Roy Parnell
Left Fielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1927-1943)
Roy Parnell was a left fielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1927 to 1943 for 5 teams, including the Birmingham Black Barons, a span of 17 seasons. In 604 career games, he hit .330 with 736 hits, 41 home runs, and 373 RBI. He also pitched in 12 games, going 5-3 with a 2.37 ERA. Roy Parnell was a 2-time All-Star. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 8,930.
- 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
- Left Fielder
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 170 lb
- Died
- 2/22/1954 in Philadelphia, PA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1927-08-15
- Last Game
- 1943-09-19
- Awards
- 2× All-Star
Full name: Roy Alexander Parnell
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 604 | 2,231 | 461 | 736 | 130 | 52 | 41 | 373 | 57 | 213 | 12 | .330 | .394 | .490 | .884 | 8,930 |
Career AVG .330 vs. league average .273 across their career seasons — +21.0% above league average.
Career OBP .394 vs. league average .338 across their career seasons — +16.6% above league average.
Career SLG .490 vs. league average .386 across their career seasons — +26.9% above league average.
Career OPS .884 vs. league average .724 across their career seasons — +22.1% above 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | BBB | NNL | 88 | 338 | 88 | 143 | 24 | 10 | 12 | 75 | 22 | 23 | 0 | .423 | .282 (+50%) | .344 (+36%) | .392 (+68%) | .736 (+53%) | 3338.8 |
| 1928 | BBB | NNL | 79 | 296 | 45 | 93 | 19 | 7 | 7 | 46 | 9 | 18 | 3 | .314 | .280 (+12%) | .342 (+6%) | .395 (+26%) | .737 (+16%) | 816.0 |
| 1932 | MRM | NSL | 49 | 182 | 40 | 62 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 52 | 6 | 14 | 1 | .341 | .275 (+24%) | .335 (+19%) | .391 (+39%) | .726 (+30%) | 894.0 |
| 1934 | NEG | NN2 | 7 | 27 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .222 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1935 | CEG | NN2 | 31 | 130 | 26 | 43 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 2 | 13 | 0 | .331 | .279 (+18%) | .342 (+14%) | .399 (+33%) | .742 (+24%) | 521.2 |
| 1936 | PS | NN2 | 45 | 177 | 35 | 65 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 32 | 3 | 12 | 1 | .367 | .283 (+29%) | .349 (+17%) | .404 (+26%) | .753 (+22%) | 691.1 |
| 1937 | PS | NN2 | 3 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .385 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1938 | PS | NN2 | 63 | 227 | 50 | 65 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 28 | 4 | 26 | 0 | .286 | .272 (+5%) | .341 (+7%) | .392 (+13%) | .734 (+10%) | 430.4 |
| 1939 | PS | NN2 | 36 | 122 | 28 | 38 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 2 | 13 | 0 | .311 | .274 (+14%) | .342 (+10%) | .393 (+13%) | .735 (+12%) | 249.0 |
| 1940 | PS | NN2 | 54 | 191 | 44 | 59 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 27 | 2 | 25 | 2 | .309 | .267 (+16%) | .335 (+17%) | .387 (+24%) | .722 (+21%) | 716.7 |
| 1941 | PS | NN2 | 56 | 204 | 26 | 59 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 5 | 23 | 3 | .289 | .262 (+10%) | .332 (+9%) | .373 (-1%) | .705 (+3%) | 155.7 |
| 1942 | PS | NN2 | 55 | 197 | 42 | 59 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 27 | 2 | 23 | 2 | .299 | .253 (+18%) | .323 (+18%) | .349 (+13%) | .672 (+15%) | 557.3 |
| 1943 | PS | NN2 | 38 | 127 | 29 | 39 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 20 | 0 | .307 | .255 (+20%) | .324 (+28%) | .346 (+18%) | .671 (+23%) | 559.4 |
| Career · 13 seasons | 604 | 2,231 | 461 | 736 | 130 | 52 | 41 | 373 | 57 | 213 | 12 | .330 | — | — | — | — | 8,930 | ||
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | BBB | NNL | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11.0 | 13 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 8.18 | 4.08 (-100%) | 48.0 |
| 1928 | BBB | NNL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.00 | — | 0.0 |
| 1932 | MRM | NSL | 5 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 57.0 | 32 | 8 | 20 | 25 | 1.26 | 4.13 (+69%) | 1113.0 |
| 1940 | PS | NN2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7.0 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1.29 | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 4 seasons | 5 | 3 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 76.0 | 55 | 20 | 27 | 31 | 2.37 | — | 1,161 | ||
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.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (357 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 226 | 792 | 172 | 244 | 11 | 54 | .308 |
| Away | 129 | 500 | 87 | 143 | 15 | 51 | .286 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Away | 2 | 9.1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943-09-02 | PH5 | HOM | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-08-28 | PH5 | NY5 | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-08-26 | PH5 | BLG | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-08-19 | PH5 | NW2 | W | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-08-15 | PH5 | NW2 | L | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-08-12 | PH5 | NY6 | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-08-08 | PH5 | NY6 | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-07-29 | PH5 | NY5 | W | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-07-25 | PH5 | HOM | L | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943-07-24 | PH5 | HOM | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Last 2 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1942-05-17 | PH5 | NW2 | — | 7.0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1940-08-04 | PH5 | NW2 | — | 2.1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 7 | 5 | 39 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2B | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 3B | 7 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| OF | 595 | 561 | 892 | 37 | 51 | 7 |
