Mel Parnell
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1947-1956)
Mel Parnell was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1947 to 1956 for the Boston Red Sox, a span of 10 seasons. Across 289 career appearances, he went 123-75 with a 3.50 ERA and 732 strikeouts. He also batted .198 with 1 home runs. Mel Parnell was a 2-time All-Star. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 11763.1.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 180 lb
- Died
- 3/20/2012 in New Orleans, LA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1947-04-20
- Last Game
- 1956-09-29
- Awards
- 2× All-Star
Full name: Melvin Lloyd Parnell
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | BOS | AL | 2 | 3 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 50.2 | 60 | 36 | 27 | 23 | 6.39 | 3.97 (-61%) | 344.5 |
| 1948 | BOS | AL | 15 | 8 | 35 | 27 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 212.0 | 205 | 74 | 90 | 77 | 3.14 | 4.10 (+23%) | 1644.6 |
| 1949 | BOS | AL | 25 | 7 | 39 | 33 | 27 | 4 | 2 | 295.1 | 258 | 91 | 134 | 122 | 2.77 | 4.12 (+33%) | 5255.1 |
| 1950 | BOS | AL | 18 | 10 | 40 | 31 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 249.0 | 244 | 100 | 106 | 93 | 3.61 | 4.36 (+17%) | 1789.0 |
| 1951 | BOS | AL | 18 | 11 | 36 | 29 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 221.0 | 229 | 80 | 77 | 77 | 3.26 | 4.04 (+19%) | 3271.6 |
| 1952 | BOS | AL | 12 | 12 | 33 | 29 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 214.0 | 207 | 86 | 89 | 107 | 3.62 | 3.70 (+2%) | 1145.1 |
| 1953 | BOS | AL | 21 | 8 | 38 | 34 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 241.0 | 217 | 82 | 116 | 136 | 3.06 | 4.14 (+26%) | 2357.5 |
| 1954 | BOS | AL | 3 | 7 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 92.1 | 104 | 38 | 35 | 38 | 3.70 | 3.90 (+5%) | 393.4 |
| 1955 | BOS | AL | 2 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 46.0 | 62 | 40 | 25 | 18 | 7.83 | 4.00 (-96%) | -3075.0 |
| 1956 | BOS | AL | 7 | 6 | 21 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 131.1 | 129 | 55 | 59 | 41 | 3.77 | 3.96 (+5%) | -1362.6 |
| Career · 10 seasons | 123 | 75 | 289 | 232 | 113 | 20 | 10 | 1,752.2 | 1,715 | 682 | 758 | 732 | 3.50 | — | 11,763 | ||
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.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 293 | 668 | 52 | 132 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 50 | 2 | 29 | 94 | .198 | .233 | .234 | .467 | -2,892 |
Career AVG .198 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — 24.3% below league average.
Career OBP .233 vs. league average .336 across their career seasons — 30.7% below league average.
Career SLG .234 vs. league average .387 across their career seasons — 39.7% below league average.
Career OPS .467 vs. league average .723 across their career seasons — 35.5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | BOS | AL | 15 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .056 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1948 | BOS | AL | 35 | 80 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 11 | .163 | .263 (-38%) | .340 (-49%) | .379 (-54%) | .719 (-52%) | -665.1 |
| 1949 | BOS | AL | 39 | 114 | 9 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 10 | .254 | .262 (-3%) | .343 (-20%) | .384 (-27%) | .727 (-24%) | -452.4 |
| 1950 | BOS | AL | 40 | 98 | 7 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 13 | .194 | .265 (-27%) | .346 (-31%) | .401 (-39%) | .747 (-35%) | -580.3 |
| 1951 | BOS | AL | 37 | 81 | 12 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 10 | .309 | .260 (+18%) | .336 (+8%) | .385 (-10%) | .721 (-2%) | -10.8 |
| 1952 | BOS | AL | 35 | 84 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 12 | .095 | .252 (-62%) | .326 (-52%) | .369 (-58%) | .696 (-55%) | -735.9 |
| 1953 | BOS | AL | 38 | 94 | 7 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 16 | .223 | .264 (-15%) | .335 (-24%) | .397 (-33%) | .733 (-29%) | -447.7 |
| 1954 | BOS | AL | 19 | 34 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | .088 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1955 | BOS | AL | 14 | 19 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .316 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1956 | BOS | AL | 21 | 46 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | .152 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 10 seasons | 293 | 668 | 52 | 132 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 50 | 2 | 29 | 94 | .198 | — | — | — | — | -2,892 | ||
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 (582 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 146 | 340 | 31 | 66 | 0 | 22 | .194 |
| Away | 147 | 328 | 21 | 66 | 1 | 28 | .201 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 142 | 923.0 | 896 | 348 | 364 | 378 | 3.39 |
