Charlie Neal
Born: 1/30/1931 in Longview, TX, USA
Died: 11/18/1996 in Dallas, TX, USA
MLB Debut: 1956-04-17 | Final Game: 1963-09-29
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 165 lbs
Full name: Charles Lenard Neal
Biography
Charlie Neal was a prominent figure in Major League Baseball during the late 1950s and early 1960s, known for his versatility as a position player and his impactful contributions on the field. Born in 1931, Neal played from 1956 until 1963, amassing a total of 970 games throughout his career. He recorded 858 hits, hit 87 home runs, and drove in 391 RBIs, finishing his career with a batting average of 0.259. Neal also showcased his speed on the bases, stealing 48 bases over his tenure.
Neal was selected as an All-Star three times, a testament to his skill and popularity during a competitive era of baseball that saw the rise of both power hitters and dynamic athletes. His ability to adapt and perform at a high level made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for. Neal's contributions to the game, particularly in the context of the rapidly changing landscape of baseball during the integration era, solidified his legacy as a noteworthy player in the annals of the sport.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 970 | 3316 | 461 | 858 | 113 | 38 | 87 | 391 | 48 | 337 | 557 | 0.259 | 0.329 | 0.394 | 0.723 | 1050.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | BRO | NL | 62 | 136 | 22 | 39 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 14 | 19 | 0.287 | 49.6 |
| 1957 | BRO | NL | 128 | 448 | 62 | 121 | 13 | 7 | 12 | 62 | 11 | 53 | 83 | 0.270 | 773.6 |
| 1958 | LAD | NL | 140 | 473 | 87 | 120 | 9 | 6 | 22 | 65 | 7 | 61 | 91 | 0.254 | 840.3 |
| 1959 | LAD | NL | 151 | 616 | 103 | 177 | 30 | 11 | 19 | 83 | 17 | 43 | 86 | 0.287 | 1347.2 |
| 1960 | LAD | NL | 139 | 477 | 60 | 122 | 23 | 2 | 8 | 40 | 5 | 48 | 75 | 0.256 | -387.3 |
| 1961 | LAD | NL | 108 | 341 | 40 | 80 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 48 | 3 | 30 | 49 | 0.235 | -755.3 |
| 1962 | NYN | NL | 136 | 508 | 59 | 132 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 58 | 2 | 56 | 90 | 0.260 | -49.7 |
| 1963 | CIN | NL | 34 | 64 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 0.156 | -427.6 |
| 1963 | NYN | NL | 72 | 253 | 26 | 57 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 1 | 27 | 49 | 0.225 | -427.6 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 31 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0.323 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | WS | LAN | 6 | 27 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0.370 |
| 1956 | WS | BRO | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 663 | 615 | 1446 | 1645 | 68 | 452 |
| 3B | 120 | 111 | 111 | 217 | 17 | 16 |
| SS | 162 | 149 | 241 | 456 | 39 | 99 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | BRO | 2B | 51 | 34 | 70 | 103 | 5 | 24 |
| 1956 | BRO | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957 | BRO | 2B | 3 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| 1957 | BRO | 3B | 23 | 21 | 23 | 34 | 3 | 5 |
| 1957 | BRO | SS | 100 | 100 | 151 | 298 | 24 | 60 |
| 1958 | LAN | 2B | 132 | 128 | 334 | 343 | 17 | 121 |
| 1958 | LAN | SS | 9 | 7 | 10 | 18 | 2 | 2 |
| 1959 | LAN | 2B | 151 | 150 | 386 | 413 | 9 | 110 |
| 1959 | LAN | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1960 | LAN | 2B | 136 | 130 | 250 | 291 | 13 | 78 |
| 1960 | LAN | SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1961 | LAN | 2B | 104 | 88 | 211 | 246 | 11 | 63 |
| 1962 | NYN | 2B | 85 | 84 | 187 | 240 | 13 | 54 |
| 1962 | NYN | 3B | 12 | 12 | 6 | 31 | 3 | 1 |
| 1962 | NYN | SS | 39 | 37 | 63 | 118 | 12 | 30 |
| 1963 | CIN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1963 | CIN | 3B | 19 | 14 | 21 | 17 | 3 | 0 |
| 1963 | CIN | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1963 | NYN | 3B | 66 | 64 | 61 | 135 | 8 | 10 |
| 1963 | NYN | SS | 8 | 5 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 6 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 663 |
| Third Base | 120 |
| Shortstop | 162 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Gold Glove | 2B |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 8th | 64.0 | 336 | 0 |