Don Lang
Third Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1938-1948)
Don Lang was a third baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1938 to 1948 for the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals, a span of 11 seasons. In 138 career games, he hit .268 with 100 hits, 5 home runs, and 42 RBI. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 77.
- 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
- Third Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 175 lb
- Died
- 9/1/2010 in Ventura, CA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1938-07-04
- Last Game
- 1948-10-01
Full name: Donald Charles Lang
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 138 | 373 | 35 | 100 | 17 | 2 | 5 | 42 | 2 | 49 | 45 | .268 | .355 | .365 | .719 | 77 |
Career AVG .268 vs. league average .268 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .355 vs. league average .341 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .365 vs. league average .386 across their career seasons — 5.5% below league average.
Career OPS .719 vs. league average .727 across their career seasons — near 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | CIN | NL | 21 | 50 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 7 | .260 | .272 (-5%) | .341 (-16%) | .392 (+7%) | .734 (-4%) | -51.5 |
| 1948 | SLN | NL | 117 | 323 | 30 | 87 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 31 | 2 | 47 | 38 | .269 | .263 (+2%) | .340 (+7%) | .379 (-6%) | .719 (avg) | 128.6 |
| Career · 2 seasons | 138 | 373 | 35 | 100 | 17 | 2 | 5 | 42 | 2 | 49 | 45 | .268 | — | — | — | — | 77 | ||
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 (138 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 70 | 171 | 18 | 52 | 1 | 24 | .304 |
| Away | 68 | 202 | 17 | 48 | 4 | 17 | .238 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948-10-01 | STL | CHC | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948-09-29 | STL | PIT | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1948-09-26 | STL | CHC | W | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1948-09-25 | STL | CHC | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948-09-24 | STL | CHC | W | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948-09-22 | STL | BSN | W | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948-09-21 | STL | BSN | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1948-09-21 | STL | BSN | L | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1948-09-19 | STL | NY1 | W | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948-09-19 | STL | NY1 | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 3 |
| Third Base | 110 |
| Shortstop | 1 |
Don Lang: the record in brief
Don Lang's major league career runs from a debut on July 4, 1938 to a final game on October 1, 1948. By club, Lang's seasons break down as the Cincinnati Reds (1938) and the St. Louis Cardinals (1948). Lang played primarily as a third baseman and threw and hit right-handed. Born on March 15, 1915, in Selma, CA, USA, Lang was listed at 6'0" and 175 pounds. Lang's death is recorded on September 1, 2010, in Ventura, CA, USA. Lang's full given name, per the bio, is Donald Charles Lang.
Lang finished with 100 hits from 373 at bats in 138 games, which works out to .268, along with 5 home runs and 42 RBI. Reaching base at a .355 clip and slugging .365, Lang finished with a .719 OPS. Against a .268 league average for those years, Lang's .268 average was near the norm. Lang collected a career-high 87 hits in 1948. In 1948, a season of regular play, Lang hit .269 while the league hit .263.
Frequently Asked Questions about Don Lang
- What years did Don Lang play?
- Don Lang played in Major League Baseball from 1938 to 1948.
- Was Don Lang a pitcher?
- No. Don Lang was a position player (Third Baseman).
- How many home runs did Don Lang hit?
- Don Lang hit 5 career home runs with 100 hits.
- What was Don Lang's career batting average?
- Don Lang batted .268 over his career, with 100 hits in 373 at bats.
- How many RBI did Don Lang have?
- Don Lang drove in 42 runs in his career.
- Is Don Lang in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Don Lang has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.