Harvey Kuenn
Born: 12/4/1930 in West Allis, WI, USA
Died: 2/28/1988 in Peoria, AZ, USA
MLB Debut: 1952-09-06 | Final Game: 1966-10-02
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 187 lbs
Full name: Harvey Edward Kuenn
Biography
Harvey Kuenn was a prominent American baseball player whose career spanned from 1952 to 1966. Born in 1930, he made a significant impact in Major League Baseball as a position player, known for his exceptional hitting ability and versatility on the field. Over the course of 1,833 games, Kuenn amassed 2,092 hits, resulting in an impressive career batting average of .303. He demonstrated consistent offensive production with 87 home runs and 671 RBIs, as well as contributing 68 stolen bases, showcasing his agility and speed.
Kuenn's talents did not go unnoticed, as he was named the Rookie of the Year and also received the TSN Rookie of the Year award, highlighting his immediate impact in the league. His skill earned him 10 All-Star selections throughout his career, illustrating his status as one of the top players of his era. Kuenn played during a time when the game was evolving, transitioning from the deadball era to a more offense-driven style, and he remained a key figure in shaping the offensive landscape of the sport. His legacy endures as one of the premier hitters of his generation, reflecting the excellence and competitive spirit of baseball in the 1950s and 1960s.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1833 | 6913 | 951 | 2092 | 356 | 56 | 87 | 671 | 68 | 594 | 404 | 0.303 | 0.357 | 0.408 | 0.765 | 9594.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | DET | AL | 19 | 80 | 2 | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0.325 | 74.8 |
| 1953 | DET | AL | 155 | 679 | 94 | 209 | 33 | 7 | 2 | 48 | 6 | 50 | 31 | 0.308 | 165.0 |
| 1954 | DET | AL | 155 | 656 | 81 | 201 | 28 | 6 | 5 | 48 | 9 | 29 | 13 | 0.306 | -96.1 |
| 1955 | DET | AL | 145 | 620 | 101 | 190 | 38 | 5 | 8 | 62 | 8 | 40 | 27 | 0.306 | 623.9 |
| 1956 | DET | AL | 146 | 591 | 96 | 196 | 32 | 7 | 12 | 88 | 9 | 55 | 34 | 0.332 | 2128.5 |
| 1957 | DET | AL | 151 | 624 | 74 | 173 | 30 | 6 | 9 | 44 | 5 | 47 | 28 | 0.277 | -46.8 |
| 1958 | DET | AL | 139 | 561 | 73 | 179 | 39 | 3 | 8 | 54 | 5 | 51 | 34 | 0.319 | 1537.8 |
| 1959 | DET | AL | 139 | 561 | 99 | 198 | 42 | 7 | 9 | 71 | 7 | 48 | 37 | 0.353 | 2916.1 |
| 1960 | CLE | AL | 126 | 474 | 65 | 146 | 24 | 0 | 9 | 54 | 3 | 55 | 25 | 0.308 | 1248.8 |
| 1961 | SFG | NL | 131 | 471 | 60 | 125 | 22 | 4 | 5 | 46 | 5 | 47 | 34 | 0.265 | -492.3 |
| 1962 | SFG | NL | 130 | 487 | 73 | 148 | 23 | 5 | 10 | 68 | 3 | 49 | 37 | 0.304 | 1075.5 |
| 1963 | SFG | NL | 120 | 417 | 61 | 121 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 31 | 2 | 44 | 38 | 0.290 | 716.5 |
| 1964 | SFG | NL | 111 | 351 | 42 | 92 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 0 | 35 | 32 | 0.262 | -13.9 |
| 1965 | CHC | NL | 54 | 120 | 11 | 26 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 22 | 13 | 0.217 | -170.8 |
| 1965 | SFG | NL | 23 | 59 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 0.237 | -170.8 |
| 1966 | CHC | NL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
| 1966 | PHI | NL | 86 | 159 | 15 | 47 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 16 | 0.296 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.083 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | WS | SFN | 3 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.083 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 33 | 16 | 170 | 15 | 4 | 16 |
| 3B | 140 | 130 | 119 | 171 | 26 | 13 |
| OF | 826 | 759 | 1396 | 43 | 32 | 8 |
| SS | 748 | 569 | 1343 | 2116 | 129 | 431 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | DET | SS | 19 | 0 | 44 | 57 | 4 | 12 |
| 1953 | DET | SS | 155 | 0 | 308 | 441 | 21 | 78 |
| 1954 | DET | SS | 155 | 155 | 294 | 496 | 28 | 85 |
| 1955 | DET | SS | 141 | 140 | 253 | 378 | 29 | 83 |
| 1956 | DET | SS | 141 | 140 | 219 | 388 | 20 | 86 |
| 1956 | DET | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957 | DET | 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1957 | DET | 3B | 17 | 16 | 24 | 33 | 3 | 4 |
| 1957 | DET | SS | 136 | 134 | 225 | 354 | 27 | 86 |
| 1958 | DET | OF | 138 | 138 | 358 | 9 | 6 | 1 |
| 1959 | DET | OF | 137 | 137 | 247 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| 1960 | CLE | 3B | 5 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 1960 | CLE | OF | 119 | 116 | 222 | 7 | 8 | 3 |
| 1961 | SFN | 3B | 32 | 29 | 33 | 32 | 8 | 4 |
| 1961 | SFN | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1961 | SFN | OF | 93 | 91 | 157 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| 1962 | SFN | 3B | 30 | 29 | 20 | 44 | 3 | 4 |
| 1962 | SFN | OF | 105 | 88 | 160 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 1963 | SFN | 3B | 53 | 52 | 41 | 56 | 11 | 1 |
| 1963 | SFN | OF | 64 | 47 | 74 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 1964 | SFN | 1B | 11 | 2 | 38 | 7 | 1 | 4 |
| 1964 | SFN | 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1964 | SFN | OF | 88 | 78 | 97 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 1965 | CHN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1965 | CHN | OF | 35 | 27 | 36 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1965 | SFN | 1B | 7 | 2 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1965 | SFN | OF | 14 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | CHN | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | PHI | 1B | 13 | 12 | 99 | 3 | 1 | 11 |
| 1966 | PHI | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | PHI | OF | 31 | 24 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 34 |
| Third Base | 141 |
| Shortstop | 747 |
| Left Field | 353 |
| Center Field | 164 |
| Right Field | 343 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | TSN All-Star | SS |
| 1953 | Rookie of the Year | |
| 1953 | TSN Rookie of the Year |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin at Madison | Madison | WI | 1951, 1952 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 18th | 5.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1960 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 24th | 3.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1959 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 64.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1958 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 13th | 24.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1957 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 22th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1956 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 80.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1955 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 8.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1954 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 37.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1953 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 15th | 23.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1953 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 1st | 23.0 | 24 | 23 |