Art Pennington
First Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records
Art Pennington was a first baseman who played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago American Giants and the Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns. In 133 career games, he hit .271 with 131 hits, 7 home runs, and 64 RBI. Art Pennington was a 3-time All-Star. His totals include Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB recognized as major league in 2020. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 842.
- 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
- First Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- B / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 180 lb
- Died
- 1/4/2017 in Cedar Rapids, IA, USA
- Awards
- 3× All-Star
Full name: Arthur David Pennington
Negro Leagues (season totals). Additive Retrosheet-digitized totals for seasons not already in the logs above; they are not summed into the career line. No team/league breakdown is available, and coverage may be partial.
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 34.0 | 33.0 | 9.0 | 20.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 6.0 | 14.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 3.0 | .606 | .618 | 1.333 | 1.951 |
| 1950 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .500 | 1.000 | 1.500 |
| Listed seasons · 2 | 38 | 36 | 10 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .583 | — | — | — |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 133 | 483 | 71 | 131 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 64 | 10 | 66 | 5 | .271 | .361 | .375 | .736 | 842 |
Career AVG .271 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .361 vs. league average .327 across their career seasons — +10.4% above league average.
Career SLG .375 vs. league average .356 across their career seasons — +5.2% above league average.
Career OPS .736 vs. league average .683 across their career seasons — +7.7% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | CAG | NAL | 12 | 48 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | .188 | — | — | — | — | -277.2 |
| 1942 | CAG | NAL | 38 | 127 | 13 | 33 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 22 | 2 | .260 | .253 (+3%) | .323 (+17%) | .349 (-5%) | .672 (+5%) | 201.9 |
| 1943 | CAG | NAL | 32 | 122 | 19 | 29 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 1 | 12 | 1 | .238 | .255 (-7%) | .324 (-6%) | .346 (+9%) | .671 (+2%) | -1.2 |
| 1944 | CAG | NAL | 16 | 57 | 13 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 0 | .333 | .261 (+27%) | .325 (+22%) | .357 (+32%) | .683 (+27%) | 252.9 |
| 1944 | CIC | NAL | 2 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .125 | — | — | — | — | 252.9 |
| 1945 | CAG | NAL | 33 | 121 | 22 | 40 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 6 | 21 | 0 | .331 | .260 (+27%) | .328 (+31%) | .354 (+30%) | .683 (+31%) | 665.3 |
| Career · 6 seasons | 133 | 483 | 71 | 131 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 64 | 10 | 66 | 5 | .271 | — | — | — | — | 1,095 | ||
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 (144 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 78 | 230 | 38 | 74 | 8 | 30 | .322 |
| Away | 66 | 217 | 43 | 76 | 7 | 32 | .350 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949-07-16 | CAG | NY6 | L | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1949-07-04 | CAG | KCM | W | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1949-06-26 | CAG | HOE | W | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1949-06-22 | CAG | PH5 | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1949-06-21 | CAG | PH5 | W | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1949-06-12 | CAG | BLG | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1949-06-12 | CAG | BLG | L | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1949-06-11 | CAG | BLG | W | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1949-06-10 | CAG | BLG | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1949-06-05 | CAG | LCB | W | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 41 | 41 | 404 | 17 | 3 | 20 |
| 2B | 28 | 26 | 51 | 76 | 6 | 8 |
| 3B | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| OF | 50 | 50 | 85 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| SS | 7 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 8 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | CAG | OF | 12 | 12 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1942 | CAG | 1B | 15 | 15 | 152 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1942 | CAG | 2B | 3 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1942 | CAG | OF | 20 | 20 | 40 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 1943 | CAG | 1B | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1943 | CAG | 2B | 15 | 14 | 29 | 46 | 1 | 6 |
| 1943 | CAG | OF | 12 | 12 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943 | CAG | SS | 5 | 5 | 9 | 15 | 6 | 0 |
| 1944 | CAG | 1B | 3 | 3 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1944 | CAG | 2B | 6 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 1 |
| 1944 | CAG | 3B | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 1944 | CAG | SS | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1944 | CIC | OF | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945 | CAG | 1B | 22 | 22 | 213 | 8 | 3 | 11 |
| 1945 | CAG | 2B | 4 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| 1945 | CAG | 3B | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945 | CAG | OF | 4 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1945 | CAG | SS | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 41 |
| Second Base | 28 |
| Third Base | 8 |
| Shortstop | 7 |
| Left Field | 24 |
| Center Field | 12 |
| Right Field | 14 |
Art Pennington: the record in brief
Art Pennington's record on this page is drawn from the season tables, which run from 1941 to 1945. The team column moves through the Chicago American Giants (1941 to 1945) and the Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns (1944). Pennington is listed as a first baseman at 180 pounds on a 5-foot-11 frame. The bio says Pennington switch-hit and threw right-handed. Pennington was born on May 18, 1923, in Memphis, TN, USA. Pennington died on January 4, 2017, in Cedar Rapids, IA, USA. The given name on file is Arthur David Pennington.
Pennington collected 131 hits in 483 at bats across 133 games, good for a .271 batting average, plus 7 home runs and 64 RBI. Pennington got on base at a .361 rate and slugged .375 (.736 OPS). The .271 career average is close to the .259 the league hit across the same seasons. The OPS comparison is .736 to a league .683, 7.7% above average. The highest hit total in a season was 40, in 1945.
Frequently Asked Questions about Art Pennington
- Was Art Pennington a pitcher?
- No. Art Pennington was a position player (First Baseman).
- How many home runs did Art Pennington hit?
- Art Pennington hit 7 career home runs with 131 hits.
- What was Art Pennington's career batting average?
- Art Pennington batted .271 over his career, with 131 hits in 483 at bats.
- How many RBI did Art Pennington have?
- Art Pennington drove in 64 runs in his career.
- Is Art Pennington in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Art Pennington has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- What teams did Art Pennington play for?
- Art Pennington played for the Chicago American Giants and the Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns.