Hiawatha Shelby
Left Fielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records
Hiawatha Shelby was a left fielder who played in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Stars. In 10 career games, he hit .059 with 2 hits and 1 RBI. His totals include Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB recognized as major league in 2020.
- 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
- Left Fielder
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 160 lb
- Died
- 9/19/1996 in Indianapolis, IN, USA
Full name: Hiawatha Lavern Shelby
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .059 | .111 | .118 | .229 | 0 |
Career AVG .059 vs. league average .262 across their career seasons — 77.6% below league average.
Career OBP .111 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — 66.6% below league average.
Career SLG .118 vs. league average .373 across their career seasons — 68.5% below league average.
Career OPS .229 vs. league average .706 across their career seasons — 67.6% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | PS | NN2 | 10 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .059 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 1 season | 10 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .059 | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
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
Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Away | 3 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .222 |
Last 6 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941-08-17 | PH5 | NY5 | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1941-08-10 | PH5 | HOM | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1941-08-10 | PH5 | HOM | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1941-08-07 | PH5 | HOM | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1941-08-02 | PH5 | NY6 | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1941-07-29 | PH5 | HOM | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 10 |
Hiawatha Shelby: the record in brief
Hiawatha Shelby's record on this page is drawn from the season tables. Shelby's only club in the season tables is the Philadelphia Stars. Shelby, a left fielder by primary position, threw and hit right-handed. Shelby is listed at 160 pounds on a 5-foot-10 frame. Shelby was born on November 10, 1921, in Indianapolis, IN, USA. Shelby died on September 19, 1996, in Indianapolis, IN, USA. Shelby's full given name, per the bio, is Hiawatha Lavern Shelby.
Across 10 games at the plate, Shelby's career line reads 2 hits in 34 at bats for a .059 average; the totals also include 1 RBI. Reaching base at a .111 clip and slugging .118, Shelby finished with a .229 OPS. Shelby's .059 average ran 77.6% below the .262 that the league posted over the same seasons. In OPS terms, Shelby's .229 stands 67.6% below the league's .706. Only one season appears, 1941 for the Philadelphia Stars, when Shelby played 10 games and went 2 for 34.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hiawatha Shelby
- Was Hiawatha Shelby a pitcher?
- No. Hiawatha Shelby was a position player (Left Fielder).
- How many home runs did Hiawatha Shelby hit?
- Hiawatha Shelby hit 0 career home runs with 2 hits.
- What teams did Hiawatha Shelby play for?
- Hiawatha Shelby played for one team, the Philadelphia Stars (1941).
- What were Hiawatha Shelby's career stats?
- In 10 games, Hiawatha Shelby had 2 hits, 1 RBI, and 1 runs, with a .059 batting average.
- What position did Hiawatha Shelby play?
- Hiawatha Shelby played primarily as a left fielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Hiawatha Shelby and how much did he weigh?
- Hiawatha Shelby was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 160 pounds.
- What was Hiawatha Shelby's career batting average?
- Hiawatha Shelby batted .059 over his career, with 2 hits in 34 at bats.
- How many RBI did Hiawatha Shelby have?
- Hiawatha Shelby drove in 1 runs in his career.
- Is Hiawatha Shelby in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Hiawatha Shelby has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.