Lou Klein
Born: 10/22/1918 in New Orleans, LA, USA
Died: 6/20/1976 in Metairie, LA, USA
MLB Debut: 1943-04-21 | Final Game: 1951-09-30
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 167 lbs
Full name: Louis Frank Klein
Biography
Lou Klein was a professional baseball player who enjoyed a career spanning from 1943 to 1951. Born in 1918, Klein established himself as a versatile position player during a time when Major League Baseball was navigating the impacts of World War II. He played in a total of 305 games, recording 269 hits, which contributed to a career batting average of .259. Klein demonstrated his power at the plate with 16 home runs and drove in 101 runs, showcasing his ability as a run producer.
Klein's playing style was characterized by his keen eye for the strike zone and a balanced approach to hitting. In addition to his offensive contributions, he exhibited speed on the bases, successfully stealing 10 bases throughout his career. His tenure in the league came during an era marked by significant changes, including the integration of baseball and evolving offensive strategies. Klein's contributions to his teams left a mark, and he remains a notable figure for fans of the game looking back at the history of baseball during the mid-20th century.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 305 | 1037 | 162 | 269 | 48 | 15 | 16 | 101 | 10 | 105 | 119 | 0.259 | 0.330 | 0.381 | 0.711 | 823.2 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | STL | NL | 154 | 627 | 91 | 180 | 28 | 14 | 7 | 62 | 9 | 50 | 70 | 0.287 | 1340.3 |
| 1945 | STL | NL | 19 | 57 | 12 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 9 | 0.228 | 169.3 |
| 1946 | STL | NL | 23 | 93 | 12 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 0.194 | -356.8 |
| 1949 | STL | NL | 58 | 114 | 25 | 25 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 22 | 20 | 0.219 | -72.8 |
| 1951 | CLE | AL | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1951 | PHA | AL | 49 | 144 | 22 | 33 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 10 | 12 | 0.229 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.136 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | WS | SLN | 5 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.136 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 202 | 0 | 460 | 536 | 26 | 152 |
| 3B | 11 | 0 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| OF | 7 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| SS | 79 | 0 | 84 | 166 | 21 | 29 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | SLN | 2B | 126 | 0 | 301 | 356 | 18 | 99 |
| 1943 | SLN | SS | 51 | 0 | 55 | 88 | 9 | 19 |
| 1945 | SLN | 2B | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945 | SLN | 3B | 4 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 1945 | SLN | SS | 7 | 0 | 12 | 14 | 2 | 3 |
| 1945 | SLN | OF | 7 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1946 | SLN | 2B | 23 | 0 | 58 | 60 | 3 | 18 |
| 1949 | SLN | 2B | 9 | 0 | 14 | 13 | 0 | 3 |
| 1949 | SLN | 3B | 7 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 1949 | SLN | SS | 21 | 0 | 17 | 64 | 10 | 7 |
| 1951 | PHA | 2B | 42 | 0 | 85 | 107 | 5 | 32 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 202 |
| Third Base | 12 |
| Shortstop | 69 |
| Left Field | 4 |
| Right Field | 3 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 23th | 6.0 | 336 | 0 |