Billy Shantz
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1954-1960)
Billy Shantz was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1954 to 1960 for the Philadelphia Athletics, the Kansas City Athletics, and the New York Yankees, a span of 7 seasons. In 131 career games, he hit .257 with 98 hits, 2 home runs, and 29 RBI.
- 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
- 6'1" / 160 lb
- Died
- 12/13/1993 in Lauderhill, FL, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1954-04-13
- Last Game
- 1960-06-29
Full name: Wilmer Ebert Shantz
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 131 | 381 | 31 | 98 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 0 | 28 | 37 | .257 | .307 | .328 | .635 | -760 |
Career AVG .257 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .307 vs. league average .330 across their career seasons — 6.8% below league average.
Career SLG .328 vs. league average .391 across their career seasons — 16.0% below league average.
Career OPS .635 vs. league average .720 across their career seasons — 11.8% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | PHA | AL | 51 | 164 | 13 | 42 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 17 | 23 | .256 | .261 (-2%) | .333 (-2%) | .390 (-6%) | .723 (-4%) | -117.1 |
| 1955 | KC1 | AL | 79 | 217 | 18 | 56 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 11 | 14 | .258 | .258 (avg) | .332 (-12%) | .393 (-24%) | .726 (-18%) | -643.3 |
| 1960 | NYA | AL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 3 seasons | 131 | 381 | 31 | 98 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 0 | 28 | 37 | .257 | — | — | — | — | -760 | ||
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 (131 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 56 | 162 | 12 | 39 | 1 | 9 | .241 |
| Away | 75 | 219 | 19 | 59 | 1 | 20 | .269 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960-06-29 | NYY | KC1 | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955-09-25 | KC1 | CHW | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1955-09-23 | KC1 | CHW | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955-09-20 | KC1 | DET | L | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1955-09-19 | KC1 | DET | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955-09-17 | KC1 | CHW | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955-09-13 | KC1 | BOS | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955-09-11 | KC1 | BAL | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955-09-09 | KC1 | MIN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955-09-08 | KC1 | NYY | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 130 |
Billy Shantz: the record in brief
According to the bio, Billy Shantz debuted on April 13, 1954 and played a final game on June 29, 1960. The team column moves through the Philadelphia Athletics (1954), the Kansas City Athletics (1955), and the New York Yankees (1960). Born on July 31, 1927, in Pottstown, PA, USA, Shantz is listed as a catcher and batted and threw right-handed. Shantz's listed size is 6'1" and 160 pounds. Shantz's death is recorded on December 13, 1993, in Lauderhill, FL, USA. Shantz's full given name, per the bio, is Wilmer Ebert Shantz.
Shantz's career batting table shows 131 games, 381 at bats and 98 hits, a .257 average, plus 2 homers and 29 RBI. Shantz got on base at a .307 rate and slugged .328 (.635 OPS). Shantz hit .257 while the league hit .258 over the same span, a figure close to average. In OPS terms, Shantz's .635 stands 11.8% below the league's .720. The highest hit total in a season was 56, in 1955. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .258 in 1955, did not top the league's .258.
Frequently Asked Questions about Billy Shantz
- What years did Billy Shantz play?
- Billy Shantz played in Major League Baseball from 1954 to 1960.
- Was Billy Shantz a pitcher?
- No. Billy Shantz was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Billy Shantz hit?
- Billy Shantz hit 2 career home runs with 98 hits.
- What was Billy Shantz's career batting average?
- Billy Shantz batted .257 over his career, with 98 hits in 381 at bats.
- How many RBI did Billy Shantz have?
- Billy Shantz drove in 29 runs in his career.
- Is Billy Shantz in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Billy Shantz has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.