Hank Severeid
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1911-1926)
Hank Severeid was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1911 to 1926 for 4 teams, including the Cincinnati Reds, a span of 16 seasons. In 1,390 career games, he hit .289 with 1,245 hits, 17 home runs, and 539 RBI. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 1,515.
- 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
- Catcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 175 lb
- Died
- 12/17/1968 in Terrell Hills, TX, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1911-05-15
- Last Game
- 1926-09-25
Full name: Henry Levai Severeid
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,390 | 4,312 | 408 | 1,245 | 204 | 42 | 17 | 539 | 35 | 331 | 169 | .289 | .342 | .367 | .709 | 1,515 |
Career AVG .289 vs. league average .270 across their career seasons — +6.8% above league average.
Career OBP .342 vs. league average .334 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .367 vs. league average .366 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .709 vs. league average .700 across their career seasons — near 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | CIN | NL | 37 | 56 | 5 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 6 | .304 | .266 (+14%) | .336 (+4%) | .356 (+25%) | .693 (+15%) | 115.2 |
| 1912 | CIN | NL | 50 | 114 | 10 | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 11 | .237 | .268 (-12%) | .335 (-15%) | .358 (-19%) | .694 (-17%) | -310.8 |
| 1913 | CIN | NL | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1915 | SLA | AL | 80 | 203 | 12 | 45 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 2 | 16 | 25 | .222 | .250 (-12%) | .318 (-13%) | .332 (-17%) | .651 (-15%) | -443.8 |
| 1916 | SLA | AL | 100 | 293 | 23 | 80 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 3 | 26 | 17 | .273 | .248 (+10%) | .314 (+8%) | .326 (-4%) | .640 (+2%) | 193.2 |
| 1917 | SLA | AL | 143 | 501 | 45 | 133 | 23 | 4 | 1 | 57 | 6 | 28 | 20 | .265 | .248 (+7%) | .312 (-2%) | .323 (+3%) | .635 (avg) | -50.6 |
| 1918 | SLA | AL | 51 | 133 | 8 | 34 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 18 | 4 | .256 | .255 (avg) | .318 (+12%) | .326 (-12%) | .645 (avg) | 89.1 |
| 1919 | SLA | AL | 112 | 351 | 16 | 87 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 2 | 21 | 13 | .248 | .262 (-5%) | .322 (-8%) | .347 (-16%) | .670 (-12%) | -605.4 |
| 1920 | SLA | AL | 123 | 422 | 46 | 117 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 49 | 5 | 33 | 11 | .277 | .271 (+2%) | .331 (+1%) | .363 (-4%) | .694 (-2%) | -71.1 |
| 1921 | SLA | AL | 143 | 472 | 66 | 153 | 23 | 7 | 2 | 78 | 7 | 42 | 9 | .324 | .286 (+13%) | .344 (+10%) | .395 (+5%) | .739 (+7%) | 785.8 |
| 1922 | SLA | AL | 137 | 517 | 49 | 166 | 32 | 7 | 3 | 78 | 1 | 28 | 12 | .321 | .285 (+12%) | .345 (+3%) | .397 (+8%) | .743 (+5%) | 474.1 |
| 1923 | SLA | AL | 122 | 432 | 50 | 133 | 27 | 6 | 3 | 51 | 3 | 31 | 11 | .308 | .282 (+9%) | .344 (+3%) | .390 (+7%) | .734 (+5%) | 409.4 |
| 1924 | SLA | AL | 137 | 432 | 37 | 133 | 23 | 2 | 4 | 48 | 1 | 36 | 15 | .308 | .283 (+8%) | .345 (+5%) | .389 (+2%) | .734 (+3%) | 344.7 |
| 1925 | SLA | AL | 34 | 109 | 15 | 40 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 11 | 2 | .367 | .288 (+27%) | .349 (+22%) | .407 (+17%) | .756 (+19%) | 396.7 |
| 1925 | WS1 | AL | 50 | 110 | 11 | 39 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 13 | 6 | .355 | .288 (+23%) | .349 (+21%) | .407 (+9%) | .756 (+15%) | 396.7 |
| 1926 | WS1 | AL | 22 | 34 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 2 | .206 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1926 | NYA | AL | 41 | 127 | 13 | 34 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 13 | 4 | .268 | .279 (-4%) | .345 (-3%) | .390 (-11%) | .735 (-7%) | 0.0 |
| Career · 17 seasons | 1,390 | 4,312 | 408 | 1,245 | 204 | 42 | 17 | 539 | 35 | 331 | 169 | .289 | — | — | — | — | 1,723 | ||
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 (1393 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 704 | 2094 | 202 | 623 | 7 | 285 | .298 |
