Vada Pinson
Born: 8/11/1938 in Memphis, TN, USA
Died: 10/21/1995 in Oakland, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1958-04-15 | Final Game: 1975-09-28
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 170 lbs
Full name: Vada Edward Pinson
Biography
Vada Pinson was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, known for his exceptional hitting and speed on the bases. Born in 1938, Pinson's career spanned from 1958 to 1975, during which he became one of the most consistent offensive threats of his era. Over the course of 2,469 games, he amassed 2,757 hits, 256 home runs, and 1,169 RBIs, showcasing his ability to drive in runs while maintaining a solid batting average of .286. Pinson's prowess on the base paths was highlighted by his 305 stolen bases, making him a dual threat as both a hitter and a runner.
A four-time All-Star, Pinson played the majority of his career with the Cincinnati Reds, where he was known for his dynamic playing style and ability to hit for both average and power. He emerged as a key player during a transformative time in baseball, contributing significantly to the game before the onset of the steroid era. His combination of speed and hitting made him a valuable asset, and his legacy endures as one of the great outfielders of his time, remembered for his contributions to the teams he played for and the sport as a whole.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2469 | 9645 | 1365 | 2757 | 485 | 127 | 256 | 1169 | 305 | 574 | 1196 | 0.286 | 0.327 | 0.442 | 0.769 | 17762.6 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | CIN | NL | 27 | 96 | 20 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 11 | 18 | 0.271 | 45.5 |
| 1959 | CIN | NL | 154 | 648 | 131 | 205 | 47 | 9 | 20 | 84 | 21 | 55 | 98 | 0.316 | 2923.4 |
| 1960 | CIN | NL | 154 | 652 | 107 | 187 | 37 | 12 | 20 | 61 | 32 | 47 | 96 | 0.287 | 1676.5 |
| 1961 | CIN | NL | 154 | 607 | 101 | 208 | 34 | 8 | 16 | 87 | 23 | 39 | 63 | 0.343 | 2487.2 |
| 1962 | CIN | NL | 155 | 619 | 107 | 181 | 31 | 7 | 23 | 100 | 26 | 45 | 68 | 0.292 | 1520.4 |
| 1963 | CIN | NL | 162 | 652 | 96 | 204 | 37 | 14 | 22 | 106 | 27 | 36 | 80 | 0.313 | 3007.7 |
| 1964 | CIN | NL | 156 | 625 | 99 | 166 | 23 | 11 | 23 | 84 | 8 | 42 | 99 | 0.266 | 1114.8 |
| 1965 | CIN | NL | 159 | 669 | 97 | 204 | 34 | 10 | 22 | 94 | 21 | 43 | 81 | 0.305 | 2766.3 |
| 1966 | CIN | NL | 156 | 618 | 70 | 178 | 35 | 6 | 16 | 76 | 18 | 33 | 83 | 0.288 | 1258.8 |
| 1967 | CIN | NL | 158 | 650 | 90 | 187 | 28 | 13 | 18 | 66 | 26 | 26 | 86 | 0.288 | 1676.6 |
| 1968 | CIN | NL | 130 | 499 | 60 | 135 | 29 | 6 | 5 | 48 | 17 | 32 | 59 | 0.271 | 585.2 |
| 1969 | STL | NL | 132 | 495 | 58 | 126 | 22 | 6 | 10 | 70 | 4 | 35 | 63 | 0.255 | -244.5 |
| 1970 | CLE | AL | 148 | 574 | 74 | 164 | 28 | 6 | 24 | 82 | 7 | 28 | 69 | 0.286 | 1116.1 |
| 1971 | CLE | AL | 146 | 566 | 60 | 149 | 23 | 4 | 11 | 35 | 25 | 21 | 58 | 0.263 | -342.6 |
| 1972 | LAA | AL | 136 | 484 | 56 | 133 | 24 | 2 | 7 | 49 | 17 | 30 | 54 | 0.275 | 371.9 |
| 1973 | LAA | AL | 124 | 466 | 56 | 121 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 57 | 5 | 20 | 55 | 0.260 | -852.6 |
| 1974 | KCR | AL | 115 | 406 | 46 | 112 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 41 | 21 | 21 | 45 | 0.276 | -182.1 |
| 1975 | KCR | AL | 103 | 319 | 37 | 71 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 5 | 10 | 21 | 0.223 | -1166.1 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.091 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | WS | CIN | 5 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.091 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 16 | 1 | 48 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| OF | 2403 | 2335 | 5097 | 172 | 101 | 29 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | CIN | OF | 27 | 25 | 50 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 1959 | CIN | OF | 154 | 154 | 423 | 11 | 7 | 4 |
| 1960 | CIN | OF | 154 | 154 | 401 | 11 | 8 | 1 |
| 1961 | CIN | OF | 153 | 151 | 391 | 19 | 10 | 4 |
| 1962 | CIN | OF | 152 | 151 | 344 | 13 | 4 | 1 |
| 1963 | CIN | OF | 162 | 162 | 357 | 9 | 8 | 0 |
| 1964 | CIN | OF | 156 | 154 | 299 | 14 | 9 | 1 |
| 1965 | CIN | OF | 159 | 159 | 354 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| 1966 | CIN | OF | 154 | 153 | 344 | 9 | 13 | 1 |
| 1967 | CIN | OF | 157 | 156 | 341 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| 1968 | CIN | OF | 123 | 119 | 258 | 7 | 6 | 0 |
| 1969 | SLN | OF | 124 | 123 | 218 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| 1970 | CLE | 1B | 7 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970 | CLE | OF | 141 | 132 | 265 | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| 1971 | CLE | 1B | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1971 | CLE | OF | 141 | 133 | 305 | 11 | 7 | 2 |
| 1972 | CAL | 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | CAL | OF | 134 | 122 | 205 | 11 | 2 | 3 |
| 1973 | CAL | OF | 120 | 113 | 210 | 11 | 8 | 2 |
| 1974 | KCA | 1B | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | KCA | OF | 110 | 100 | 188 | 9 | 4 | 2 |
| 1975 | KCA | 1B | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | KCA | OF | 82 | 74 | 144 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 16 |
| Left Field | 253 |
| Center Field | 1680 |
| Right Field | 549 |
| Designated Hitter | 7 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Gold Glove | OF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 18th | 6.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1963 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 10th | 32.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1961 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 3rd | 104.0 | 224 | 0 |
| 1960 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 18th | 6.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1959 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 15th | 11.0 | 336 | 0 |