Willie Norwood
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1977-1980)
Willie Norwood was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1977 to 1980 for the Minnesota Twins, a span of 4 seasons. In 294 career games, he hit .242 with 207 hits, 18 home runs, and 93 RBI.
- 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
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 185 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1977-04-21
- Last Game
- 1980-10-04
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 294 | 854 | 109 | 207 | 40 | 6 | 18 | 93 | 41 | 57 | 145 | .242 | .290 | .367 | .656 | -1,232 |
Career AVG .242 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — 7.9% below league average.
Career OBP .290 vs. league average .327 across their career seasons — 11.4% below league average.
Career SLG .367 vs. league average .391 across their career seasons — 6.3% below league average.
Career OPS .656 vs. league average .719 across their career seasons — 8.6% below 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | MIN | AL | 39 | 83 | 15 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 17 | .229 | .264 (-13%) | .329 (-15%) | .401 (-7%) | .730 (-10%) | -144.2 |
| 1978 | MIN | AL | 125 | 428 | 56 | 109 | 22 | 3 | 8 | 46 | 25 | 28 | 64 | .255 | .257 (-1%) | .323 (-7%) | .378 (-1%) | .702 (-4%) | -327.8 |
| 1979 | MIN | AL | 96 | 270 | 32 | 67 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 30 | 9 | 20 | 51 | .248 | .265 (-7%) | .329 (-9%) | .397 (-3%) | .727 (-6%) | -297.7 |
| 1980 | MIN | AL | 34 | 73 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 13 | .164 | .264 (-38%) | .326 (-40%) | .387 (-40%) | .714 (-40%) | -461.9 |
| Career · 4 seasons | 294 | 854 | 109 | 207 | 40 | 6 | 18 | 93 | 41 | 57 | 145 | .242 | — | — | — | — | -1,232 | ||
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.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (294 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 136 | 379 | 45 | 84 | 7 | 43 | .222 |
| Away | 158 | 475 | 64 | 123 | 11 | 50 | .259 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-10-04 | MIN | KCR | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-10-03 | MIN | KCR | W | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-09-26 | MIN | KCR | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-06-22 | MIN | CLE | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-06-20 | MIN | CLE | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-06-17 | MIN | TOR | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-06-16 | MIN | TOR | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1980-06-14 | MIN | CLE | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-06-12 | MIN | DET | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980-06-08 | MIN | TOR | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 104 |
| Center Field | 82 |
| Right Field | 52 |
| Designated Hitter | 42 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of La Verne | La Verne | CA | 1972 |
Willie Norwood: the record in brief
According to the bio, Willie Norwood debuted on April 21, 1977 and played a final game on October 4, 1980. Norwood's only club in the season tables is the Minnesota Twins. At 6-foot-0 and 185 pounds, Norwood is listed as an outfielder. The bio says Norwood batted and threw right-handed. Norwood was born on November 7, 1950, in Greene County, AL, USA.
Norwood's career batting table shows 294 games, 854 at bats and 207 hits, a .242 average, plus 18 home runs, 93 runs batted in, and 41 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .290 clip and slugging .367, Norwood finished with a .656 OPS. Set against a .263 league average for the same years, Norwood's .242 average sits 7.9% below it. The OPS comparison is .656 to a league .719, 8.6% below average. 1978 produced Norwood's most hits, 109 of them for the Minnesota Twins. 1978 brought a season-best 25 stolen bases. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .255 in 1978, did not top the league's .257. In none of the compared seasons from 1977 to 1980 did Norwood top the league batting average.
Frequently Asked Questions about Willie Norwood
- What years did Willie Norwood play?
- Willie Norwood played in Major League Baseball from 1977 to 1980.
- Was Willie Norwood a pitcher?
- No. Willie Norwood was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Willie Norwood hit?
- Willie Norwood hit 18 career home runs with 207 hits.
- What teams did Willie Norwood play for?
- Willie Norwood played for one team, the Minnesota Twins (1977–1980).
- What were Willie Norwood's career stats?
- In 294 games, Willie Norwood had 207 hits, 18 home runs, 93 RBI, 109 runs, and 41 stolen bases, with a .242 batting average.
- What position did Willie Norwood play?
- Willie Norwood played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Willie Norwood and how much did he weigh?
- Willie Norwood was listed at 6 feet and 185 pounds.
- How many home runs did Willie Norwood hit each season?
- Willie Norwood's home runs by season: 3 in 1977, 8 in 1978, 6 in 1979, and 1 in 1980. His most in one season was 8, in 1978.
- What was Willie Norwood's career batting average?
- Willie Norwood batted .242 over his career, with 207 hits in 854 at bats.
- How many RBI did Willie Norwood have?
- Willie Norwood drove in 93 runs in his career.
- Is Willie Norwood in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Willie Norwood has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.