Ken Holcombe
Born: 8/23/1918 in Burnsville, NC, USA
Died: 3/15/2010 in Weaverville, NC, USA
MLB Debut: 1945-04-27 | Final Game: 1953-05-10
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 169 lbs
Full name: Kenneth Edward Holcombe
Biography
Ken Holcombe was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1945 to 1953. Born in 1918, Holcombe made his debut during a transformative period in baseball, shortly after World War II, when many veterans returned to the game and the sport began to evolve. Over the course of his career, he compiled a win-loss record of 18-32 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.98, showcasing his ability to compete on the mound during an era marked by the emergence of power hitters and the gradual transition towards a more offense-oriented game.
Holcombe recorded a total of 118 strikeouts and registered 2 saves throughout his tenure in the majors. While his career numbers may not place him among the game's all-time greats, his contributions to his teams reflected the grit and determination of a pitcher navigating the challenges of post-war baseball. Holcombe's playing style emphasized control and strategic pitching, traits that were essential for success during a time when many teams relied on their pitching staff to keep games close in order to capitalize on scoring opportunities. His legacy continues to be a part of the rich tapestry of baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 32 | 99 | 48 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 375.0 | 377 | 166 | 25 | 170 | 118 | 3.98 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | NYY | AL | 3 | 3 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55.3 | 43 | 11 | 27 | 20 | 1.79 | - |
| 1948 | CIN | NL | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7.71 | 0.0 |
| 1950 | CHW | AL | 3 | 10 | 24 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 96.0 | 122 | 49 | 45 | 37 | 4.59 | - |
| 1951 | CHW | AL | 11 | 12 | 28 | 23 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 159.3 | 142 | 67 | 68 | 39 | 3.78 | - |
| 1952 | CHW | AL | 0 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 35.0 | 38 | 24 | 18 | 12 | 6.17 | - |
| 1952 | SLA | AL | 0 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21.0 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 3.86 | 39.0 |
| 1953 | BOS | AL | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6.0 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6.00 | 0.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99 | 106 | 7 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 0.179 | 0.202 | 0.198 | 0.400 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | NYY | AL | 23 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.133 | 0.0 |
| 1948 | CIN | NL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1950 | CHW | AL | 24 | 32 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.156 | 0.0 |
| 1951 | CHW | AL | 28 | 44 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1952 | CHW | AL | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1952 | SLA | AL | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
| 1953 | BOS | AL | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 99 | 0 | 19 | 84 | 8 | 7 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | NYA | P | 23 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| 1948 | CIN | P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1950 | CHA | P | 24 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 1 |
| 1951 | CHA | P | 28 | 0 | 8 | 42 | 3 | 5 |
| 1952 | CHA | P | 7 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| 1952 | SLA | P | 12 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1953 | BOS | P | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 99 |