| Away | 689 | 2218 | 206 | 624 | 10 | 265 | .281 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926-09-25 | NYY | SLA | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1926-09-25 | NYY | SLA | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1926-09-22 | NYY | CHW | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1926-09-21 | NYY | CHW | W | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1926-09-20 | NYY | CHW | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926-09-18 | NYY | CLE | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926-09-15 | NYY | CLE | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926-09-13 | NYY | DET | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926-09-13 | NYY | DET | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1926-09-06 | NYY | PHA | W | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 9 | 0 | 48 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 1225 | 0 | 4657 | 1112 | 131 | 101 |
| OF | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | CIN | C | 22 | 0 | 51 | 12 | 6 | 2 |
| 1912 | CIN | 1B | 7 | 0 | 39 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1912 | CIN | C | 20 | 0 | 85 | 14 | 6 | 2 |
| 1912 | CIN | OF | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1913 | CIN | C | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1913 | CIN | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1915 | SLA | C | 64 | 0 | 247 | 66 | 11 | 2 |
| 1916 | SLA | 1B | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1916 | SLA | 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1916 | SLA | C | 89 | 0 | 313 | 99 | 10 | 6 |
| 1917 | SLA | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1917 | SLA | C | 139 | 0 | 529 | 156 | 24 | 10 |
| 1918 | SLA | C | 42 | 0 | 148 | 44 | 11 | 4 |
| 1919 | SLA | C | 103 | 0 | 401 | 106 | 9 | 12 |
| 1920 | SLA | C | 117 | 0 | 480 | 111 | 10 | 11 |
| 1921 | SLA | C | 126 | 0 | 481 | 117 | 17 | 11 |
| 1922 | SLA | C | 133 | 0 | 552 | 123 | 11 | 10 |
| 1923 | SLA | C | 116 | 0 | 511 | 88 | 4 | 9 |
| 1924 | SLA | C | 130 | 0 | 443 | 104 | 6 | 12 |
| 1925 | SLA | C | 31 | 0 | 114 | 24 | 1 | 3 |
| 1925 | WS1 | C | 35 | 0 | 129 | 16 | 2 | 3 |
| 1926 | WS1 | C | 16 | 0 | 36 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 1926 | NYA | C | 40 | 0 | 135 | 26 | 2 | 3 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 1226 |
| First Base | 9 |
| Third Base | 1 |
| Left Field | 6 |
| Center Field | 1 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 6th | 17.0 | 64 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Hank Severeid (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Hank Severeid: the record in brief
Hank Severeid played a first major league game on May 15, 1911 and a last one on September 25, 1926. Club by club, the record runs the Cincinnati Reds (1911 through 1913), the St. Louis Browns (1915 through 1925), the Washington Senators (1925 to 1926), and the New York Yankees (1926). The bio lists Severeid as a catcher who batted and threw right-handed. Height and weight on file: 6-foot-0 and 175 pounds. The birth record reads June 1, 1891, in Story City, IA, USA. The bio records the death on December 17, 1968, in Terrell Hills, TX, USA. The bio lists the given name Henry Levai.
Severeid finished with 1,245 hits from 4,312 at bats in 1,390 games, which works out to .289, along with 17 homers, 539 runs batted in, and 35 stolen bases. The on-base percentage is .342 and the slugging percentage .367, for an OPS of .709. The league as a whole hit .270 across Severeid's seasons, which puts the .289 career mark 6.8% above average. No season topped the 166 hits of 1922.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hank Severeid
- What years did Hank Severeid play?
- Hank Severeid played in Major League Baseball from 1911 to 1926.
- Was Hank Severeid a pitcher?
- No. Hank Severeid was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Hank Severeid hit?
- Hank Severeid hit 17 career home runs with 1245 hits.
- What was Hank Severeid's career batting average?
- Hank Severeid batted .289 over his career, with 1,245 hits in 4,312 at bats.
- How many RBI did Hank Severeid have?
- Hank Severeid drove in 539 runs in his career.
- Is Hank Severeid in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Hank Severeid has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.