| P | 12 | 8 | 5 | 22 | 1 | 4 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | BBB | 1B | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1927 | BBB | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1927 | BBB | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1927 | BBB | OF | 95 | 85 | 138 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| 1927 | BBB | P | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1928 | BBB | OF | 84 | 78 | 141 | 9 | 6 | 2 |
| 1928 | BBB | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1932 | MRM | 1B | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1932 | MRM | 3B | 4 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1932 | MRM | OF | 39 | 38 | 61 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 1932 | MRM | P | 7 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 4 |
| 1934 | NEG | OF | 7 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1935 | CEG | 2B | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1935 | CEG | OF | 30 | 30 | 43 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1936 | PS | OF | 44 | 43 | 62 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 1937 | PS | OF | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938 | PS | OF | 64 | 61 | 110 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 1939 | PS | OF | 32 | 31 | 54 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 1940 | PS | OF | 54 | 51 | 80 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 1940 | PS | P | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1941 | PS | 3B | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1941 | PS | OF | 58 | 54 | 69 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 1942 | PS | 1B | 4 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1942 | PS | OF | 50 | 48 | 72 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1943 | PS | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943 | PS | OF | 35 | 32 | 50 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 12 |
| First Base | 7 |
| Second Base | 2 |
| Third Base | 7 |
| Left Field | 390 |
| Center Field | 120 |
| Right Field | 85 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Roy Parnell (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Roy Parnell: the record in brief
Between the debut on August 15, 1927 and the final game on September 19, 1943, Roy Parnell built the record summarized on this page. Parnell played for the Birmingham Black Barons (1927 through 1928), the Monroe Monarchs (1932), the Nashville Elite Giants (1934), the Columbus Elite Giants (1935), and the Philadelphia Stars (1936 through 1943). Parnell, born on November 23, 1903, in Port Allen, LA, USA, is listed as a left fielder and both batted and threw right-handed. Size on record: 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds. Parnell's death is recorded on February 22, 1954, in Philadelphia, PA, USA. On the record, Roy Parnell was born Roy Alexander Parnell.
Across 604 games at the plate, Parnell's career line reads 736 hits in 2,231 at bats for a .330 average, plus 41 homers, 373 RBI, and 57 stolen bases. Parnell's career OPS of .884 combines a .394 on-base mark with .490 slugging. The league as a whole hit .273 across Parnell's seasons, which puts the .330 career mark 21.0% above average.
Frequently Asked Questions about Roy Parnell
- What years did Roy Parnell play?
- Roy Parnell played in Major League Baseball from 1927 to 1943.
- Was Roy Parnell a pitcher?
- Both. Roy Parnell pitched in 12 games, going 5-3 with a 2.37 ERA, but spent most of his career as a Left Fielder.
- How many home runs did Roy Parnell hit?
- Roy Parnell hit 41 career home runs with 736 hits.
- What teams did Roy Parnell play for?
- Roy Parnell played for 4 teams: the Birmingham Black Barons (1927–1928), the Monroe Monarchs (1932), the Columbus Elite Giants (1934–1935), and the Philadelphia Stars (1936–1943).
- Did Roy Parnell win an MVP award?
- No. Roy Parnell did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Roy Parnell win?
- Roy Parnell was selected to 2 All-Star Games.
- What were Roy Parnell's career stats?
- In 604 games, Roy Parnell had 736 hits, 41 home runs, 373 RBI, 461 runs, and 57 stolen bases, with a .330 batting average. As a pitcher, in 12 games, he went 5-3 with a 2.37 ERA, 31 strikeouts, and 76.0 innings pitched.
- What position did Roy Parnell play?
- Roy Parnell played primarily as a left fielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Roy Parnell and how much did he weigh?
- Roy Parnell was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 170 pounds.
- How many home runs did Roy Parnell hit each season?
- Roy Parnell's home runs by season: 12 in 1927, 7 in 1928, 1 in 1932, 0 in 1934, 3 in 1935, 4 in 1936, 0 in 1937, 6 in 1938, 2 in 1939, 4 in 1940, 1 in 1941, 1 in 1942, and 0 in 1943. His most in one season was 12, in 1927.
- What was Roy Parnell's career batting average?
- Roy Parnell batted .330 over his career, with 736 hits in 2,231 at bats.
- How many RBI did Roy Parnell have?
- Roy Parnell drove in 373 runs in his career.
- What was Roy Parnell's career ERA?
- Roy Parnell finished with a 2.37 career ERA, going 5-3 with 31 strikeouts.
- Is Roy Parnell in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Roy Parnell has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.