Lefty O'Doul
Born: 3/4/1897 in San Francisco, CA, USA
Died: 12/7/1969 in San Francisco, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1919-04-29 | Final Game: 1934-09-30
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Francis Joseph O'Doul
Biography
Lefty O'Doul, born in 1897, was a notable figure in baseball during the early 20th century, having played primarily as a pitcher from 1919 until his retirement in 1934. His professional career was marked by a brief but impactful tenure in Major League Baseball, where he achieved a record of 1-1 and posted an earned run average (ERA) of 4.87 over his time on the mound. O'Doul registered 19 strikeouts during his career, and he was recognized for his contributions to the game with one All-Star selection.
O'Doul's significance extended beyond his playing career, as he became a prominent figure in baseball history, particularly known for his later accomplishments as a hitting coach and manager. His journey through the game reflects the transition from the deadball era to a period where offensive play began to flourish. O'Doul's legacy is not merely defined by his pitching statistics but also by his impact on the development of future players and the evolution of baseball in the years following his retirement.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 77.7 | 104 | 42 | 2 | 49 | 19 | 4.87 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | NYY | AL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.0 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3.60 | - |
| 1920 | NYY | AL | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4.91 | - |
| 1922 | NYY | AL | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.0 | 24 | 6 | 12 | 5 | 3.38 | - |
| 1923 | BOS | AL | 1 | 1 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53.0 | 69 | 32 | 31 | 10 | 5.43 | -1392.8 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 970 | 3264 | 624 | 1140 | 175 | 41 | 113 | 542 | 36 | 333 | 122 | 0.349 | 0.413 | 0.532 | 0.945 | 18949.9 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | NYY | AL | 19 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1920 | NYY | AL | 13 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 1922 | NYY | AL | 8 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
| 1923 | BOS | AL | 36 | 35 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.143 | 0.0 |
| 1928 | NY1 | NL | 114 | 354 | 67 | 113 | 19 | 4 | 8 | 46 | 9 | 30 | 8 | 0.319 | 882.3 |
| 1929 | PHI | NL | 154 | 638 | 152 | 254 | 35 | 6 | 32 | 122 | 2 | 76 | 19 | 0.398 | 5991.2 |
| 1930 | PHI | NL | 140 | 528 | 122 | 202 | 37 | 7 | 22 | 97 | 3 | 63 | 21 | 0.383 | 4087.5 |
| 1931 | BRO | NL | 134 | 512 | 85 | 172 | 32 | 11 | 7 | 75 | 5 | 48 | 16 | 0.336 | 2110.8 |
| 1932 | BRO | NL | 148 | 595 | 120 | 219 | 32 | 8 | 21 | 90 | 11 | 50 | 20 | 0.368 | 4121.6 |
| 1933 | BRO | NL | 43 | 159 | 14 | 40 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 2 | 15 | 6 | 0.252 | 18.2 |
| 1933 | NY1 | NL | 78 | 229 | 31 | 70 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 35 | 1 | 29 | 17 | 0.306 | 18.2 |
| 1934 | NY1 | NL | 83 | 177 | 27 | 56 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 46 | 2 | 18 | 7 | 0.316 | 763.2 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | WS | NY1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 804 | 0 | 1591 | 35 | 60 | 6 |
| P | 34 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 2 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | NYA | P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1919 | NYA | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920 | NYA | P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920 | NYA | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922 | NYA | P | 6 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1923 | BOS | P | 23 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 0 |
| 1923 | BOS | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1928 | NY1 | OF | 94 | 0 | 149 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| 1929 | PHI | OF | 154 | 0 | 320 | 14 | 10 | 5 |
| 1930 | PHI | OF | 131 | 0 | 262 | 3 | 13 | 1 |
| 1931 | BRO | OF | 132 | 0 | 285 | 4 | 14 | 0 |
| 1932 | BRO | OF | 148 | 0 | 317 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| 1933 | BRO | OF | 41 | 0 | 88 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 1933 | NY1 | OF | 63 | 0 | 109 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 1934 | NY1 | OF | 38 | 0 | 60 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 34 |
| Left Field | 742 |
| Center Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 60 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | LF |
| 1932 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | LF |
| 1932 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1929 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | RF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 3rd | 58.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1931 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 25th | 1.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1929 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 2nd | 54.0 | 80 | 0 |