Billy Herman
⭐ Hall of Fame 1975
Born: 7/7/1909 in New Albany, IN, USA
Died: 9/5/1992 in West Palm Beach, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1931-08-29 | Final Game: 1947-08-01
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: William Jennings Bryan Herman
Biography
Billy Herman, born in 1909, was a prominent Major League Baseball player whose career spanned from 1931 to 1947. Known for his exceptional hitting ability and defensive prowess, he played primarily as a second baseman and established himself as one of the top players of his era. Over the course of his career, Herman appeared in 1,922 games, amassing 2,345 hits and finishing with a remarkable batting average of .304. He contributed significantly to his teams' offensive efforts, driving in 839 runs and hitting 47 home runs, while also demonstrating speed on the bases with 67 stolen bases.
Herman was selected as an All-Star 10 times, reflecting his consistent performance and popularity throughout his playing years. His career achievements culminated in his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975, solidifying his legacy in the sport. Playing during a transformative period in baseball history, which included the pre- and post-World War II era, Herman's skill and competitiveness helped shape the game. His impact on the field, along with his dedication to the sport, ensured that he would be remembered as one of baseball's esteemed players.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | 7707 | 1163 | 2345 | 486 | 82 | 47 | 839 | 67 | 737 | 428 | 0.304 | 0.367 | 0.407 | 0.774 | 12212.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | CHC | NL | 25 | 98 | 14 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 0.327 | 212.4 |
| 1932 | CHC | NL | 154 | 656 | 102 | 206 | 42 | 7 | 1 | 51 | 14 | 40 | 33 | 0.314 | 475.1 |
| 1933 | CHC | NL | 153 | 619 | 82 | 173 | 35 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 5 | 45 | 34 | 0.279 | -491.5 |
| 1934 | CHC | NL | 113 | 456 | 79 | 138 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 42 | 6 | 34 | 31 | 0.303 | 147.9 |
| 1935 | CHC | NL | 154 | 666 | 113 | 227 | 57 | 6 | 7 | 83 | 6 | 42 | 29 | 0.341 | 2182.5 |
| 1936 | CHC | NL | 153 | 632 | 101 | 211 | 57 | 7 | 5 | 93 | 5 | 59 | 30 | 0.334 | 1919.9 |
| 1937 | CHC | NL | 138 | 564 | 106 | 189 | 35 | 11 | 8 | 65 | 2 | 56 | 22 | 0.335 | 2086.2 |
| 1938 | CHC | NL | 152 | 624 | 86 | 173 | 34 | 7 | 1 | 56 | 3 | 59 | 31 | 0.277 | -659.4 |
| 1939 | CHC | NL | 156 | 623 | 111 | 191 | 34 | 18 | 7 | 70 | 9 | 66 | 31 | 0.307 | 1566.1 |
| 1940 | CHC | NL | 135 | 558 | 77 | 163 | 24 | 4 | 5 | 57 | 1 | 47 | 30 | 0.292 | 9.6 |
| 1941 | BRO | NL | 133 | 536 | 77 | 156 | 30 | 4 | 3 | 41 | 1 | 58 | 38 | 0.291 | 543.4 |
| 1941 | CHC | NL | 11 | 36 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 0.194 | 543.4 |
| 1942 | BRO | NL | 155 | 571 | 76 | 146 | 34 | 2 | 2 | 65 | 6 | 72 | 52 | 0.256 | 100.1 |
| 1943 | BRO | NL | 153 | 585 | 76 | 193 | 41 | 2 | 2 | 100 | 4 | 66 | 26 | 0.330 | 2628.4 |
| 1946 | BRO | NL | 47 | 184 | 24 | 53 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 26 | 10 | 0.288 | 329.1 |
| 1946 | BSN | NL | 75 | 252 | 32 | 77 | 23 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 1 | 43 | 13 | 0.306 | 329.1 |
| 1947 | PIT | NL | 15 | 47 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0.213 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 66 | 9 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 0.242 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | WS | BRO | 4 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.125 |
| 1938 | WS | CHN | 4 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.188 |
| 1935 | WS | CHN | 6 | 24 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0.333 |
| 1932 | WS | CHN | 4 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.222 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 27 | 0 | 214 | 10 | 2 | 14 |
| 2B | 1813 | 0 | 4780 | 5681 | 354 | 1177 |
| 3B | 71 | 0 | 90 | 132 | 9 | 11 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | CHN | 2B | 25 | 0 | 76 | 79 | 10 | 17 |
| 1932 | CHN | 2B | 154 | 0 | 401 | 527 | 38 | 102 |
| 1933 | CHN | 2B | 153 | 0 | 466 | 512 | 45 | 114 |
| 1934 | CHN | 2B | 111 | 0 | 278 | 385 | 17 | 64 |
| 1935 | CHN | 2B | 154 | 0 | 416 | 520 | 35 | 109 |
| 1936 | CHN | 2B | 153 | 0 | 457 | 492 | 24 | 110 |
| 1937 | CHN | 2B | 137 | 0 | 384 | 468 | 41 | 97 |
| 1938 | CHN | 2B | 151 | 0 | 404 | 517 | 18 | 111 |
| 1939 | CHN | 2B | 156 | 0 | 377 | 485 | 29 | 95 |
| 1940 | CHN | 2B | 135 | 0 | 366 | 448 | 22 | 94 |
| 1941 | BRO | 2B | 133 | 0 | 297 | 354 | 20 | 64 |
| 1941 | CHN | 2B | 11 | 0 | 33 | 20 | 6 | 5 |
| 1942 | BRO | 1B | 3 | 0 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 1942 | BRO | 2B | 153 | 0 | 383 | 402 | 22 | 97 |
| 1943 | BRO | 2B | 117 | 0 | 291 | 322 | 18 | 69 |
| 1943 | BRO | 3B | 37 | 0 | 54 | 68 | 3 | 2 |
| 1946 | BRO | 2B | 16 | 0 | 42 | 36 | 0 | 5 |
| 1946 | BRO | 3B | 29 | 0 | 31 | 55 | 5 | 8 |
| 1946 | BSN | 1B | 22 | 0 | 179 | 6 | 1 | 12 |
| 1946 | BSN | 2B | 44 | 0 | 95 | 101 | 9 | 22 |
| 1946 | BSN | 3B | 5 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| 1947 | PIT | 1B | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947 | PIT | 2B | 10 | 0 | 14 | 13 | 0 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 27 |
| Second Base | 1812 |
| Third Base | 75 |
Awards & Honors
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 4th | 140.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1941 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 11th | 27.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1939 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 31th | 1.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1937 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 9th | 19.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1936 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 3rd | 37.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1935 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 4th | 38.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1932 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 9th | 16.0 | 80 | 0 |