Harry Simpson
Born: 12/3/1925 in Atlanta, GA, USA
Died: 4/3/1979 in Akron, OH, USA
MLB Debut: 1951-04-21 | Final Game: 1959-09-27
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Harry Leon Simpson
Biography
Harry Simpson was an accomplished professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1951 to 1959. Born in 1925, Simpson played as a position player over the course of his career, appearing in 888 games. He recorded a total of 752 hits, which included 73 home runs and 381 RBIs, while maintaining a batting average of .266. Known for his speed on the bases, he also contributed with 17 stolen bases. Simpson's standout performance earned him an All-Star selection during his career, highlighting his talent and impact on the field.
Simpson played during a transformative era in baseball, marked by the integration of players and a shift in the game’s dynamics. His ability to combine power and speed allowed him to be a versatile asset for his team. Though he may not be as widely remembered as some of his contemporaries, his contributions to the game and his consistent performance established him as a significant player of his time. After retiring on September 27, 1959, Simpson left behind a legacy that reflected the evolving nature of baseball in the mid-20th century.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 467.0 | 432.0 | 77.0 | 127.0 | 13.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 | 42.0 | 33.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 0.294 | 0.345 | 0.394 | 0.739 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 143.0 | 128.0 | 30.0 | 32.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 9.0 | 13.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.250 | 0.324 | 0.312 | 0.636 |
| 1947 | 127.0 | 122.0 | 13.0 | 36.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 2.0 | 0.295 | 0.323 | 0.344 | 0.667 |
| 1948 | 197.0 | 182.0 | 34.0 | 59.0 | 9.0 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 23.0 | 15.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 0.324 | 0.376 | 0.484 | 0.860 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 888 | 2829 | 343 | 752 | 101 | 41 | 73 | 381 | 17 | 271 | 429 | 0.266 | 0.331 | 0.408 | 0.739 | 1313.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | CLE | AL | 122 | 332 | 51 | 76 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 6 | 45 | 48 | 0.229 | -660.1 |
| 1952 | CLE | AL | 146 | 545 | 66 | 145 | 21 | 10 | 10 | 65 | 5 | 56 | 82 | 0.266 | 509.2 |
| 1953 | CLE | AL | 82 | 242 | 25 | 55 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 0 | 18 | 27 | 0.227 | -727.7 |
| 1955 | CLE | AL | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1955 | KC1 | AL | 112 | 396 | 42 | 119 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 52 | 3 | 34 | 61 | 0.301 | 0.0 |
| 1956 | KC1 | AL | 141 | 543 | 76 | 159 | 22 | 11 | 21 | 105 | 2 | 47 | 82 | 0.293 | 1469.2 |
| 1957 | KC1 | AL | 50 | 179 | 24 | 53 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 24 | 0 | 12 | 28 | 0.296 | 506.1 |
| 1957 | NYY | AL | 75 | 224 | 27 | 56 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 39 | 1 | 19 | 36 | 0.250 | 506.1 |
| 1958 | KC1 | AL | 78 | 212 | 21 | 56 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 27 | 0 | 26 | 33 | 0.264 | 218.5 |
| 1958 | NYY | AL | 24 | 51 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 0.216 | 218.5 |
| 1959 | CHW | AL | 38 | 75 | 5 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 0.187 | -260.7 |
| 1959 | KC1 | AL | 8 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.286 | -260.7 |
| 1959 | PIT | NL | 9 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.267 | -260.7 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.083 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | WS | NYA | 5 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0.083 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 211 | 123 | 1702 | 93 | 16 | 169 |
| OF | 579 | 294 | 1078 | 33 | 30 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | CLE | 1B | 50 | 0 | 326 | 17 | 4 | 28 |
| 1951 | CLE | OF | 68 | 0 | 132 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 1952 | CLE | 1B | 28 | 0 | 276 | 8 | 2 | 21 |
| 1952 | CLE | OF | 127 | 0 | 226 | 11 | 3 | 4 |
| 1953 | CLE | 1B | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1953 | CLE | OF | 69 | 0 | 118 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| 1955 | KC1 | 1B | 3 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1955 | KC1 | OF | 100 | 95 | 262 | 5 | 6 | 2 |
| 1956 | KC1 | 1B | 32 | 29 | 269 | 15 | 4 | 32 |
| 1956 | KC1 | OF | 111 | 109 | 188 | 3 | 7 | 2 |
| 1957 | KC1 | 1B | 27 | 27 | 243 | 23 | 1 | 21 |
| 1957 | KC1 | OF | 21 | 21 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1957 | NYA | 1B | 21 | 19 | 143 | 8 | 0 | 18 |
| 1957 | NYA | OF | 42 | 36 | 55 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 1958 | KC1 | 1B | 43 | 42 | 384 | 18 | 4 | 44 |
| 1958 | KC1 | OF | 11 | 10 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1958 | NYA | OF | 15 | 10 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | CHA | 1B | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959 | CHA | OF | 12 | 11 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959 | KC1 | 1B | 4 | 4 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1959 | PIT | OF | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 211 |
| Left Field | 44 |
| Center Field | 140 |
| Right Field | 409 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 11th | 37.0 | 336 | 0 |