Ralph Kiner
Outfielder · Career Stats, Hall of Fame Bio & Records (1946-1955)
Ralph Kiner was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1946 to 1955 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Chicago Cubs, and the Cleveland Guardians, a span of 10 seasons. In 1,472 career games, he hit .279 with 1,451 hits, 369 home runs, and 1,015 RBI. Ralph Kiner was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975 and was a 6-time All-Star. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 35,424.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 195 lb
- Died
- 2/6/2014 in Rancho Mirage, CA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1946-04-16
- Last Game
- 1955-09-25
- Hall of Fame
- Inducted 1975 (BBWAA)
- Awards
- 6× All-Star
Full name: Ralph McPherran Kiner
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,472 | 5,205 | 971 | 1,451 | 216 | 39 | 369 | 1,015 | 22 | 1,011 | 749 | .279 | .398 | .548 | .946 | 35,424 |
Career AVG .279 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — +6.9% above league average.
Career OBP .398 vs. league average .336 across their career seasons — +18.5% above league average.
Career SLG .548 vs. league average .383 across their career seasons — +43.1% above league average.
Career OPS .946 vs. league average .719 across their career seasons — +31.6% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | PIT | NL | 144 | 502 | 63 | 124 | 17 | 3 | 23 | 81 | 3 | 74 | 109 | .247 | .256 (-4%) | .328 (+5%) | .358 (+20%) | .687 (+13%) | 1311.9 |
| 1947 | PIT | NL | 152 | 565 | 118 | 177 | 23 | 4 | 51 | 127 | 1 | 98 | 81 | .313 | .262 (+19%) | .336 (+24%) | .376 (+70%) | .712 (+48%) | 5647.9 |
| 1948 | PIT | NL | 156 | 555 | 104 | 147 | 19 | 5 | 40 | 123 | 1 | 112 | 61 | .265 | .263 (avg) | .340 (+15%) | .379 (+41%) | .719 (+29%) | 3490.3 |
| 1949 | PIT | NL | 152 | 549 | 116 | 170 | 19 | 5 | 54 | 127 | 6 | 117 | 61 | .310 | .262 (+18%) | .343 (+26%) | .384 (+71%) | .727 (+50%) | 5901.5 |
| 1950 | PIT | NL | 150 | 547 | 112 | 149 | 21 | 6 | 47 | 118 | 2 | 122 | 79 | .272 | .265 (+2%) | .346 (+18%) | .401 (+47%) | .747 (+33%) | 4128.3 |
| 1951 | PIT | NL | 151 | 531 | 124 | 164 | 31 | 6 | 42 | 109 | 2 | 137 | 57 | .309 | .260 (+18%) | .336 (+34%) | .385 (+63%) | .721 (+49%) | 5959.7 |
| 1952 | PIT | NL | 149 | 516 | 90 | 126 | 17 | 2 | 37 | 87 | 3 | 110 | 77 | .244 | .252 (-3%) | .326 (+18%) | .369 (+35%) | .696 (+27%) | 3117.9 |
| 1953 | PIT | NL | 41 | 148 | 27 | 40 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 29 | 1 | 25 | 21 | .270 | .264 (+2%) | .335 (+14%) | .397 (+17%) | .733 (+16%) | 466.5 |
| 1953 | CHN | NL | 117 | 414 | 73 | 117 | 14 | 2 | 28 | 87 | 1 | 75 | 67 | .283 | .264 (+7%) | .335 (+17%) | .397 (+33%) | .733 (+26%) | 466.5 |
| 1954 | CHN | NL | 147 | 557 | 88 | 159 | 36 | 5 | 22 | 73 | 2 | 76 | 90 | .285 | .261 (+9%) | .333 (+12%) | .390 (+25%) | .723 (+19%) | 2176.2 |
| 1955 | CLE | AL | 113 | 321 | 56 | 78 | 13 | 0 | 18 | 54 | 0 | 65 | 46 | .243 | .258 (-6%) | .332 (+10%) | .393 (+15%) | .726 (+13%) | 936.5 |
| Career · 11 seasons | 1,472 | 5,205 | 971 | 1,451 | 216 | 39 | 369 | 1,015 | 22 | 1,011 | 749 | .279 | — | — | — | — | 33,603 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1472 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 749 | 2588 | 535 | 746 | 210 | 551 | .288 |
| Away | 723 | 2617 | 436 | 705 | 159 | 465 | .269 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955-09-25 | CLE | DET | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1955-09-17 | CLE | DET | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955-09-16 | CLE | DET | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1955-09-11 | CLE | NYY | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1955-09-11 | CLE | NYY | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955-09-10 | CLE | BOS | W | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1955-09-09 | CLE | BOS | W | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955-09-05 | CLE | KC1 | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1955-09-05 | CLE | KC1 | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955-09-04 | CLE | CHW | W | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 58 | 0 | 556 | 29 | 11 | 59 |
| OF | 1382 | 226 | 2875 | 80 | 80 | 14 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | PIT | OF | 140 | 0 | 339 | 6 | 11 | 2 |
| 1947 | PIT | OF | 152 | 0 | 390 | 8 | 7 | 1 |
| 1948 | PIT | OF | 154 | 0 | 382 | 6 | 10 | 1 |
| 1949 | PIT | OF | 152 | 0 | 311 | 12 | 7 | 3 |
| 1950 | PIT | OF | 150 | 0 | 287 | 13 | 11 | 2 |
