Harmon Killebrew
⭐ Hall of Fame 1984
Born: 6/29/1936 in Payette, ID, USA
Died: 5/17/2011 in Scottsdale, AZ, USA
MLB Debut: 1954-06-23 | Final Game: 1975-09-26
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 195 lbs
Full name: Harmon Clayton Killebrew
Biography
Harmon Killebrew, born in 1936, was a prominent American baseball player who enjoyed a prolific career in Major League Baseball from 1954 until his retirement in 1975. A powerful slugger, Killebrew was best known for his exceptional ability to hit home runs, amassing a total of 573 during his career. He played in 2,435 games, recorded 2,086 hits, and drove in an impressive 1,584 runs, contributing significantly to his teams' successes. With a batting average of .256, Killebrew showcased a powerful yet sometimes inconsistent batting style that made him a feared presence in the lineup. His speed on the basepaths was less emphasized, as evidenced by his 19 stolen bases.
Killebrew was selected to the All-Star Game 13 times, a testament to his consistent performance and popularity throughout his career. He played during an era characterized by the emergence of power hitters, effectively making him a key figure in the transition to a more offensively focused game. His impact on baseball was recognized with his induction into the Hall of Fame in 1984, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest sluggers of his time. Killebrew's contributions to the game not only helped define the role of the power hitter but also left a lasting imprint on the history of baseball.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2435 | 8147 | 1283 | 2086 | 290 | 24 | 573 | 1584 | 19 | 1559 | 1699 | 0.256 | 0.376 | 0.509 | 0.884 | 48188.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | WSN | AL | 9 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.308 | 0.0 |
| 1955 | WSN | AL | 38 | 80 | 12 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 31 | 0.200 | -158.1 |
| 1956 | WSN | AL | 44 | 99 | 10 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 10 | 39 | 0.222 | -119.5 |
| 1957 | WSN | AL | 9 | 31 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0.290 | 0.0 |
| 1958 | WSN | AL | 13 | 31 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0.194 | 0.0 |
| 1959 | WSN | AL | 153 | 546 | 98 | 132 | 20 | 2 | 42 | 105 | 3 | 90 | 116 | 0.242 | 2533.1 |
| 1960 | WSN | AL | 124 | 442 | 84 | 122 | 19 | 1 | 31 | 80 | 1 | 71 | 106 | 0.276 | 2498.9 |
| 1961 | MIN | AL | 150 | 541 | 94 | 156 | 20 | 7 | 46 | 122 | 1 | 107 | 109 | 0.288 | 4553.1 |
| 1962 | MIN | AL | 155 | 552 | 85 | 134 | 21 | 1 | 48 | 126 | 1 | 106 | 142 | 0.243 | 3186.6 |
| 1963 | MIN | AL | 142 | 515 | 88 | 133 | 18 | 0 | 45 | 96 | 0 | 72 | 105 | 0.258 | 3217.3 |
| 1964 | MIN | AL | 158 | 577 | 95 | 156 | 11 | 1 | 49 | 111 | 0 | 93 | 135 | 0.270 | 4123.7 |
| 1965 | MIN | AL | 113 | 401 | 78 | 108 | 16 | 1 | 25 | 75 | 0 | 72 | 69 | 0.269 | 2425.9 |
| 1966 | MIN | AL | 162 | 569 | 89 | 160 | 27 | 1 | 39 | 110 | 0 | 103 | 98 | 0.281 | 4331.4 |
| 1967 | MIN | AL | 163 | 547 | 105 | 147 | 24 | 1 | 44 | 113 | 1 | 131 | 111 | 0.269 | 5340.1 |
| 1968 | MIN | AL | 100 | 295 | 40 | 62 | 7 | 2 | 17 | 40 | 0 | 70 | 70 | 0.210 | 1397.9 |
| 1969 | MIN | AL | 162 | 555 | 106 | 153 | 20 | 2 | 49 | 140 | 8 | 145 | 84 | 0.276 | 5827.5 |
| 1970 | MIN | AL | 157 | 527 | 96 | 143 | 20 | 1 | 41 | 113 | 0 | 128 | 84 | 0.271 | 4165.1 |
| 1971 | MIN | AL | 147 | 500 | 61 | 127 | 19 | 1 | 28 | 119 | 3 | 114 | 96 | 0.254 | 2772.3 |
| 1972 | MIN | AL | 139 | 433 | 53 | 100 | 13 | 2 | 26 | 74 | 0 | 94 | 91 | 0.231 | 2161.2 |
| 1973 | MIN | AL | 69 | 248 | 29 | 60 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 32 | 0 | 41 | 59 | 0.242 | 101.9 |
| 1974 | MIN | AL | 122 | 333 | 28 | 74 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 54 | 0 | 45 | 61 | 0.222 | -161.4 |
| 1975 | KCR | AL | 106 | 312 | 25 | 62 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 44 | 1 | 54 | 70 | 0.199 | -8.7 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 40 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 10 | 0.250 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | ALCS | MIN | 3 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0.273 |
| 1969 | ALCS | MIN | 3 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0.125 |
