Joe Kuhel
Born: 6/25/1906 in Cleveland, OH, USA
Died: 2/26/1984 in Kansas City, KS, USA
MLB Debut: 1930-07-31 | Final Game: 1947-05-11
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Joseph Anthony Kuhel
Biography
Joe Kuhel was a prominent American baseball player, active from 1930 until 1947, who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball as a reliable position player. Born in 1906, Kuhel played the majority of his career as a first baseman and outfielder, showcasing his versatility on the field. Over the course of 2,104 games, he accumulated 2,212 hits, demonstrating consistent hitting ability that earned him a career batting average of .277. His offensive contributions included 131 home runs and 1,049 runs batted in, marking him as a key player in the lineup for teams he played for, including the Washington Senators and the Chicago White Sox.
Kuhel's playing style was characterized by a blend of power and speed, as evidenced by his 178 stolen bases, a notable achievement for a player of his era. His career unfolded during a time when baseball was transitioning through the Great Depression and into World War II, impacting the game and its players significantly. Kuhel's durability and performance made him a mainstay in the league, and he is remembered for his contributions not only as a player but also as a competitor who exemplified the spirit of the game during an evolving period in baseball history.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.0 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0.167 | 0.286 | 0.500 | 0.786 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | .000 | 0.333 | .000 | 0.333 |
| 1933 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0.250 | 0.250 | 0.750 | 1.000 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2104 | 7984 | 1236 | 2212 | 412 | 111 | 131 | 1049 | 178 | 980 | 612 | 0.277 | 0.359 | 0.406 | 0.765 | 12008.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | WSN | AL | 18 | 63 | 9 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0.286 | -31.7 |
| 1931 | WSN | AL | 139 | 524 | 70 | 141 | 34 | 8 | 8 | 85 | 7 | 47 | 45 | 0.269 | 168.9 |
| 1932 | WSN | AL | 101 | 347 | 52 | 101 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 52 | 5 | 32 | 19 | 0.291 | 286.8 |
| 1933 | WSN | AL | 153 | 602 | 89 | 194 | 34 | 10 | 11 | 107 | 17 | 59 | 48 | 0.322 | 2528.7 |
| 1934 | WSN | AL | 63 | 263 | 49 | 76 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 2 | 30 | 14 | 0.289 | 163.8 |
| 1935 | WSN | AL | 151 | 633 | 99 | 165 | 25 | 9 | 2 | 74 | 5 | 78 | 44 | 0.261 | -789.4 |
| 1936 | WSN | AL | 149 | 588 | 107 | 189 | 42 | 8 | 16 | 118 | 15 | 64 | 30 | 0.321 | 2336.3 |
| 1937 | WSN | AL | 136 | 547 | 73 | 155 | 24 | 11 | 6 | 61 | 6 | 63 | 39 | 0.283 | 272.0 |
| 1938 | CHW | AL | 117 | 412 | 67 | 110 | 27 | 4 | 8 | 51 | 9 | 72 | 35 | 0.267 | 682.8 |
| 1939 | CHW | AL | 139 | 546 | 107 | 164 | 24 | 9 | 15 | 56 | 18 | 64 | 51 | 0.300 | 1485.4 |
| 1940 | CHW | AL | 155 | 603 | 111 | 169 | 28 | 8 | 27 | 94 | 12 | 87 | 59 | 0.280 | 2448.4 |
| 1941 | CHW | AL | 153 | 600 | 99 | 150 | 39 | 5 | 12 | 63 | 20 | 70 | 55 | 0.250 | 216.9 |
| 1942 | CHW | AL | 115 | 413 | 60 | 103 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 52 | 22 | 60 | 22 | 0.249 | 229.3 |
| 1943 | CHW | AL | 153 | 531 | 55 | 113 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 46 | 14 | 76 | 45 | 0.213 | -730.1 |
| 1944 | WSN | AL | 139 | 518 | 90 | 144 | 26 | 7 | 4 | 51 | 11 | 68 | 40 | 0.278 | 1008.8 |
| 1945 | WSN | AL | 142 | 533 | 73 | 152 | 29 | 13 | 2 | 75 | 10 | 79 | 31 | 0.285 | 1559.0 |
| 1946 | CHW | AL | 64 | 238 | 24 | 65 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 4 | 21 | 24 | 0.273 | 172.4 |
| 1946 | WSN | AL | 14 | 20 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0.150 | 172.4 |
| 1947 | CHW | AL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0.150 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | WS | WS1 | 5 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0.150 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 2057 | 0 | 19386 | 1163 | 173 | 1769 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | WS1 | 1B | 16 | 0 | 149 | 8 | 3 | 10 |
| 1931 | WS1 | 1B | 139 | 0 | 1255 | 57 | 12 | 119 |
| 1932 | WS1 | 1B | 85 | 0 | 761 | 45 | 5 | 64 |
| 1933 | WS1 | 1B | 153 | 0 | 1498 | 61 | 7 | 126 |
| 1934 | WS1 | 1B | 63 | 0 | 618 | 23 | 4 | 62 |
| 1935 | WS1 | 1B | 151 | 0 | 1425 | 87 | 14 | 150 |
| 1936 | WS1 | 1B | 149 | 0 | 1452 | 73 | 10 | 138 |
| 1937 | WS1 | 1B | 136 | 0 | 1242 | 85 | 9 | 141 |
| 1938 | CHA | 1B | 111 | 0 | 1136 | 59 | 14 | 97 |
| 1939 | CHA | 1B | 136 | 0 | 1256 | 72 | 11 | 113 |
| 1940 | CHA | 1B | 155 | 0 | 1395 | 91 | 18 | 112 |
| 1941 | CHA | 1B | 151 | 0 | 1444 | 108 | 10 | 113 |
| 1942 | CHA | 1B | 112 | 0 | 1085 | 70 | 11 | 94 |
| 1943 | CHA | 1B | 153 | 0 | 1471 | 106 | 8 | 143 |
| 1944 | WS1 | 1B | 138 | 0 | 1251 | 83 | 17 | 119 |
| 1945 | WS1 | 1B | 141 | 0 | 1323 | 94 | 16 | 101 |
| 1946 | CHA | 1B | 63 | 0 | 596 | 38 | 4 | 65 |
| 1946 | WS1 | 1B | 5 | 0 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 2057 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 12th | 29.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1940 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 13th | 18.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1939 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 8.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1936 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 6th | 27.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1933 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 15th | 5.0 | 80 | 0 |