Oral Hildebrand
Born: 4/7/1907 in Indianapolis, IN, USA
Died: 9/8/1977 in Southport, IN, USA
MLB Debut: 1931-09-08 | Final Game: 1940-07-28
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 175 lbs
Full name: Oral Clyde Hildebrand
Biography
Oral Hildebrand was a talented pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1931 until 1940. Born in 1907, he made his debut during an era characterized by a transition in the game, moving from the deadball era into a time of greater offensive explosion. Over the course of his career, Hildebrand compiled a record of 83 wins and 78 losses, with a career earned run average (ERA) of 4.35. He struck out 527 batters and recorded 13 saves, demonstrating his effectiveness both as a starter and a reliever.
Hildebrand was recognized for his skill on the mound, earning an All-Star selection during his career, which underscored his impact within the league. His pitching style, marked by a competitive spirit and a focus on strategic play, made him a key figure on his teams. As a player who navigated the challenges of the late 1930s, Hildebrand contributed to the evolving landscape of baseball during a time when the sport was growing in popularity and complexity. His legacy is remembered by fans and historians alike as a reflection of a significant period in baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 83 | 78 | 258 | 182 | 80 | 9 | 13 | 1430.7 | 1490 | 692 | 99 | 623 | 527 | 4.35 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | CLE | AL | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 26.7 | 25 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 4.39 | -228.4 |
| 1932 | CLE | AL | 8 | 6 | 27 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 129.3 | 124 | 53 | 62 | 49 | 3.69 | -745.7 |
| 1933 | CLE | AL | 16 | 11 | 36 | 31 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 220.3 | 205 | 92 | 88 | 90 | 3.76 | 818.5 |
| 1934 | CLE | AL | 11 | 9 | 33 | 28 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 198.0 | 225 | 99 | 99 | 72 | 4.50 | -2979.9 |
| 1935 | CLE | AL | 9 | 8 | 34 | 20 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 171.3 | 171 | 75 | 63 | 49 | 3.94 | -1394.6 |
| 1936 | CLE | AL | 10 | 11 | 36 | 21 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 174.7 | 197 | 95 | 83 | 65 | 4.90 | -1069.3 |
| 1937 | SLA | AL | 8 | 17 | 30 | 27 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 201.3 | 228 | 115 | 87 | 75 | 5.14 | -2798.9 |
| 1938 | SLA | AL | 8 | 10 | 23 | 23 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 163.0 | 194 | 103 | 73 | 66 | 5.69 | -2810.0 |
| 1939 | NYY | AL | 10 | 4 | 21 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 126.7 | 102 | 43 | 41 | 50 | 3.06 | - |
| 1940 | NYY | AL | 1 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19.3 | 19 | 4 | 14 | 5 | 1.86 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 259 | 513 | 43 | 96 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 50 | 0 | 18 | 47 | 0.187 | 0.215 | 0.224 | 0.439 | -2664.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | CLE | AL | 5 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.182 | 0.0 |
| 1932 | CLE | AL | 27 | 48 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.146 | 0.0 |
| 1933 | CLE | AL | 36 | 84 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0.190 | -551.1 |
| 1934 | CLE | AL | 33 | 76 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0.171 | -586.9 |
| 1935 | CLE | AL | 34 | 55 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0.164 | -433.1 |
| 1936 | CLE | AL | 36 | 63 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 0.190 | -395.7 |
| 1937 | SLA | AL | 30 | 70 | 9 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.200 | -460.2 |
| 1938 | SLA | AL | 24 | 59 | 3 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0.254 | -237.5 |
| 1939 | NYY | AL | 21 | 44 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.182 | 0.0 |
| 1940 | NYY | AL | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | WS | NYA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | WS | NYA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 258 | 0 | 52 | 236 | 10 | 11 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | CLE | P | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1932 | CLE | P | 27 | 0 | 9 | 13 | 1 | 2 |
| 1933 | CLE | P | 36 | 0 | 11 | 43 | 2 | 4 |
| 1934 | CLE | P | 33 | 0 | 5 | 44 | 0 | 1 |
| 1935 | CLE | P | 34 | 0 | 6 | 35 | 2 | 1 |
| 1936 | CLE | P | 36 | 0 | 4 | 26 | 0 | 1 |
| 1937 | SLA | P | 30 | 0 | 5 | 36 | 2 | 1 |
| 1938 | SLA | P | 23 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| 1939 | NYA | P | 21 | 0 | 5 | 18 | 1 | 1 |
| 1940 | NYA | P | 13 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 258 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butler University | Indianapolis | IN | 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930 |