George Metkovich
Born: 10/8/1920 in Angel's Camp, CA, USA
Died: 5/17/1995 in Costa Mesa, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1943-07-16 | Final Game: 1954-09-26
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: George Michael Metkovich
Biography
George Metkovich was a professional baseball player who made significant contributions to the game during the early to mid-20th century. Born in 1920, Metkovich's career spanned from 1943 to 1954, during a transformative period in baseball history that included the integration of African American players and the emergence of new playing styles. He played primarily as a position player and appeared in 1,055 games throughout his career.
Over his time in Major League Baseball, Metkovich recorded 934 hits and 47 home runs, showcasing his ability as a reliable hitter. He drove in 373 runs and maintained a batting average of .261. In addition to his offensive contributions, he demonstrated speed on the base paths with 61 stolen bases. Metkovich's versatility and consistent performance made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for, and he left an impact that resonated beyond his playing days, reflecting the evolving dynamics of baseball during his era.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51.0 | 48.0 | 4.0 | 15.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.312 | 0.353 | 0.500 | 0.853 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | 26.0 | 24.0 | 1.0 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.292 | 0.346 | 0.500 | 0.846 |
| 1944 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 0.600 | 1.500 | 2.100 |
| 1945 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.400 | 0.400 | 0.400 | 0.800 |
| 1947 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.267 | 0.267 | 0.267 | 0.534 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1055 | 3585 | 476 | 934 | 167 | 36 | 47 | 373 | 61 | 307 | 359 | 0.261 | 0.322 | 0.367 | 0.689 | -1221.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | BOS | AL | 78 | 321 | 34 | 79 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 27 | 1 | 19 | 38 | 0.246 | -192.9 |
| 1944 | BOS | AL | 134 | 549 | 94 | 152 | 28 | 8 | 9 | 59 | 13 | 31 | 57 | 0.277 | 442.7 |
| 1945 | BOS | AL | 138 | 539 | 65 | 140 | 26 | 3 | 5 | 62 | 19 | 51 | 70 | 0.260 | -61.6 |
| 1946 | BOS | AL | 86 | 281 | 42 | 69 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 25 | 8 | 36 | 39 | 0.246 | 40.7 |
| 1947 | CLE | AL | 126 | 473 | 68 | 120 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 40 | 5 | 32 | 51 | 0.254 | -786.5 |
| 1949 | CHW | AL | 93 | 338 | 50 | 80 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 45 | 5 | 41 | 24 | 0.237 | -657.5 |
| 1951 | PIT | NL | 120 | 423 | 51 | 124 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 40 | 3 | 28 | 23 | 0.293 | -116.9 |
| 1952 | PIT | NL | 125 | 373 | 41 | 101 | 18 | 3 | 7 | 41 | 5 | 32 | 29 | 0.271 | 281.4 |
| 1953 | CHC | NL | 61 | 124 | 19 | 29 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 16 | 10 | 0.234 | -145.1 |
| 1953 | PIT | NL | 26 | 41 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0.146 | -145.1 |
| 1954 | ATL | NL | 68 | 123 | 7 | 34 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 0.276 | -25.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | WS | BOS | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 289 | 13 | 2491 | 189 | 34 | 246 |
| OF | 644 | 12 | 1532 | 31 | 39 | 7 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | BOS | 1B | 2 | 0 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 1943 | BOS | OF | 76 | 0 | 183 | 6 | 9 | 3 |
| 1944 | BOS | 1B | 50 | 0 | 469 | 33 | 7 | 38 |
| 1944 | BOS | OF | 82 | 0 | 242 | 8 | 10 | 2 |
| 1945 | BOS | 1B | 97 | 0 | 935 | 76 | 15 | 96 |
| 1945 | BOS | OF | 42 | 0 | 87 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1946 | BOS | OF | 81 | 0 | 125 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| 1947 | CLE | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1947 | CLE | OF | 119 | 0 | 349 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| 1949 | CHA | OF | 87 | 0 | 212 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| 1951 | PIT | 1B | 37 | 0 | 306 | 27 | 3 | 32 |
| 1951 | PIT | OF | 69 | 0 | 171 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1952 | PIT | 1B | 72 | 0 | 530 | 33 | 7 | 59 |
| 1952 | PIT | OF | 33 | 0 | 72 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1953 | CHN | 1B | 7 | 0 | 37 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1953 | CHN | OF | 38 | 0 | 67 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1953 | PIT | 1B | 5 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1953 | PIT | OF | 4 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1954 | ML1 | 1B | 18 | 13 | 143 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1954 | ML1 | OF | 13 | 12 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 288 |
| Left Field | 34 |
| Center Field | 466 |
| Right Field | 159 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 38th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |