Bobby Murcer
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1965-1983)
Bobby Murcer was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1965 to 1983 for the New York Yankees, the San Francisco Giants, and the Chicago Cubs, a span of 19 seasons. In 1,908 career games, he hit .277 with 1,862 hits, 252 home runs, and 1,043 RBI. Bobby Murcer was a 5-time All-Star and a Gold Glove. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 20,338.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 160 lb
- Died
- 7/12/2008 in Oklahoma City, OK, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1965-09-08
- Last Game
- 1983-06-11
- Awards
- 5× All-Star · Gold Glove
Full name: Bobby Ray Murcer
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,908 | 6,730 | 972 | 1,862 | 285 | 45 | 252 | 1,043 | 127 | 862 | 841 | .277 | .357 | .445 | .802 | 20,338 |
Career AVG .277 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — +8.0% above league average.
Career OBP .357 vs. league average .322 across their career seasons — +10.9% above league average.
Career SLG .445 vs. league average .378 across their career seasons — +17.6% above league average.
Career OPS .802 vs. league average .700 across their career seasons — +14.5% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | NYA | AL | 11 | 37 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 12 | .243 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1966 | NYA | AL | 21 | 69 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | .174 | .248 (-30%) | .309 (-29%) | .376 (-42%) | .685 (-36%) | -381.2 |
| 1969 | NYA | AL | 152 | 564 | 82 | 146 | 24 | 4 | 26 | 82 | 7 | 50 | 103 | .259 | .248 (+4%) | .320 (avg) | .369 (+23%) | .689 (+12%) | 1147.1 |
| 1970 | NYA | AL | 159 | 581 | 95 | 146 | 23 | 3 | 23 | 78 | 15 | 87 | 100 | .251 | .253 (-1%) | .325 (+7%) | .385 (+9%) | .711 (+8%) | 1054.0 |
| 1971 | NYA | AL | 146 | 529 | 94 | 175 | 25 | 6 | 25 | 94 | 14 | 91 | 60 | .331 | .249 (+33%) | .316 (+35%) | .365 (+49%) | .682 (+42%) | 4586.8 |
| 1972 | NYA | AL | 153 | 585 | 102 | 171 | 30 | 7 | 33 | 96 | 11 | 63 | 67 | .292 | .243 (+20%) | .310 (+16%) | .353 (+52%) | .664 (+35%) | 3736.4 |
| 1973 | NYA | AL | 160 | 616 | 83 | 187 | 29 | 2 | 22 | 95 | 6 | 50 | 67 | .304 | .256 (+18%) | .325 (+10%) | .378 (+23%) | .703 (+17%) | 2012.4 |
| 1974 | NYA | AL | 156 | 606 | 69 | 166 | 25 | 4 | 10 | 88 | 14 | 57 | 59 | .274 | .256 (+7%) | .324 (+2%) | .369 (+2%) | .693 (+2%) | 216.2 |
| 1975 | SFN | NL | 147 | 526 | 80 | 157 | 29 | 4 | 11 | 91 | 9 | 91 | 45 | .298 | .257 (+16%) | .327 (+21%) | .374 (+15%) | .701 (+18%) | 2132.5 |
| 1976 | SFN | NL | 147 | 533 | 73 | 138 | 20 | 2 | 23 | 90 | 12 | 84 | 78 | .259 | .255 (+1%) | .320 (+13%) | .360 (+20%) | .681 (+17%) | 1960.3 |
| 1977 | CHN | NL | 154 | 554 | 90 | 147 | 18 | 3 | 27 | 89 | 16 | 80 | 77 | .265 | .264 (avg) | .329 (+8%) | .401 (+13%) | .730 (+11%) | 1349.7 |
| 1978 | CHN | NL | 146 | 499 | 66 | 140 | 22 | 6 | 9 | 64 | 14 | 80 | 57 | .281 | .257 (+9%) | .323 (+16%) | .378 (+6%) | .702 (+11%) | 1311.5 |
| 1979 | CHN | NL | 58 | 190 | 22 | 49 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 2 | 36 | 20 | .258 | .265 (-3%) | .329 (+13%) | .397 (+1%) | .727 (+6%) | 331.3 |
| 1979 | NYA | AL | 74 | 264 | 42 | 72 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 33 | 1 | 25 | 32 | .273 | .265 (+3%) | .329 (+3%) | .397 (+3%) | .727 (+3%) | 331.3 |
| 1980 | NYA | AL | 100 | 297 | 41 | 80 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 57 | 2 | 34 | 28 | .269 | .264 (+2%) | .326 (+4%) | .387 (+13%) | .714 (+9%) | 460.8 |
| 1981 | NYA | AL | 50 | 117 | 14 | 31 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 24 | 0 | 12 | 15 | .265 | .255 (+4%) | .320 (+3%) | .368 (+28%) | .688 (+16%) | 299.8 |
| 1982 | NYA | AL | 65 | 141 | 12 | 32 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 30 | 2 | 12 | 15 | .227 | .261 (-13%) | .324 (-11%) | .388 (+8%) | .712 (-1%) | -50.8 |
| 1983 | NYA | AL | 9 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .182 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 18 seasons | 1,908 | 6,730 | 972 | 1,862 | 285 | 45 | 252 | 1,043 | 127 | 862 | 841 | .277 | — | — | — | — | 20,498 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1908 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 973 | 3313 | 521 | 961 | 142 | 558 | .290 |
