Danny Litwhiler
Born: 8/31/1916 in Ringtown, PA, USA
Died: 9/23/2011 in Clearwater, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1940-04-25 | Final Game: 1951-09-25
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 198 lbs
Full name: Daniel Webster Litwhiler
Biography
Danny Litwhiler, born in 1916, was a prominent Major League Baseball player who made his mark as a versatile position player from 1940 to 1951. Over the course of his career, he played in 1,057 games, amassing 982 hits and demonstrating his ability to connect with the ball with a notable batting average of .281. Litwhiler's offensive contributions included 107 home runs and 451 RBIs, reflecting his role as a reliable run producer during a competitive era in baseball. His speed on the basepaths was also evident, as he recorded 11 stolen bases throughout his career.
Litwhiler's impact on the game was further recognized when he was selected as an All-Star during his playing tenure. He played during a transformative period in baseball, navigating the tail end of the pre-integration era and witnessing the changes that would shape the sport in the years to come. Known for his all-around abilities and consistent performance, Danny Litwhiler remains a noteworthy figure in baseball history, having left an indelible mark on the teams he played for and the fans who watched him.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1057 | 3494 | 428 | 982 | 162 | 32 | 107 | 451 | 11 | 299 | 377 | 0.281 | 0.342 | 0.438 | 0.780 | 6920.6 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | PHI | NL | 36 | 142 | 10 | 49 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 0.345 | 395.7 |
| 1941 | PHI | NL | 151 | 590 | 72 | 180 | 29 | 6 | 18 | 66 | 1 | 39 | 43 | 0.305 | 1622.7 |
| 1942 | PHI | NL | 151 | 591 | 59 | 160 | 25 | 9 | 9 | 56 | 2 | 27 | 42 | 0.271 | 204.6 |
| 1943 | PHI | NL | 36 | 139 | 23 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 1 | 11 | 14 | 0.259 | 153.4 |
| 1943 | STL | NL | 80 | 258 | 40 | 72 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 31 | 1 | 19 | 31 | 0.279 | 153.4 |
| 1944 | STL | NL | 140 | 492 | 53 | 130 | 25 | 5 | 15 | 82 | 2 | 37 | 56 | 0.264 | 906.9 |
| 1946 | BSN | NL | 79 | 247 | 29 | 72 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 38 | 1 | 19 | 23 | 0.291 | 653.2 |
| 1946 | STL | NL | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.000 | 653.2 |
| 1947 | BSN | NL | 91 | 226 | 38 | 59 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 31 | 1 | 25 | 43 | 0.261 | 112.5 |
| 1948 | BSN | NL | 13 | 33 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0.273 | 0.0 |
| 1948 | CIN | NL | 106 | 338 | 51 | 93 | 19 | 2 | 14 | 44 | 1 | 48 | 41 | 0.275 | 0.0 |
| 1949 | CIN | NL | 102 | 292 | 35 | 85 | 18 | 1 | 11 | 48 | 0 | 44 | 42 | 0.291 | 1031.0 |
| 1950 | CIN | NL | 54 | 112 | 15 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 20 | 21 | 0.259 | 244.8 |
| 1951 | CIN | NL | 12 | 29 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0.276 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 35 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 0.229 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | WS | SLN | 5 | 20 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 0.200 |
| 1943 | WS | SLN | 5 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0.267 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3B | 20 | 0 | 15 | 42 | 2 | 2 |
| OF | 915 | 0 | 1927 | 57 | 37 | 9 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | PHI | OF | 34 | 0 | 68 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 1941 | PHI | OF | 150 | 0 | 393 | 12 | 15 | 3 |
| 1942 | PHI | OF | 151 | 0 | 308 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943 | PHI | OF | 34 | 0 | 86 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 1943 | SLN | OF | 70 | 0 | 139 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 1944 | SLN | OF | 136 | 0 | 294 | 6 | 8 | 1 |
| 1946 | BSN | 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946 | BSN | OF | 65 | 0 | 128 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1947 | BSN | OF | 66 | 0 | 119 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1948 | BSN | OF | 8 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948 | CIN | 3B | 15 | 0 | 11 | 34 | 1 | 1 |
| 1948 | CIN | OF | 83 | 0 | 165 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 1949 | CIN | 3B | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 1949 | CIN | OF | 82 | 0 | 143 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
| 1950 | CIN | OF | 29 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1951 | CIN | OF | 7 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Third Base | 20 |
| Left Field | 698 |
| Center Field | 3 |
| Right Field | 219 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania | Bloomsburg | PA | 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 34th | 3.0 | 336 | 0 |