Cookie Lavagetto
Third Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1934-1947)
Cookie Lavagetto was a third baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1934 to 1947 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Brooklyn Dodgers, a span of 14 seasons. In 1,043 career games, he hit .269 with 945 hits, 40 home runs, and 486 RBI. Cookie Lavagetto was a 4-time All-Star. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 2,291.
- 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" / 170 lb
- Died
- 8/10/1990 in Orinda, CA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1934-04-17
- Last Game
- 1947-09-28
- Awards
- 4× All-Star
Full name: Harry Arthur Lavagetto
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,043 | 3,509 | 487 | 945 | 183 | 37 | 40 | 486 | 63 | 485 | 244 | .269 | .360 | .377 | .737 | 2,291 |
Career AVG .269 vs. league average .271 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .360 vs. league average .339 across their career seasons — +6.1% above league average.
Career SLG .377 vs. league average .388 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .737 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | PIT | NL | 87 | 304 | 41 | 67 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 46 | 6 | 32 | 39 | .220 | .278 (-21%) | .340 (-13%) | .392 (-18%) | .733 (-16%) | -792.0 |
| 1935 | PIT | NL | 78 | 231 | 27 | 67 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 18 | 15 | .290 | .279 (+4%) | .342 (avg) | .399 (-9%) | .742 (-5%) | -188.4 |
| 1936 | PIT | NL | 60 | 197 | 21 | 48 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 26 | 0 | 15 | 13 | .244 | .283 (-14%) | .349 (-14%) | .404 (-8%) | .753 (-11%) | -401.8 |
| 1937 | BRO | NL | 149 | 503 | 64 | 142 | 26 | 6 | 8 | 70 | 13 | 74 | 41 | .282 | .276 (+2%) | .342 (+10%) | .398 (+2%) | .740 (+5%) | 759.8 |
| 1938 | BRO | NL | 137 | 487 | 68 | 133 | 34 | 6 | 6 | 79 | 15 | 68 | 31 | .273 | .272 (avg) | .341 (+7%) | .392 (+3%) | .734 (+5%) | 561.2 |
| 1939 | BRO | NL | 153 | 587 | 93 | 176 | 28 | 5 | 10 | 87 | 14 | 78 | 30 | .300 | .274 (+9%) | .342 (+13%) | .393 (+6%) | .735 (+9%) | 1364.2 |
| 1940 | BRO | NL | 118 | 448 | 56 | 115 | 21 | 3 | 4 | 43 | 4 | 70 | 32 | .257 | .267 (-4%) | .335 (+8%) | .387 (-11%) | .722 (-3%) | 12.4 |
| 1941 | BRO | NL | 132 | 441 | 75 | 122 | 24 | 7 | 1 | 78 | 7 | 80 | 21 | .277 | .262 (+6%) | .332 (+17%) | .373 (-1%) | .705 (+7%) | 918.5 |
| 1946 | BRO | NL | 88 | 242 | 36 | 57 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 27 | 3 | 38 | 17 | .236 | .256 (-8%) | .328 (+3%) | .358 (-11%) | .687 (-4%) | -79.5 |
| 1947 | BRO | NL | 41 | 69 | 6 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 5 | .261 | .262 (-1%) | .336 (+10%) | .376 (+8%) | .712 (+9%) | 135.9 |
| Career · 10 seasons | 1,043 | 3,509 | 487 | 945 | 183 | 37 | 40 | 486 | 63 | 485 | 244 | .269 | — | — | — | — | 2,291 | ||
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.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1041 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 526 | 1728 | 265 | 494 | 20 | 250 | .286 |
| Away | 515 | 1778 | 220 | 452 | 20 | 231 | .254 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947-09-28 | BRO | BSN | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947-09-21 | BRO | BSN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947-09-18 | BRO | PIT | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947-09-12 | BRO | STL | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947-09-11 | BRO | STL | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947-09-09 | BRO | CHC | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1947-09-07 | BRO | NY1 | L | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1947-09-01 | BRO | PHI | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1947-08-30 | BRO | NY1 | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947-08-27 | BRO | CHC | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 3 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2B | 266 | 0 | 626 | 769 | 67 | 131 |
| 3B | 675 | 0 | 718 | 1168 | 128 | 105 |
| SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | PIT | 2B | 83 | 0 | 214 | 234 | 18 | 39 |