| 1965 | WS | MIN | 7 | 21 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0.286 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 969 | 929 | 7521 | 555 | 69 | 678 |
| 2B | 11 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 3B | 791 | 718 | 607 | 1388 | 127 | 88 |
| OF | 470 | 468 | 709 | 14 | 18 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | WS1 | 2B | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955 | WS1 | 2B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955 | WS1 | 3B | 23 | 17 | 23 | 49 | 5 | 3 |
| 1956 | WS1 | 2B | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 1956 | WS1 | 3B | 20 | 18 | 18 | 40 | 3 | 3 |
| 1957 | WS1 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957 | WS1 | 3B | 7 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 2 |
| 1958 | WS1 | 3B | 9 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 1959 | WS1 | 3B | 150 | 149 | 129 | 325 | 30 | 18 |
| 1959 | WS1 | OF | 4 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1960 | WS1 | 1B | 71 | 71 | 584 | 32 | 8 | 69 |
| 1960 | WS1 | 3B | 65 | 45 | 45 | 103 | 9 | 7 |
| 1961 | MIN | 1B | 119 | 115 | 972 | 67 | 14 | 91 |
| 1961 | MIN | 3B | 45 | 33 | 28 | 75 | 9 | 10 |
| 1961 | MIN | OF | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1962 | MIN | 1B | 4 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 1962 | MIN | OF | 151 | 150 | 227 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| 1963 | MIN | OF | 137 | 137 | 219 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| 1964 | MIN | OF | 157 | 157 | 232 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| 1965 | MIN | 1B | 72 | 70 | 636 | 35 | 8 | 64 |
| 1965 | MIN | 3B | 44 | 40 | 37 | 78 | 4 | 3 |
| 1965 | MIN | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | MIN | 1B | 42 | 40 | 330 | 15 | 4 | 30 |
| 1966 | MIN | 3B | 107 | 103 | 83 | 190 | 14 | 11 |
| 1966 | MIN | OF | 18 | 18 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1967 | MIN | 1B | 160 | 160 | 1283 | 86 | 11 | 100 |
| 1967 | MIN | 3B | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | MIN | 1B | 77 | 77 | 594 | 56 | 4 | 50 |
| 1968 | MIN | 3B | 11 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 1 |
| 1969 | MIN | 1B | 80 | 66 | 574 | 34 | 2 | 55 |
| 1969 | MIN | 3B | 105 | 96 | 75 | 185 | 20 | 12 |
| 1970 | MIN | 1B | 28 | 26 | 204 | 9 | 3 | 14 |
| 1970 | MIN | 3B | 138 | 129 | 108 | 203 | 17 | 14 |
| 1971 | MIN | 1B | 90 | 82 | 658 | 56 | 2 | 52 |
| 1971 | MIN | 3B | 64 | 60 | 42 | 93 | 11 | 3 |
| 1972 | MIN | 1B | 130 | 128 | 995 | 99 | 9 | 82 |
| 1973 | MIN | 1B | 57 | 57 | 431 | 45 | 1 | 42 |
| 1974 | MIN | 1B | 33 | 31 | 218 | 21 | 2 | 21 |
| 1975 | KCA | 1B | 6 | 4 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 970 |
| Second Base | 11 |
| Third Base | 791 |
| Left Field | 471 |
| Right Field | 1 |
| Designated Hitter | 158 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Lou Gehrig Memorial Award | |
| 1970 | TSN All-Star | 3B |
| 1970 | TSN Player of the Year | |
| 1969 | Most Valuable Player | |
| 1969 | TSN All-Star | 3B |
| 1969 | TSN Player of the Year | |
| 1967 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 1964 | TSN All-Star | OF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 5.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1970 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 3rd | 152.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1969 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 1st | 294.0 | 336 | 16 |
| 1967 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 2nd | 161.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1966 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 96.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1965 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 15th | 15.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1964 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 10th | 31.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1963 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 85.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1962 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 3rd | 99.0 | 280 | 1 |
| 1961 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 11th | 29.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1959 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 15th | 21.0 | 336 | 0 |