| 1951 | PIT | 1B | 58 | 0 | 556 | 29 | 11 | 59 |
| 1951 | PIT | OF | 94 | 0 | 195 | 7 | 7 | 1 |
| 1952 | PIT | OF | 149 | 0 | 250 | 9 | 8 | 0 |
| 1953 | PIT | OF | 41 | 0 | 71 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1953 | CHN | OF | 116 | 0 | 211 | 6 | 8 | 2 |
| 1954 | CHN | OF | 147 | 147 | 298 | 6 | 9 | 1 |
| 1955 | CLE | OF | 87 | 79 | 141 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 58 |
| Left Field | 1307 |
| Center Field | 75 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1950 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | LF |
| 1950 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1950 | TSN Player of the Year | |
| 1949 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | LF |
| 1949 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1948 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | LF |
| 1947 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | LF |
| 1947 | TSN All-Star | OF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 23th | 8.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1951 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 10th | 49.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1950 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 5th | 91.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1949 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 4th | 133.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1948 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 7th | 55.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1947 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 101.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1946 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 30th | 3.0 | 336 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Ralph Kiner (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Ralph Kiner
Ralph Kiner: the record in brief
Ralph Kiner played a first major league game on April 16, 1946 and a last one on September 25, 1955. Club by club, the record runs the Pittsburgh Pirates (1946 to 1953), the Chicago Cubs (1953 through 1954), and the Cleveland Indians (1955). Kiner, born on October 27, 1922, in Santa Rita, NM, USA, is listed as an outfielder and batted and threw right-handed. The bio gives 6'2" and 195 pounds. Kiner's death is recorded on February 6, 2014, in Rancho Mirage, CA, USA. The given name on file is Ralph McPherran Kiner.
Kiner finished with 1,451 hits from 5,205 at bats in 1,472 games, which works out to .279; the totals also include 369 home runs, 1,015 RBI, and 22 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .398 clip and slugging .548, Kiner finished with a .946 OPS. Kiner's .279 average ran 6.9% above the .261 that the league posted over the same seasons. The OPS comparison is .946 to a league .719, 31.6% above average.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ralph Kiner
- What years did Ralph Kiner play?
- Ralph Kiner played in Major League Baseball from 1946 to 1955.
- Was Ralph Kiner a pitcher?
- No. Ralph Kiner was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Ralph Kiner hit?
- Ralph Kiner hit 369 career home runs with 1,451 hits.
- Is Ralph Kiner in the Hall of Fame?
- Yes. Ralph Kiner was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.
- What teams did Ralph Kiner play for?
- Ralph Kiner played for 3 teams: the Pittsburgh Pirates (1946–1953), the Chicago Cubs (1953–1954), and the Cleveland Indians (1955).
- Did Ralph Kiner win an MVP award?
- No. Ralph Kiner did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Ralph Kiner win?
- Ralph Kiner was selected to 6 All-Star Games.
- What were Ralph Kiner's career stats?
- In 1,472 games, Ralph Kiner had 1,451 hits, 369 home runs, 1,015 RBI, 971 runs, and 22 stolen bases, with a .279 batting average.
- What position did Ralph Kiner play?
- Ralph Kiner played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Ralph Kiner and how much did he weigh?
- Ralph Kiner was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 195 pounds.
- How many home runs did Ralph Kiner hit each season?
- Ralph Kiner's home runs by season: 23 in 1946, 51 in 1947, 40 in 1948, 54 in 1949, 47 in 1950, 42 in 1951, 37 in 1952, 35 in 1953, 22 in 1954, and 18 in 1955. His most in one season was 54, in 1949.
- What was Ralph Kiner's career batting average?
- Ralph Kiner batted .279 over his career, with 1,451 hits in 5,205 at bats.
- How many RBI did Ralph Kiner have?
- Ralph Kiner drove in 1,015 runs in his career.
- How many All-Star Games did Ralph Kiner make?
- Ralph Kiner was selected to 6 All-Star Games.