| Away | 935 | 3417 | 451 | 901 | 110 | 485 | .264 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-06-11 | NYY | MIL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-06-05 | NYY | SEA | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-06-04 | NYY | SEA | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-06-02 | NYY | LAA | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-06-01 | NYY | LAA | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-05-28 | NYY | OAK | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1983-05-21 | NYY | OAK | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-05-15 | NYY | CHW | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983-04-10 | NYY | TOR | W | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982-09-16 | NYY | BAL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3B | 31 | 31 | 23 | 77 | 14 | 11 |
| OF | 1644 | 1601 | 3269 | 125 | 65 | 19 |
| SS | 30 | 28 | 59 | 91 | 11 | 18 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | NYA | SS | 11 | 11 | 28 | 41 | 5 | 14 |
| 1966 | NYA | SS | 18 | 17 | 31 | 50 | 6 | 4 |
| 1969 | NYA | 3B | 31 | 31 | 23 | 77 | 14 | 11 |
| 1969 | NYA | OF | 118 | 115 | 212 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| 1970 | NYA | OF | 155 | 152 | 375 | 15 | 3 | 3 |
| 1971 | NYA | OF | 143 | 140 | 317 | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| 1972 | NYA | OF | 151 | 150 | 382 | 11 | 3 | 1 |
| 1973 | NYA | OF | 160 | 160 | 380 | 14 | 6 | 2 |
| 1974 | NYA | OF | 156 | 153 | 297 | 21 | 7 | 2 |
| 1975 | SFN | OF | 144 | 143 | 201 | 10 | 4 | 3 |
| 1976 | SFN | OF | 146 | 145 | 282 | 11 | 12 | 2 |
| 1977 | CHN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | CHN | OF | 150 | 148 | 237 | 11 | 5 | 5 |
| 1977 | CHN | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | CHN | OF | 138 | 133 | 225 | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| 1979 | CHN | OF | 54 | 53 | 110 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979 | NYA | OF | 70 | 65 | 169 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 1980 | NYA | OF | 59 | 44 | 82 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 1 |
| Third Base | 31 |
| Shortstop | 30 |
| Left Field | 57 |
| Center Field | 790 |
| Right Field | 844 |
| Designated Hitter | 119 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Player of the Week | Week of 1975-06-06 |
| 1975 | Player of the Week | Week of 1975-05-23 |
| 1973 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1972 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1972 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1971 | TSN All-Star | OF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 10.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1973 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 9th | 53.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1972 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 89.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1971 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 7th | 72.0 | 336 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Bobby Murcer (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Bobby Murcer
Bobby Murcer: the record in brief
Bobby Murcer played a first major league game on September 8, 1965 and a last one on June 11, 1983. By club, Murcer's seasons break down as the New York Yankees (1965 to 1983), the San Francisco Giants (1975 to 1976), and the Chicago Cubs (1977 to 1979). Murcer played primarily as an outfielder and threw right-handed and batted left-handed. Born on May 20, 1946, in Oklahoma City, OK, USA, Murcer was listed at 160 pounds on a 5-foot-11 frame. Murcer died on July 12, 2008, in Oklahoma City, OK, USA. The bio lists the given name Bobby Ray.
Murcer's career batting table shows 1,908 games, 6,730 at bats and 1,862 hits, a .277 average, plus 252 home runs, 1,043 runs batted in, and 127 stolen bases. The on-base percentage is .357 and the slugging percentage .445, for an OPS of .802. Over the seasons Murcer played, league hitters batted .256; the .277 career figure is 8.0% above that.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bobby Murcer
- What years did Bobby Murcer play?
- Bobby Murcer played in Major League Baseball from 1965 to 1983.
- Was Bobby Murcer a pitcher?
- No. Bobby Murcer was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Bobby Murcer hit?
- Bobby Murcer hit 252 career home runs with 1862 hits.
- What was Bobby Murcer's career batting average?
- Bobby Murcer batted .277 over his career, with 1,862 hits in 6,730 at bats.
- How many RBI did Bobby Murcer have?
- Bobby Murcer drove in 1,043 runs in his career.
- Is Bobby Murcer in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Bobby Murcer has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.