Cliff Melton
Born: 1/3/1912 in Brevard, NC, USA
Died: 7/28/1986 in Baltimore, MD, USA
MLB Debut: 1937-04-25 | Final Game: 1944-09-29
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'5" | Weight: 203 lbs
Full name: Clifford George Melton
Biography
Cliff Melton, born in 1912, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1937 to 1944. He was known for his strong left-handed pitching and durability on the mound, finishing his career with a record of 86 wins and 80 losses, an earned run average (ERA) of 3.42, and a total of 660 strikeouts. Melton's effectiveness as a reliever was highlighted by his 16 saves, showcasing his ability to close out games and contribute in high-pressure situations. His lone All-Star selection came during a period when Major League Baseball was beginning to gain popularity, setting the stage for future generations of players.
Melton played during a transformative era in baseball, marked by the end of the Great Depression and the onset of World War II, which impacted many players' careers. Despite these challenges, Melton established himself as a reliable pitcher, demonstrating an impressive command of his pitches and resilience throughout his time in the league. His contributions to the game have been remembered by baseball historians, as he remains a notable figure from a pivotal time in the sport's history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | 80 | 272 | 179 | 65 | 13 | 16 | 1453.7 | 1446 | 552 | 79 | 431 | 660 | 3.42 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | NY1 | NL | 20 | 9 | 46 | 27 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 248.0 | 216 | 72 | 55 | 142 | 2.61 | 7584.1 |
| 1938 | NY1 | NL | 14 | 14 | 36 | 31 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 243.0 | 266 | 105 | 61 | 101 | 3.89 | 2608.0 |
| 1939 | NY1 | NL | 12 | 15 | 41 | 23 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 207.3 | 214 | 82 | 65 | 95 | 3.56 | 4180.2 |
| 1940 | NY1 | NL | 10 | 11 | 37 | 21 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 166.7 | 185 | 91 | 68 | 91 | 4.91 | 1679.7 |
| 1941 | NY1 | NL | 8 | 11 | 42 | 22 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 194.3 | 181 | 65 | 61 | 100 | 3.01 | 1756.1 |
| 1942 | NY1 | NL | 11 | 5 | 23 | 17 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 143.7 | 122 | 42 | 33 | 61 | 2.63 | 1373.4 |
| 1943 | NY1 | NL | 9 | 13 | 34 | 28 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 186.3 | 184 | 66 | 69 | 55 | 3.19 | -650.5 |
| 1944 | NY1 | NL | 2 | 2 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 64.3 | 78 | 29 | 19 | 15 | 4.06 | -808.1 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 272 | 469 | 28 | 77 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 20 | 108 | 0.164 | 0.198 | 0.181 | 0.380 | -3510.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | NY1 | NL | 46 | 82 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 0.122 | -957.3 |
| 1938 | NY1 | NL | 36 | 80 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 0.175 | -655.3 |
| 1939 | NY1 | NL | 41 | 66 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0.182 | -551.2 |
| 1940 | NY1 | NL | 37 | 54 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 0.222 | -262.2 |
| 1941 | NY1 | NL | 42 | 61 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 0.115 | -660.3 |
| 1942 | NY1 | NL | 23 | 47 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 0.234 | -148.2 |
| 1943 | NY1 | NL | 34 | 54 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 14 | 0.148 | -276.1 |
| 1944 | NY1 | NL | 13 | 25 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.120 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | WS | NY1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 11.0 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 4.91 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | WS | NY1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 11.0 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 4.91 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 272 | 0 | 45 | 397 | 16 | 15 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | NY1 | P | 46 | 0 | 10 | 68 | 1 | 3 |
| 1938 | NY1 | P | 36 | 0 | 5 | 64 | 4 | 1 |
| 1939 | NY1 | P | 41 | 0 | 6 | 49 | 4 | 0 |
| 1940 | NY1 | P | 37 | 0 | 6 | 38 | 0 | 4 |
| 1941 | NY1 | P | 42 | 0 | 4 | 58 | 2 | 1 |
| 1942 | NY1 | P | 23 | 0 | 7 | 44 | 1 | 1 |
| 1943 | NY1 | P | 34 | 0 | 6 | 57 | 3 | 4 |
| 1944 | NY1 | P | 13 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 272 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 11th | 17.0 | 80 | 0 |