Billy Jurges
Born: 5/9/1908 in Bronx, NY, USA
Died: 3/3/1997 in Clearwater, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1931-05-04 | Final Game: 1947-09-09
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 175 lbs
Full name: William Frederick Jurges
Biography
Billy Jurges was a professional baseball player who made significant contributions to the game during his career from 1931 to 1947. Born in 1908, Jurges played as a position player and became known for his solid defensive skills and steady batting. Over the course of his 16-year career, he appeared in 1,816 games, accumulating 1,613 hits, 43 home runs, and 656 RBIs. His career batting average stood at .258, complemented by 36 stolen bases, demonstrating his ability to contribute both at the plate and on the base paths.
Jurges earned three All-Star selections, showcasing his talent during an era that saw the emergence of many baseball legends. His versatility and consistency made him a valuable player on the teams he represented. Jurges played in a time when baseball was evolving, navigating through the pre-World War II years and into the post-war era, and he left an indelible mark on the game before retiring on September 9, 1947. His legacy is remembered not only through his statistics but also through his contributions to the teams and the sport as a whole.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1816 | 6253 | 721 | 1613 | 245 | 55 | 43 | 656 | 36 | 568 | 530 | 0.258 | 0.325 | 0.335 | 0.660 | -9225.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | CHC | NL | 88 | 293 | 34 | 59 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 25 | 41 | 0.201 | -1406.7 |
| 1932 | CHC | NL | 115 | 396 | 40 | 100 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 52 | 1 | 19 | 26 | 0.253 | -1143.0 |
| 1933 | CHC | NL | 143 | 487 | 49 | 131 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 50 | 3 | 26 | 39 | 0.269 | -514.2 |
| 1934 | CHC | NL | 100 | 358 | 43 | 88 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 33 | 1 | 19 | 34 | 0.246 | -846.0 |
| 1935 | CHC | NL | 146 | 519 | 69 | 125 | 33 | 1 | 1 | 59 | 3 | 42 | 39 | 0.241 | -1734.7 |
| 1936 | CHC | NL | 118 | 429 | 51 | 120 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 42 | 4 | 23 | 25 | 0.280 | -979.9 |
| 1937 | CHC | NL | 129 | 450 | 53 | 134 | 18 | 10 | 1 | 65 | 2 | 42 | 41 | 0.298 | 208.2 |
| 1938 | CHC | NL | 137 | 465 | 53 | 114 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 47 | 3 | 58 | 53 | 0.245 | -1143.2 |
| 1939 | NY1 | NL | 138 | 543 | 84 | 155 | 21 | 11 | 6 | 63 | 3 | 47 | 34 | 0.285 | 82.3 |
| 1940 | NY1 | NL | 63 | 214 | 23 | 54 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 36 | 2 | 25 | 14 | 0.252 | -200.9 |
| 1941 | NY1 | NL | 134 | 471 | 50 | 138 | 25 | 2 | 5 | 61 | 0 | 47 | 36 | 0.293 | 572.4 |
| 1942 | NY1 | NL | 127 | 464 | 45 | 119 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 30 | 1 | 43 | 42 | 0.256 | -662.9 |
| 1943 | NY1 | NL | 136 | 481 | 46 | 110 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 29 | 2 | 53 | 38 | 0.229 | -919.7 |
| 1944 | NY1 | NL | 85 | 246 | 28 | 52 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 4 | 23 | 20 | 0.211 | -1005.8 |
| 1945 | NY1 | NL | 61 | 176 | 22 | 57 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 24 | 2 | 24 | 11 | 0.324 | 633.0 |
| 1946 | CHC | NL | 82 | 221 | 26 | 49 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 17 | 3 | 43 | 28 | 0.222 | -164.8 |
| 1947 | CHC | NL | 14 | 40 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 40 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 0.275 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | WS | CHN | 4 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.231 |
| 1935 | WS | CHN | 6 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0.250 |
| 1932 | WS | CHN | 3 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.364 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 36 | 0 | 67 | 83 | 5 | 21 |
| 3B | 199 | 0 | 169 | 404 | 23 | 32 |
| SS | 1540 | 0 | 3133 | 4959 | 305 | 929 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | CHN | 2B | 33 | 0 | 66 | 83 | 5 | 21 |
| 1931 | CHN | 3B | 54 | 0 | 42 | 115 | 6 | 11 |
| 1931 | CHN | SS | 3 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1932 | CHN | 3B | 5 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 1932 | CHN | SS | 108 | 0 | 223 | 394 | 23 | 69 |
| 1933 | CHN | SS | 143 | 0 | 298 | 476 | 34 | 95 |
| 1934 | CHN | SS | 98 | 0 | 205 | 334 | 19 | 63 |
| 1935 | CHN | SS | 146 | 0 | 348 | 484 | 31 | 99 |
| 1936 | CHN | SS | 116 | 0 | 249 | 379 | 26 | 80 |
| 1937 | CHN | SS | 128 | 0 | 258 | 370 | 16 | 74 |
| 1938 | CHN | SS | 136 | 0 | 277 | 417 | 34 | 82 |
| 1939 | NY1 | SS | 137 | 0 | 295 | 482 | 28 | 95 |
| 1940 | NY1 | SS | 63 | 0 | 123 | 196 | 11 | 36 |
| 1941 | NY1 | SS | 134 | 0 | 230 | 432 | 30 | 82 |
| 1942 | NY1 | SS | 124 | 0 | 251 | 401 | 15 | 67 |
| 1943 | NY1 | 3B | 28 | 0 | 27 | 56 | 1 | 10 |
| 1943 | NY1 | SS | 99 | 0 | 209 | 303 | 24 | 44 |
| 1944 | NY1 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1944 | NY1 | 3B | 61 | 0 | 48 | 124 | 7 | 7 |
| 1944 | NY1 | SS | 10 | 0 | 15 | 25 | 1 | 6 |
| 1945 | NY1 | 3B | 44 | 0 | 40 | 94 | 9 | 3 |
| 1945 | NY1 | SS | 8 | 0 | 15 | 22 | 1 | 1 |
| 1946 | CHN | 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946 | CHN | 3B | 7 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946 | CHN | SS | 73 | 0 | 119 | 204 | 8 | 26 |
| 1947 | CHN | SS | 14 | 0 | 13 | 36 | 4 | 10 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 36 |
| Third Base | 199 |
| Shortstop | 1541 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1941 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | SS |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 12th | 20.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1937 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 17th | 4.0 | 80 | 0 |