Ray Kolp
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1921-1934)
Ray Kolp was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1921 to 1934 for the St. Louis Browns and the Cincinnati Reds, a span of 14 seasons. Across 383 career appearances, he went 79-95 with a 4.08 ERA and 439 strikeouts. He also batted .184 with 2 home runs.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 187 lb
- Died
- 7/29/1967 in Cincinnati, OH, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1921-04-16
- Last Game
- 1934-09-21
Full name: Raymond Carl Kolp
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | SLA | AL | 8 | 7 | 37 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 166.2 | 208 | 92 | 51 | 43 | 4.97 | 4.02 (-24%) | -2015.2 |
| 1922 | SLA | AL | 14 | 4 | 32 | 18 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 169.2 | 199 | 74 | 36 | 54 | 3.93 | 4.18 (+6%) | 570.6 |
| 1923 | SLA | AL | 5 | 12 | 34 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 171.1 | 178 | 74 | 54 | 44 | 3.89 | 4.03 (+4%) | -1596.4 |
| 1924 | SLA | AL | 5 | 7 | 25 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 96.2 | 131 | 61 | 25 | 29 | 5.68 | 4.13 (-38%) | 205.0 |
| 1927 | CIN | NL | 3 | 3 | 24 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 82.1 | 86 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 3.06 | 4.08 (+25%) | -432.4 |
| 1928 | CIN | NL | 13 | 10 | 44 | 24 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 209.0 | 219 | 74 | 55 | 61 | 3.19 | 4.13 (+23%) | 1184.0 |
| 1929 | CIN | NL | 8 | 10 | 30 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 145.1 | 151 | 65 | 39 | 27 | 4.03 | 4.60 (+12%) | 323.7 |
| 1930 | CIN | NL | 7 | 12 | 37 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 168.1 | 180 | 79 | 34 | 40 | 4.22 | 4.80 (+12%) | 1263.5 |
| 1931 | CIN | NL | 4 | 9 | 30 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 107.0 | 144 | 59 | 39 | 24 | 4.96 | 4.10 (-21%) | -2054.7 |
| 1932 | CIN | NL | 6 | 10 | 32 | 19 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 159.2 | 176 | 69 | 27 | 42 | 3.89 | 4.13 (+6%) | -384.9 |
| 1933 | CIN | NL | 6 | 9 | 30 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 150.1 | 168 | 59 | 23 | 28 | 3.53 | 3.86 (+8%) | 904.9 |
| 1934 | CIN | NL | 0 | 2 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 61.2 | 78 | 31 | 12 | 19 | 4.52 | 4.29 (-5%) | 1242.3 |
| Career · 12 seasons | 79 | 95 | 383 | 174 | 66 | 11 | 18 | 1,688.0 | 1,918 | 765 | 424 | 439 | 4.08 | — | -790 | ||
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.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 384 | 532 | 43 | 98 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 34 | 0 | 19 | 80 | .184 | .212 | .239 | .451 | -1,552 |
Career AVG .184 vs. league average .282 across their career seasons — 34.7% below league average.
Career OBP .212 vs. league average .344 across their career seasons — 38.2% below league average.
Career SLG .239 vs. league average .397 across their career seasons — 39.8% below league average.