| Away | 147 | 830.0 | 819 | 331 | 394 | 353 | 3.59 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956-09-29 | BOS | NYY | W | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956-09-16 | BOS | DET | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-09-14 | BOS | CLE | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1956-09-07 | BOS | BAL | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-09-03 | BOS | MIN | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-08-28 | BOS | DET | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-08-23 | BOS | CLE | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-08-19 | BOS | MIN | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1956-08-14 | BOS | NYY | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1956-08-08 | BOS | BAL | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956-09-29 | BOS | NYY | — | 6.0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956-09-16 | BOS | DET | L | 2.2 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-09-14 | BOS | CLE | L | 5.1 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 1 |
| 1956-09-07 | BOS | BAL | — | 8.0 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956-09-03 | BOS | MIN | — | 0.0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-08-28 | BOS | DET | L | 6.0 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 1956-08-23 | BOS | CLE | W | 9.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1956-08-19 | BOS | MIN | — | 3.1 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956-08-14 | BOS | NYY | L | 3.0 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1956-08-08 | BOS | BAL | W | 9.0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | BOS | P | 15 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1948 | BOS | P | 35 | 0 | 9 | 48 | 1 | 3 |
| 1949 | BOS | P | 39 | 0 | 8 | 53 | 0 | 5 |
| 1950 | BOS | P | 40 | 0 | 7 | 67 | 1 | 6 |
| 1951 | BOS | P | 36 | 0 | 8 | 42 | 3 | 2 |
| 1952 | BOS | P | 33 | 0 | 15 | 38 | 0 | 4 |
| 1953 | BOS | P | 38 | 0 | 10 | 27 | 2 | 4 |
| 1954 | BOS | P | 19 | 15 | 3 | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| 1955 | BOS | P | 13 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956 | BOS | P | 21 | 20 | 7 | 19 | 2 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 289 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | P3 |
| 1949 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | P4 |
| 1949 | TSN All-Star | P |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 14th | 27.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1951 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 24th | 7.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1950 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 7.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1949 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 151.0 | 336 | 1 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Mel Parnell (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Mel Parnell: the record in brief
According to the bio, Mel Parnell debuted on April 20, 1947 and played a final game on September 29, 1956. Parnell spent the whole of the career shown here with one club, the Boston Red Sox. Parnell, a pitcher by primary position, both batted and threw left-handed. Parnell is listed at 6 feet, 0 inches and 180 pounds. Parnell was born on June 13, 1922, in New Orleans, LA, USA. Parnell's death is recorded on March 20, 2012, in New Orleans, LA, USA. Parnell's full given name, per the bio, is Melvin Lloyd Parnell.
Parnell went 123-75 with a 3.50 ERA in 289 games, 232 of them starts. The same table counts 732 strikeouts, 113 complete games, 20 shutouts, and 10 saves. The leagues Parnell pitched in allowed 4.03 earned runs per nine over those seasons, so the career ERA was 13.1% better than average. The best win total was 25, in 1949. Parnell struck out 136 batters in 1953, a career high.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mel Parnell
- What years did Mel Parnell play?
- Mel Parnell played in Major League Baseball from 1947 to 1956.
- Was Mel Parnell a pitcher?
- Yes. Mel Parnell pitched in the major leagues, recording 123 wins and 732 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Mel Parnell hit?
- Mel Parnell hit 1 career home run with 132 hits.
- What teams did Mel Parnell play for?
- Mel Parnell played for one team, the Boston Red Sox (1947–1956).
- Did Mel Parnell win a Cy Young Award?
- No. Mel Parnell did not win the Cy Young Award.
- What awards did Mel Parnell win?
- Mel Parnell was selected to 2 All-Star Games.
- What were Mel Parnell's career stats?
- In 289 games, Mel Parnell went 123-75 with a 3.50 ERA, 732 strikeouts, 1,752.2 innings pitched, and 10 saves. At the plate he had 132 hits and 1 home runs.
- What position did Mel Parnell play?
- Mel Parnell played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Mel Parnell and how much did he weigh?
- Mel Parnell was listed at 6 feet and 180 pounds.
- What was Mel Parnell's career ERA?
- Mel Parnell finished with a 3.50 career ERA, going 123-75 with 732 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Mel Parnell have?
- Mel Parnell recorded 732 career strikeouts.
- Is Mel Parnell in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Mel Parnell has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- How many All-Star Games did Mel Parnell make?
- Mel Parnell was selected to 2 All-Star Games.