he demonstrated speed on the bases with a total of 29 stolen bases, reflecting the aggressive style of play that characterized the era in which he competed.
Hemsley was selected as an All-Star five times, a testament to his consistent performance and recognition among peers during a period that included some of baseball's greatest players. His career spanned the late 1920s through the mid-1940s, a time marked by significant changes in the game, including the integration of baseball and the transition from the deadball era to the more offensive-minded approach of the post-war years. Rollie Hemsley remains a notable figure in baseball history, remembered for his contributions both at the plate and in the field.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37.0 | 35.0 | 2.0 | 11.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.314 | 0.351 | 0.400 | 0.751 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | 17.0 | 15.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.133 | 0.235 | 0.133 | 0.368 |
| 1946 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 2.0 | 9.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.450 | 0.450 | 0.600 | 1.050 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1593 | 5047 | 562 | 1321 | 257 | 72 | 31 | 555 | 29 | 357 | 395 | 0.262 | 0.311 | 0.360 | 0.671 | -8376.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | PIT | NL | 50 | 133 | 14 | 36 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 0.271 | -403.1 |
| 1929 | PIT | NL | 88 | 235 | 31 | 68 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 37 | 1 | 11 | 22 | 0.289 | -348.9 |
| 1930 | PIT | NL | 104 | 324 | 45 | 82 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 45 | 3 | 22 | 21 | 0.253 | -1106.1 |
| 1931 | CHC | NL | 66 | 204 | 28 | 63 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 31 | 4 | 17 | 30 | 0.309 | 492.7 |
| 1931 | PIT | NL | 10 | 35 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.171 | 492.7 |
| 1932 | CHC | NL | 60 | 151 | 27 | 36 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 2 | 10 | 16 | 0.238 | -164.4 |
| 1933 | CIN | NL | 49 | 116 | 9 | 22 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 0.190 | -632.8 |
| 1933 | SLA | AL | 32 | 95 | 7 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 11 | 12 | 0.242 | -632.8 |
| 1934 | SLA | AL | 123 | 431 | 47 | 133 | 31 | 7 | 2 | 52 | 6 | 29 | 37 | 0.309 | 433.1 |
| 1935 | SLA | AL | 144 | 504 | 57 | 146 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 48 | 3 | 44 | 41 | 0.290 | -103.0 |
| 1936 | SLA | AL | 116 | 377 | 43 | 99 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 39 | 2 | 46 | 30 | 0.263 | -527.4 |
| 1937 | SLA | AL | 100 | 334 | 30 | 74 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 25 | 29 | 0.222 | -1476.9 |
| 1938 | CLE | AL | 66 | 203 | 27 | 60 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 1 | 23 | 14 | 0.296 | 201.7 |
| 1939 | CLE | AL | 107 | 395 | 58 | 104 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 36 | 2 | 26 | 26 | 0.263 | -991.0 |
| 1940 | CLE | AL | 119 | 416 | 46 | 111 | 20 | 5 | 4 | 42 | 1 | 22 | 25 | 0.267 | -709.6 |
| 1941 | CLE | AL | 98 | 288 | 29 | 69 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 24 | 2 | 18 | 19 | 0.240 | -796.6 |
| 1942 | CIN | NL | 36 | 115 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 0.113 | -1055.6 |
| 1942 | NYY | AL | 31 | 85 | 12 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 0.294 | -1055.6 |
| 1943 | NYY | AL | 62 | 180 | 12 | 43 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 13 | 9 | 0.239 | -220.1 |
| 1944 | NYY | AL | 81 | 284 | 23 | 76 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 26 | 0 | 9 | 13 | 0.268 | -321.2 |
| 1946 | PHI | NL | 49 | 139 | 7 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 0.223 | -525.9 |
| 1947 | PHI | NL | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | WS | CHN | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 1482 | 0 | 5868 | 897 | 154 | 141 |
| OF | 7 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | PIT | C | 49 | 0 | 127 | 24 | 6 | 4 |
| 1929 | PIT | C | 80 | 0 | 240 | 48 | 14 | 7 |
| 1930 | PIT | C | 98 | 0 | 325 | 50 | 8 | 11 |
| 1931 | CHN | C | 53 | 0 | 236 | 40 | 7 | 5 |
| 1931 | PIT | C | 9 | 0 | 35 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1932 | CHN | C | 47 | 0 | 173 | 17 | 5 | 3 |
| 1932 | CHN | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933 | CIN | C | 41 | 0 | 109 | 22 | 4 | 1 |
| 1933 | SLA | C | 27 | 0 | 98 | 13 | 4 | 2 |
| 1934 | SLA | C | 114 | 0 | 487 | 92 | 16 | 15 |
| 1934 | SLA | OF | 6 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1935 | SLA | C | 141 | 0 | 510 | 105 | 13 | 10 |
| 1936 | SLA | C | 114 | 0 | 340 | 68 | 13 | 16 |
| 1937 | SLA | C | 94 | 0 | 332 | 70 | 13 | 13 |
| 1937 | SLA | 1B | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938 | CLE | C | 58 | 0 | 358 | 38 | 8 | 5 |
| 1939 | CLE | C | 106 | 0 | 499 | 58 | 9 | 7 |
| 1940 | CLE | C | 117 | 0 | 591 | 65 | 4 | 8 |
| 1941 | CLE | C | 96 | 0 | 401 | 42 | 9 | 8 |
| 1942 | CIN | C | 34 | 0 | 199 | 15 | 4 | 3 |
| 1942 | NYA | C | 29 | 0 | 103 | 11 | 1 | 3 |
| 1943 | NYA | C | 52 | 0 | 234 | 31 | 5 | 3 |
| 1944 | NYA | C | 76 | 0 | 298 | 41 | 6 | 7 |
| 1946 | PHI | C | 45 | 0 | 170 | 42 | 5 | 10 |
| 1947 | PHI | C | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 1480 |
| First Base | 2 |
| Left Field | 7 |
| Center Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 1 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | C2 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 26th | 4.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1940 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 27th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1935 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 9th | 16.0 | 80 | 0 |