Doc Lavan
Born: 10/28/1890 in Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Died: 5/29/1952 in Detroit, MI, USA
MLB Debut: 1913-06-22 | Final Game: 1924-05-04
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'8" | Weight: 151 lbs
Full name: John Leonard Lavan
Biography
Doc Lavan was a professional baseball player who played primarily as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1913 until his retirement in 1924. Born in 1890, Lavanโs career spanned over a decade, during which he participated in 1,163 games. He recorded 954 hits, contributing to a batting average of .245, alongside 7 home runs and 377 RBIs. Known for his speed on the basepaths, Lavan also successfully stole 71 bases throughout his career, showcasing his ability to impact the game beyond just hitting.
Lavan played during a transformative period in baseball, characterized by the transition from the deadball era to a more offensive style of play. Despite not being a prolific home run hitter, his overall contributions to the teams he played for were significant. Lavan's versatility and steady presence in the infield made him a reliable player, and he remains an interesting figure in the annals of early 20th-century baseball, representing the hard-nosed style of play that characterized the era.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32.0 | 32.0 | 5.0 | 11.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.344 | 0.344 | 0.375 | 0.719 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.222 | 0.222 | 0.333 | 0.555 |
| 1921 | 23.0 | 23.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.391 | 0.391 | 0.391 | 0.782 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1163 | 3891 | 338 | 954 | 134 | 45 | 7 | 377 | 71 | 209 | 376 | 0.245 | 0.288 | 0.308 | 0.596 | -9178.6 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | PHA | AL | 5 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.071 | 0.0 |
| 1913 | SLA | AL | 46 | 149 | 8 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 46 | 0.141 | 0.0 |
| 1914 | SLA | AL | 75 | 239 | 21 | 63 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 21 | 6 | 17 | 39 | 0.264 | -34.0 |
| 1915 | SLA | AL | 157 | 514 | 44 | 112 | 17 | 7 | 1 | 48 | 13 | 42 | 83 | 0.218 | -1319.2 |
| 1916 | SLA | AL | 110 | 343 | 32 | 81 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 7 | 32 | 38 | 0.236 | -439.9 |
| 1917 | SLA | AL | 118 | 355 | 19 | 85 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 30 | 5 | 19 | 34 | 0.239 | -650.7 |
| 1918 | WSN | AL | 117 | 464 | 44 | 129 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 12 | 14 | 21 | 0.278 | -334.3 |
| 1919 | STL | NL | 100 | 356 | 25 | 86 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 4 | 11 | 30 | 0.242 | -1135.7 |
| 1920 | STL | NL | 142 | 516 | 52 | 149 | 21 | 10 | 1 | 63 | 11 | 19 | 38 | 0.289 | -354.8 |
| 1921 | STL | NL | 150 | 560 | 58 | 145 | 23 | 11 | 2 | 82 | 7 | 23 | 30 | 0.259 | -1882.4 |
| 1922 | STL | NL | 89 | 264 | 24 | 60 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 0.227 | -1439.2 |
| 1923 | STL | NL | 50 | 111 | 10 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 0.198 | -529.2 |
| 1924 | STL | NL | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 3 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2B | 10 | 0 | 16 | 19 | 3 | 3 |
| 3B | 9 | 0 | 8 | 20 | 2 | 1 |
| OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 1126 | 0 | 2451 | 3628 | 455 | 559 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | PHA | SS | 5 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 1913 | SLA | SS | 46 | 0 | 82 | 141 | 25 | 24 |
| 1914 | SLA | SS | 74 | 0 | 178 | 193 | 34 | 17 |
| 1915 | SLA | SS | 157 | 0 | 313 | 475 | 75 | 81 |
| 1916 | SLA | SS | 106 | 0 | 217 | 386 | 32 | 52 |
| 1917 | SLA | 2B | 7 | 0 | 15 | 16 | 3 | 3 |
| 1917 | SLA | SS | 110 | 0 | 229 | 338 | 47 | 67 |
| 1918 | WS1 | SS | 117 | 0 | 275 | 354 | 57 | 43 |
| 1918 | WS1 | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1919 | SLN | SS | 99 | 0 | 207 | 352 | 43 | 49 |
| 1920 | SLN | SS | 138 | 0 | 327 | 489 | 50 | 77 |
| 1921 | SLN | SS | 150 | 0 | 382 | 540 | 49 | 88 |
| 1922 | SLN | 3B | 5 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| 1922 | SLN | SS | 82 | 0 | 169 | 246 | 28 | 39 |
| 1923 | SLN | 1B | 3 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1923 | SLN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1923 | SLN | 3B | 4 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1923 | SLN | SS | 40 | 0 | 64 | 95 | 13 | 20 |
| 1924 | SLN | 2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1924 | SLN | SS | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 3 |
| Second Base | 10 |
| Third Base | 10 |
| Shortstop | 1126 |
| Center Field | 1 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hope College | Holland | MI | 1909, 1910 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor | MI | 1912, 1913 |