Satchel Paige
⭐ Hall of Fame 1971
Born: 7/7/1906 in Mobile, AL, USA
Died: 6/8/1982 in Kansas City, MO, USA
MLB Debut: 1948-07-09 | Final Game: 1965-09-25
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Leroy Robert Paige
Biography
Satchel Paige, born in 1906, was a groundbreaking pitcher whose illustrious career spanned from 1948 to 1965. Known for his charismatic personality and exceptional skills on the mound, Paige became one of the most celebrated figures in baseball history. He finished his Major League Baseball career with a record of 28-31 and an impressive earned run average (ERA) of 3.29. Over the course of his career, he struck out 288 batters and recorded 32 saves, showcasing his ability to dominate opposing hitters. His remarkable talent earned him two All-Star selections, and he was ultimately inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971, solidifying his legacy as one of the game's greats.
Paige's impact on baseball extended far beyond his statistics; he played a pivotal role in the integration of the sport during a time when racial barriers were prevalent. Before joining the major leagues, he had already established himself in the Negro Leagues, where he was known for his unique pitching style and ability to captivate audiences. His late entry into Major League Baseball, at the age of 42, did not hinder his performance, as he continued to defy age and expectations throughout his career. Satchel Paige remains a symbol of resilience and talent, representing an era of change in baseball and inspiring future generations of players.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400.0 | 384.0 | 22.0 | 84.0 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 25.0 | 3.0 | 12.0 | 1.0 | 0.219 | 0.227 | 0.245 | 0.472 |
Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 249.0 | 0 | 0 | 207.0 | 57.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 863.0 | 367.0 | 119.0 | 26.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.92 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.666 |
| 1930 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1931 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.666 |
| 1932 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.375 | 0.375 | 0.375 | 0.750 |
| 1933 | 15.0 | 13.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.077 | 0.143 | 0.077 | 0.220 |
| 1934 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.091 | 0.091 | 0.091 | 0.182 |
| 1935 | 15.0 | 14.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.071 | 0.071 | 0.071 | 0.142 |
| 1936 | 43.0 | 42.0 | 4.0 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0.190 | 0.190 | 0.214 | 0.404 |
| 1937 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.286 | 0.286 | 0.286 | 0.572 |
| 1940 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.333 | 0.666 |
| 1941 | 35.0 | 32.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0.250 | 0.294 | 0.250 | 0.544 |
| 1942 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 2.0 | 11.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0.220 | 0.220 | 0.280 | 0.500 |
| 1943 | 64.0 | 62.0 | 5.0 | 14.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.226 | 0.226 | 0.258 | 0.484 |
| 1944 | 46.0 | 44.0 | 2.0 | 8.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.182 | 0.200 | 0.250 | 0.450 |
| 1945 | 31.0 | 31.0 | 2.0 | 11.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.355 | 0.355 | 0.387 | 0.742 |
| 1946 | 36.0 | 34.0 | 1.0 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0.265 | 0.265 | 0.265 | 0.530 |
| 1947 | 20.0 | 18.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.111 | 0.111 | 0.111 | 0.222 |
| 1948 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.286 | 0.286 | 0.286 | 0.572 |
| 1955 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| 1961 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Pitching
| Season | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 9.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1930 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1931 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1932 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1933 | 11.0 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 25.0 | 13.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1934 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 22.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.43 |
| 1935 | 11.0 | 0 | 0 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 16.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1936 | 27.0 | 0 | 0 | 16.0 | 11.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 89.0 | 40.0 | 16.0 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.33 |
| 1937 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 26.0 | 10.0 | 8.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.67 |
| 1940 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1941 | 12.0 | 0 | 0 | 18.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 72.0 | 25.0 | 10.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.99 |
| 1942 | 31.0 | 0 | 0 | 27.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 112.0 | 48.0 | 10.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.56 |
| 1943 | 39.0 | 0 | 0 | 35.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 155.0 | 70.0 | 17.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.86 |
| 1944 | 27.0 | 0 | 0 | 24.0 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 92.0 | 34.0 | 16.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.08 |
| 1945 | 26.0 | 0 | 0 | 17.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 82.0 | 45.0 | 11.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.95 |
| 1946 | 25.0 | 0 | 0 | 26.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 93.0 | 35.0 | 22.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.72 |
| 1947 | 8.0 | 0 | 0 | 12.0 | 3.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 34.0 | 12.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.34 |
| 1948 | 9.0 | 0 | 0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 21.0 | 12.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 1.96 |
| 1955 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1961 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | 31 | 179 | 26 | 7 | 4 | 32 | 476.0 | 429 | 174 | 29 | 180 | 288 | 3.29 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | CLE | AL | 6 | 1 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 72.7 | 61 | 20 | 22 | 43 | 2.48 | 2468.7 |
| 1949 | CLE | AL | 4 | 7 | 31 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 83.0 | 70 | 28 | 33 | 54 | 3.04 | 2223.6 |
| 1951 | SLA | AL | 3 | 4 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 62.0 | 67 | 33 | 29 | 48 | 4.79 | 627.2 |
| 1952 | SLA | AL | 12 | 10 | 46 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 138.0 | 116 | 47 | 57 | 91 | 3.07 | 3039.7 |
| 1953 | SLA | AL | 3 | 9 | 57 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 117.3 | 114 | 46 | 39 | 51 | 3.53 | 190.1 |
| 1965 | KC1 | AL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 0.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 179 | 124 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 32 | 0.097 | 0.118 | 0.097 | 0.215 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | CLE | AL | 21 | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.087 | 0.0 |
| 1949 | CLE | AL | 31 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.062 | 0.0 |
| 1951 | SLA | AL | 23 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.125 | 0.0 |
| 1952 | SLA | AL | 46 | 39 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0.128 | 0.0 |
| 1953 | SLA | AL | 57 | 29 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0.069 | 0.0 |
| 1965 | KC1 | AL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | WS | CLE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | WS | CLE | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 179 | 1 | 17 | 62 | 0 | 3 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | CLE | P | 21 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 1949 | CLE | P | 31 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 1951 | SLA | P | 23 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1952 | SLA | P | 46 | 0 | 5 | 23 | 0 | 2 |
| 1953 | SLA | P | 57 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| 1965 | KC1 | P | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 179 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 17th | 12.0 | 336 | 0 |