| 1935 | PIT | 2B | 42 | 0 | 92 | 120 | 11 | 10 |
| 1935 | PIT | 3B | 15 | 0 | 8 | 23 | 4 | 0 |
| 1936 | PIT | 2B | 37 | 0 | 85 | 110 | 10 | 24 |
| 1936 | PIT | 3B | 13 | 0 | 15 | 21 | 4 | 0 |
| 1936 | PIT | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1937 | BRO | 2B | 100 | 0 | 229 | 294 | 28 | 56 |
| 1937 | BRO | 3B | 45 | 0 | 52 | 74 | 6 | 8 |
| 1938 | BRO | 2B | 4 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 1938 | BRO | 3B | 132 | 0 | 136 | 229 | 28 | 26 |
| 1939 | BRO | 3B | 149 | 0 | 163 | 278 | 24 | 28 |
| 1940 | BRO | 3B | 116 | 0 | 137 | 191 | 24 | 12 |
| 1941 | BRO | 3B | 120 | 0 | 117 | 215 | 22 | 17 |
| 1946 | BRO | 3B | 67 | 0 | 70 | 108 | 14 | 11 |
| 1947 | BRO | 1B | 3 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947 | BRO | 3B | 18 | 0 | 20 | 29 | 2 | 3 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 3 |
| Second Base | 266 |
| Third Base | 675 |
| Shortstop | 1 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1939 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | 3B |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 35th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1939 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 29th | 3.0 | 336 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Cookie Lavagetto (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Cookie Lavagetto: the record in brief
According to the bio, Cookie Lavagetto debuted on April 17, 1934 and played a final game on September 28, 1947. The season rows list, in order, the Pittsburgh Pirates (1934 to 1936) and the Brooklyn Dodgers (1937 through 1947). At 170 pounds on a 6-foot-0 frame, Lavagetto is listed as a third baseman. Lavagetto threw and hit right-handed, per the bio block. The recorded birth is December 1, 1912, in Oakland, CA, USA. Lavagetto's death is recorded on August 10, 1990, in Orinda, CA, USA. Cookie Lavagetto was the playing name; the full given name is Harry Arthur.
In 1,043 games and 3,509 at bats, Lavagetto batted .269 with 945 hits, adding 40 home runs, 486 RBI, and 63 stolen bases. Lavagetto's career OPS of .737 combines a .360 on-base mark with .377 slugging. The .269 career average is close to the .271 the league hit across the same seasons. Lavagetto's most home runs in a season came in 1939, when the total reached 10 for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cookie Lavagetto
- What years did Cookie Lavagetto play?
- Cookie Lavagetto played in Major League Baseball from 1934 to 1947.
- Was Cookie Lavagetto a pitcher?
- No. Cookie Lavagetto was a position player (Third Baseman).
- How many home runs did Cookie Lavagetto hit?
- Cookie Lavagetto hit 40 career home runs with 945 hits.
- What teams did Cookie Lavagetto play for?
- Cookie Lavagetto played for 2 teams: the Pittsburgh Pirates (1934–1936) and the Brooklyn Dodgers (1937–1941, 1946–1947).
- Did Cookie Lavagetto win an MVP award?
- No. Cookie Lavagetto did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Cookie Lavagetto win?
- Cookie Lavagetto was selected to 4 All-Star Games.
- What were Cookie Lavagetto's career stats?
- In 1,043 games, Cookie Lavagetto had 945 hits, 40 home runs, 486 RBI, 487 runs, and 63 stolen bases, with a .269 batting average.
- What position did Cookie Lavagetto play?
- Cookie Lavagetto played primarily as a third baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Cookie Lavagetto and how much did he weigh?
- Cookie Lavagetto was listed at 6 feet and 170 pounds.
- How many home runs did Cookie Lavagetto hit each season?
- Cookie Lavagetto's home runs by season: 3 in 1934, 0 in 1935, 2 in 1936, 8 in 1937, 6 in 1938, 10 in 1939, 4 in 1940, 1 in 1941, 3 in 1946, and 3 in 1947. His most in one season was 10, in 1939.
- What was Cookie Lavagetto's career batting average?
- Cookie Lavagetto batted .269 over his career, with 945 hits in 3,509 at bats.
- How many RBI did Cookie Lavagetto have?
- Cookie Lavagetto drove in 486 runs in his career.
- Is Cookie Lavagetto in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Cookie Lavagetto has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- How many All-Star Games did Cookie Lavagetto make?
- Cookie Lavagetto was selected to 4 All-Star Games.