Tom Poholsky
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1950-1957)
Tom Poholsky was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1950 to 1957 for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs, a span of 8 seasons. Across 159 career appearances, he went 31-52 with a 3.93 ERA and 316 strikeouts. He also batted .171 with 0 home runs. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 643.5.
- 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
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'3" / 205 lb
- Died
- 1/6/2001 in Kirkwood, MO, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1950-04-20
- Last Game
- 1957-09-11
Full name: Thomas George Poholsky
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | SLN | NL | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14.2 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3.68 | 4.36 (+16%) | -124.3 |
| 1951 | SLN | NL | 7 | 13 | 38 | 26 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 195.0 | 204 | 96 | 68 | 70 | 4.43 | 4.04 (-10%) | 1180.7 |
| 1954 | SLN | NL | 5 | 7 | 25 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 106.0 | 101 | 36 | 20 | 55 | 3.06 | 3.90 (+22%) | 1378.9 |
| 1955 | SLN | NL | 9 | 11 | 30 | 24 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 151.0 | 143 | 64 | 35 | 66 | 3.81 | 4.00 (+5%) | -1770.2 |
| 1956 | SLN | NL | 9 | 14 | 33 | 29 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 203.0 | 210 | 81 | 44 | 95 | 3.59 | 3.96 (+9%) | 412.8 |
| 1957 | CHN | NL | 1 | 7 | 28 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 84.0 | 117 | 46 | 22 | 28 | 4.93 | 3.83 (-29%) | -434.4 |
| Career · 6 seasons | 31 | 52 | 159 | 104 | 30 | 5 | 1 | 753.2 | 791 | 329 | 192 | 316 | 3.93 | — | 643 | ||
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 159 | 228 | 20 | 39 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 41 | .171 | .188 | .202 | .390 | -981 |
Career AVG .171 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 34.3% below league average.
Career OBP .188 vs. league average .334 across their career seasons — 43.7% below league average.
Career SLG .202 vs. league average .393 across their career seasons — 48.7% below league average.
Career OPS .390 vs. league average .727 across their career seasons — 46.4% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | SLN | NL | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1951 | SLN | NL | 38 | 67 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 14 | .209 | .260 (-20%) | .336 (-34%) | .385 (-42%) | .721 (-38%) | -416.6 |
| 1954 | SLN | NL | 25 | 27 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .148 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1955 | SLN | NL | 30 | 44 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .182 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1956 | SLN | NL | 33 | 69 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 14 | .159 | .258 (-38%) | .331 (-48%) | .397 (-53%) | .728 (-51%) | -564.9 |
| 1957 | CHN | NL | 28 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .105 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 6 seasons | 159 | 228 | 20 | 39 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 41 | .171 | — | — | — | — | -982 | ||
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 (318 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 79 | 107 | 12 | 17 | 0 | 5 | .159 |
| Away | 80 | 121 | 8 | 22 | 0 | 9 | .182 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 79 | 386.1 | 393 | 162 | 91 | 171 | 3.77 |
| Away | 80 | 367.0 | 397 | 167 | 101 | 146 | 4.10 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957-09-11 | CHC | BRO | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957-09-04 | CHC | CIN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957-09-03 | CHC | ATL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957-09-02 | CHC | ATL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957-08-22 | CHC | NY1 | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957-08-10 | CHC | CIN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957-08-09 | CHC | CIN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957-08-01 | CHC | BRO | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957-07-28 | CHC | PHI | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957-07-21 | CHC | BRO | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957-09-11 | CHC | BRO | — | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1957-09-04 | CHC | CIN | — | 3.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1957-09-03 | CHC | ATL | — | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1957-09-02 | CHC | ATL | — | 0.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957-08-22 | CHC | NY1 | — | 2.0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1957-08-10 | CHC | CIN | — | 2.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1957-08-09 | CHC | CIN | — | 0.2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957-08-01 | CHC | BRO | L | 2.1 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1957-07-28 | CHC | PHI | L | 7.1 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1957-07-21 | CHC | BRO | — | 2.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 159 |
| Left Field | 1 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Tom Poholsky (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Tom Poholsky: the record in brief
According to the bio, Tom Poholsky debuted on April 20, 1950 and played a final game on September 11, 1957. By club, Poholsky's seasons break down as the St. Louis Cardinals (1950 to 1956) and the Chicago Cubs (1957). Poholsky, born on August 26, 1929, in Detroit, MI, USA, is listed as a pitcher and both batted and threw right-handed. The bio gives 205 pounds on a 6-foot-3 frame. Poholsky's death is recorded on January 6, 2001, in Kirkwood, MO, USA. The given name on file is Thomas George Poholsky.
The pitching table credits Poholsky with a 31-52 record and a 3.93 ERA in 159 games. The same table counts 316 strikeouts, 30 complete games, and 5 shutouts. Poholsky's 3.93 ERA was close to the 4.01 league figure for those seasons. Poholsky won 9 games in 1955, the most of any season listed. 1956 produced Poholsky's most strikeouts, 95. In 1956, one of the busiest seasons, Poholsky posted a 3.59 ERA; the league figure that year was 3.96.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tom Poholsky
- What years did Tom Poholsky play?
- Tom Poholsky played in Major League Baseball from 1950 to 1957.
- Was Tom Poholsky a pitcher?
- Yes. Tom Poholsky pitched in the major leagues, recording 31 wins and 316 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Tom Poholsky hit?
- Tom Poholsky hit 0 career home runs with 39 hits.
- What teams did Tom Poholsky play for?
- Tom Poholsky played for 2 teams: the St. Louis Cardinals (1950–1951, 1954–1956) and the Chicago Cubs (1957).
- What were Tom Poholsky's career stats?
- In 159 games, Tom Poholsky went 31-52 with a 3.93 ERA, 316 strikeouts, 753.2 innings pitched, and 1 saves. At the plate he had 39 hits and 0 home runs.
- What position did Tom Poholsky play?
- Tom Poholsky played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Tom Poholsky and how much did he weigh?
- Tom Poholsky was listed at 6 feet 3 inches and 205 pounds.
- What was Tom Poholsky's career ERA?
- Tom Poholsky finished with a 3.93 career ERA, going 31-52 with 316 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Tom Poholsky have?
- Tom Poholsky recorded 316 career strikeouts.
- Is Tom Poholsky in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Tom Poholsky has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.