Career OPS .451 vs. league average .740 across their career seasons — 39.1% below 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | SLA | AL | 38 | 55 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .127 | .286 (-56%) | .344 (-63%) | .395 (-68%) | .739 (-66%) | -584.2 |
| 1922 | SLA | AL | 32 | 57 | 7 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 9 | .298 | .285 (+4%) | .345 (-4%) | .397 (+10%) | .743 (+4%) | 15.7 |
| 1923 | SLA | AL | 34 | 54 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 | .111 | .282 (-61%) | .344 (-50%) | .390 (-67%) | .734 (-59%) | -517.1 |
| 1924 | SLA | AL | 25 | 30 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .200 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1927 | CIN | NL | 24 | 30 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | .200 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1928 | CIN | NL | 44 | 70 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 11 | .214 | .280 (-24%) | .342 (-22%) | .395 (-24%) | .737 (-23%) | -270.1 |
| 1929 | CIN | NL | 30 | 49 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 | .163 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1930 | CIN | NL | 37 | 49 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | .245 | — | — | — | — | -196.5 |
| 1931 | CIN | NL | 30 | 32 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .125 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1932 | CIN | NL | 32 | 49 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .184 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1933 | CIN | NL | 30 | 45 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | .156 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1934 | CIN | NL | 28 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .083 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 12 seasons | 384 | 532 | 43 | 98 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 34 | 0 | 19 | 80 | .184 | — | — | — | — | -1,552 | ||
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 (768 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 202 | 249 | 20 | 46 | 0 | 13 | .185 |
| Away | 183 | 287 | 24 | 53 | 2 | 25 | .185 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 202 | 834.1 | 907 | 336 | 184 | 217 | 3.62 |
| Away | 181 | 852.1 | 1011 | 431 | 247 | 223 | 4.55 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934-09-21 | CIN | PIT | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-09-11 | CIN | BRO | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-08-25 | CIN | BSN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-08-24 | CIN | BSN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-08-20 | CIN | NY1 | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-08-17 | CIN | BRO | L | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-08-15 | CIN | BRO | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-08-12 | CIN | PIT | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-08-04 | CIN | CHC | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-07-20 | CIN | NY1 | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934-09-21 | CIN | PIT | — | 1.1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-09-11 | CIN | BRO | — | 7.0 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 1934-08-25 | CIN | BSN | — | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-08-24 | CIN | BSN | — | 2.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-08-20 | CIN | NY1 | — | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1934-08-17 | CIN | BRO | — | 5.1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 1934-08-15 | CIN | BRO | — | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1934-08-12 | CIN | PIT | — | 1.2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934-08-04 | CIN | CHC | — | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1934-07-20 | CIN | NY1 | — | 1.1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 383 | 0 | 86 | 351 | 12 | 22 |
| SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | SLA | P | 37 | 0 | 12 | 43 | 0 | 3 |
| 1921 | SLA | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922 | SLA | P | 32 | 0 | 13 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| 1923 | SLA | P | 34 | 0 | 10 | 37 | 5 | 2 |
| 1924 | SLA | P | 25 | 0 | 7 | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 1927 | CIN | P | 24 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 3 |
| 1928 | CIN | P | 44 | 0 | 11 | 50 | 1 | 4 |
| 1929 | CIN | P | 30 | 0 | 7 | 38 | 2 | 1 |
| 1930 | CIN | P | 37 | 0 | 8 | 30 | 1 | 0 |
| 1931 | CIN | P | 30 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 1932 | CIN | P | 32 | 0 | 6 | 23 | 0 | 3 |
| 1933 | CIN | P | 30 | 0 | 5 | 39 | 2 | 0 |
| 1934 | CIN | P | 28 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 3 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 383 |
| Third Base | 1 |
| Shortstop | 1 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Ray Kolp (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Ray Kolp: the record in brief
Ray Kolp's major league career runs from a debut on April 16, 1921 to a final game on September 21, 1934. Club by club, the record runs the St. Louis Browns (1921 to 1924) and the Cincinnati Reds (1927 through 1934). Kolp played primarily as a pitcher and threw and hit right-handed. The bio adds a birth date on October 1, 1894, in New Berlin, OH, USA and a listed size of 5'10" and 187 pounds. Kolp's death is recorded on July 29, 1967, in Cincinnati, OH, USA. The given name on file is Raymond Carl Kolp.
Kolp went 79-95 with a 4.08 ERA in 383 games, 174 of them starts. Also on Kolp's record: 439 strikeouts, 66 complete games, 11 shutouts, and 18 saves. Kolp's 4.08 ERA was close to the 4.20 league figure for those seasons. 1922 brought Kolp a season-high 14 wins. Kolp struck out 61 batters in 1928, a career high.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ray Kolp
- What years did Ray Kolp play?
- Ray Kolp played in Major League Baseball from 1921 to 1934.
- Was Ray Kolp a pitcher?
- Yes. Ray Kolp pitched in the major leagues, recording 79 wins and 439 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Ray Kolp hit?
- Ray Kolp hit 2 career home runs with 98 hits.
- What teams did Ray Kolp play for?
- Ray Kolp played for 2 teams: the St. Louis Browns (1921–1924) and the Cincinnati Reds (1927–1934).
- What were Ray Kolp's career stats?
- In 383 games, Ray Kolp went 79-95 with a 4.08 ERA, 439 strikeouts, 1,688.0 innings pitched, and 18 saves. At the plate he had 98 hits and 2 home runs.
- What position did Ray Kolp play?
- Ray Kolp played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Ray Kolp and how much did he weigh?
- Ray Kolp was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 187 pounds.
- What was Ray Kolp's career ERA?
- Ray Kolp finished with a 4.08 career ERA, going 79-95 with 439 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Ray Kolp have?
- Ray Kolp recorded 439 career strikeouts.
- Is Ray Kolp in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Ray Kolp has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.