Denis Menke
Born: 7/21/1940 in Bancroft, IA, USA
Died: 12/1/2020 in Tarpon Springs, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1962-04-14 | Final Game: 1974-07-10
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Denis John Menke
Biography
Denis Menke was a professional baseball player born in 1940, who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1962 until his retirement in 1974. Primarily a position player, Menke played in a total of 1,598 games throughout his career, where he showcased his skills as a reliable hitter and an adept fielder. He accumulated 1,270 hits, hitting for a batting average of .250. Menke's power at the plate was evident as he belted 101 home runs and drove in 606 RBIs. Additionally, he demonstrated notable speed on the bases, finishing his career with 34 stolen bases.
Menke was recognized for his talents, earning All-Star selections in two seasons. His career spanned a transformative era in baseball, where the game was evolving with the introduction of more power hitters and the increasing importance of strategy in play. Known for his versatility, Menke played various infield positions, contributing to his teams' success during a time when the sport was gaining popularity and entering a new phase of athleticism and competition. His contributions to the game are remembered by fans and historians alike, solidifying his place in baseball history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1598 | 5071 | 605 | 1270 | 225 | 40 | 101 | 606 | 34 | 698 | 853 | 0.250 | 0.343 | 0.370 | 0.713 | 6407.5 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | ATL | NL | 50 | 146 | 12 | 28 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 38 | 0.192 | -607.9 |
| 1963 | ATL | NL | 146 | 518 | 58 | 121 | 16 | 4 | 11 | 50 | 6 | 37 | 106 | 0.234 | -763.5 |
| 1964 | ATL | NL | 151 | 505 | 79 | 143 | 29 | 5 | 20 | 65 | 4 | 68 | 77 | 0.283 | 2326.2 |
| 1965 | ATL | NL | 71 | 181 | 16 | 44 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 1 | 18 | 28 | 0.243 | 92.1 |
| 1966 | ATL | NL | 138 | 454 | 55 | 114 | 20 | 4 | 15 | 60 | 0 | 71 | 87 | 0.251 | 1226.4 |
| 1967 | ATL | NL | 129 | 418 | 37 | 95 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 39 | 5 | 65 | 62 | 0.227 | 174.3 |
| 1968 | HOU | NL | 150 | 542 | 56 | 135 | 23 | 6 | 6 | 56 | 5 | 64 | 81 | 0.249 | 835.9 |
| 1969 | HOU | NL | 154 | 553 | 72 | 149 | 25 | 5 | 10 | 90 | 2 | 87 | 87 | 0.269 | 1311.4 |
| 1970 | HOU | NL | 154 | 562 | 82 | 171 | 26 | 6 | 13 | 92 | 6 | 82 | 80 | 0.304 | 2168.7 |
| 1971 | HOU | NL | 146 | 475 | 57 | 117 | 26 | 3 | 1 | 43 | 4 | 59 | 68 | 0.246 | -352.4 |
| 1972 | CIN | NL | 140 | 447 | 41 | 104 | 19 | 2 | 9 | 50 | 0 | 58 | 76 | 0.233 | 114.1 |
| 1973 | CIN | NL | 139 | 241 | 38 | 46 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 1 | 69 | 53 | 0.191 | -117.8 |
| 1974 | HOU | NL | 30 | 29 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0.103 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 49 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 0.163 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | NLCS | CIN | 3 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.222 |
| 1972 | NLCS | CIN | 5 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0.250 |
| 1972 | WS | CIN | 7 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0.083 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 162 | 109 | 1080 | 75 | 4 | 101 |
| 2B | 233 | 212 | 506 | 543 | 21 | 103 |
| 3B | 420 | 328 | 296 | 715 | 49 | 64 |
| OF | 5 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 841 | 753 | 1218 | 2355 | 144 | 419 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | ML1 | 1B | 2 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1962 | ML1 | 2B | 20 | 16 | 49 | 47 | 2 | 10 |
| 1962 | ML1 | 3B | 15 | 14 | 9 | 37 | 2 | 4 |
| 1962 | ML1 | SS | 9 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 4 | 6 |
| 1962 | ML1 | OF | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1963 | ML1 | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1963 | ML1 | 2B | 22 | 20 | 51 | 51 | 3 | 12 |
| 1963 | ML1 | 3B | 51 | 47 | 58 | 96 | 12 | 9 |
| 1963 | ML1 | SS | 82 | 71 | 120 | 250 | 9 | 45 |
| 1963 | ML1 | OF | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1964 | ML1 | 2B | 15 | 15 | 29 | 31 | 2 | 8 |
| 1964 | ML1 | 3B | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1964 | ML1 | SS | 141 | 124 | 253 | 422 | 25 | 76 |
| 1965 | ML1 | 1B | 8 | 4 | 42 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 1965 | ML1 | 3B | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 1965 | ML1 | SS | 54 | 42 | 65 | 140 | 7 | 22 |
| 1966 | ATL | 1B | 7 | 3 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1966 | ATL | 3B | 39 | 32 | 38 | 58 | 3 | 4 |
| 1966 | ATL | SS | 106 | 94 | 165 | 282 | 21 | 50 |
| 1967 | ATL | 3B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1967 | ATL | SS | 124 | 119 | 181 | 349 | 19 | 65 |
| 1968 | HOU | 1B | 5 | 2 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1968 | HOU | 2B | 119 | 115 | 269 | 285 | 10 | 47 |
| 1968 | HOU | 3B | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1968 | HOU | SS | 35 | 29 | 45 | 92 | 5 | 21 |
| 1969 | HOU | 1B | 9 | 7 | 52 | 9 | 1 | 3 |
| 1969 | HOU | 2B | 23 | 20 | 42 | 47 | 2 | 9 |
| 1969 | HOU | 3B | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 | HOU | SS | 131 | 126 | 161 | 356 | 24 | 63 |
| 1970 | HOU | 1B | 5 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | HOU | 2B | 21 | 18 | 51 | 62 | 1 | 14 |
| 1970 | HOU | 3B | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 1970 | HOU | SS | 133 | 131 | 192 | 394 | 28 | 66 |
| 1970 | HOU | OF | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 | HOU | 1B | 101 | 87 | 845 | 59 | 3 | 77 |
| 1971 | HOU | 2B | 5 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 2 |
| 1971 | HOU | 3B | 32 | 29 | 24 | 41 | 4 | 4 |
| 1971 | HOU | SS | 17 | 8 | 16 | 40 | 2 | 5 |
| 1972 | CIN | 1B | 11 | 4 | 40 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 1972 | CIN | 3B | 130 | 120 | 85 | 258 | 16 | 20 |
| 1973 | CIN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1973 | CIN | 2B | 5 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1973 | CIN | 3B | 123 | 70 | 68 | 189 | 9 | 19 |
| 1973 | CIN | SS | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | HOU | 1B | 12 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 1974 | HOU | 2B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | HOU | 3B | 7 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 1 |
| 1974 | HOU | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 162 |
| Second Base | 234 |
| Third Base | 420 |
| Shortstop | 840 |
| Left Field | 3 |
| Right Field | 2 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 15th | 8.0 | 336 | 0 |