Bill Skowron
Born: 12/18/1930 in Chicago, IL, USA
Died: 4/27/2012 in Arlington Heights, IL, USA
MLB Debut: 1954-04-13 | Final Game: 1967-10-01
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 195 lbs
Full name: William Joseph Skowron
Biography
Bill Skowron, born in 1930, was a prominent first baseman and outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1954 to 1967. Over his 14-year career, he appeared in 1,658 games, amassing 1,566 hits and demonstrating a consistent ability to drive in runs with a total of 888 RBIs. Skowron was known for his power at the plate, belting 211 home runs while maintaining a solid batting average of .282. His offensive prowess, combined with a competitive spirit, earned him eight selections to the All-Star Game, highlighting his status as one of the top players of his era.
Skowron’s career unfolded during a dynamic period in baseball history, marked by the transition from the deadball era to a more offensively driven game. He was particularly notable for his contributions to the New York Yankees, where he became a key figure in the team’s success in the 1950s and 1960s. His ability to perform in clutch situations helped the Yankees secure multiple championships, solidifying his legacy within the franchise. With 16 stolen bases, he also showcased a surprising element of speed for a player of his build, making him a well-rounded asset on the field. Bill Skowron remains a respected figure in baseball, remembered for his impactful career and contributions to the game.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1658 | 5547 | 681 | 1566 | 243 | 53 | 211 | 888 | 16 | 383 | 870 | 0.282 | 0.332 | 0.459 | 0.792 | 11416.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | NYY | AL | 87 | 215 | 37 | 73 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 41 | 2 | 19 | 18 | 0.340 | 1263.2 |
| 1955 | NYY | AL | 108 | 288 | 46 | 92 | 17 | 3 | 12 | 61 | 1 | 21 | 32 | 0.319 | 1210.2 |
| 1956 | NYY | AL | 134 | 464 | 78 | 143 | 21 | 6 | 23 | 90 | 4 | 50 | 60 | 0.308 | 2349.9 |
| 1957 | NYY | AL | 122 | 457 | 54 | 139 | 15 | 5 | 17 | 88 | 3 | 31 | 60 | 0.304 | 1168.5 |
| 1958 | NYY | AL | 126 | 465 | 61 | 127 | 22 | 3 | 14 | 73 | 1 | 28 | 69 | 0.273 | 153.8 |
| 1959 | NYY | AL | 74 | 282 | 39 | 84 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 59 | 1 | 20 | 47 | 0.298 | 1117.1 |
| 1960 | NYY | AL | 146 | 538 | 63 | 166 | 34 | 3 | 26 | 91 | 2 | 38 | 95 | 0.309 | 2360.1 |
| 1961 | NYY | AL | 150 | 561 | 76 | 150 | 23 | 4 | 28 | 89 | 0 | 35 | 108 | 0.267 | 828.6 |
| 1962 | NYY | AL | 140 | 478 | 63 | 129 | 16 | 6 | 23 | 80 | 0 | 36 | 99 | 0.270 | 899.4 |
| 1963 | LAD | NL | 89 | 237 | 19 | 48 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 0 | 13 | 49 | 0.203 | -872.7 |
| 1964 | CHW | AL | 73 | 273 | 19 | 80 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 38 | 0 | 19 | 36 | 0.293 | 281.1 |
| 1964 | WS2 | AL | 73 | 262 | 28 | 71 | 10 | 0 | 13 | 41 | 0 | 11 | 56 | 0.271 | 281.1 |
| 1965 | CHW | AL | 146 | 559 | 63 | 153 | 24 | 3 | 18 | 78 | 1 | 32 | 77 | 0.274 | 763.9 |
| 1966 | CHW | AL | 120 | 337 | 27 | 84 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 29 | 1 | 26 | 45 | 0.249 | -155.2 |
| 1967 | LAA | AL | 62 | 123 | 8 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 0.220 | -355.8 |
| 1967 | CHW | AL | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | -355.8 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | 133 | 19 | 39 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 29 | 6 | 26 | 0.293 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | WS | LAN | 4 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0.385 |
| 1962 | WS | NYA | 6 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0.222 |
| 1961 | WS | NYA | 5 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0.353 |
| 1960 | WS | NYA | 7 | 32 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0.375 |
| 1958 | WS | NYA | 7 | 27 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0.259 |
| 1957 | WS | NYA | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1956 | WS | NYA | 3 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0.100 |
| 1955 | WS | NYA | 5 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0.333 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1463 | 1403 | 12043 | 903 | 102 | 1266 |
| 2B | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 3B | 13 | 6 | 6 | 21 | 7 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | NYA | 1B | 61 | 56 | 395 | 28 | 6 | 48 |
| 1954 | NYA | 2B | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 1954 | NYA | 3B | 5 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955 | NYA | 1B | 74 | 69 | 517 | 37 | 6 | 63 |
| 1955 | NYA | 3B | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956 | NYA | 1B | 120 | 117 | 968 | 80 | 7 | 138 |
| 1956 | NYA | 3B | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 1957 | NYA | 1B | 115 | 111 | 1026 | 86 | 9 | 116 |
| 1958 | NYA | 1B | 118 | 114 | 1040 | 71 | 8 | 112 |
| 1958 | NYA | 3B | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 1959 | NYA | 1B | 72 | 71 | 626 | 43 | 6 | 68 |
| 1960 | NYA | 1B | 142 | 140 | 1202 | 115 | 12 | 130 |
| 1961 | NYA | 1B | 149 | 147 | 1228 | 102 | 10 | 146 |
| 1962 | NYA | 1B | 135 | 123 | 1054 | 77 | 10 | 101 |
| 1963 | LAN | 1B | 66 | 60 | 518 | 34 | 5 | 44 |
| 1963 | LAN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1964 | CHA | 1B | 70 | 70 | 621 | 40 | 1 | 53 |
| 1964 | WS2 | 1B | 66 | 63 | 591 | 40 | 4 | 41 |
| 1965 | CHA | 1B | 145 | 143 | 1297 | 74 | 8 | 116 |
| 1966 | CHA | 1B | 98 | 92 | 722 | 60 | 7 | 75 |
| 1967 | CAL | 1B | 32 | 27 | 238 | 16 | 3 | 15 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 1463 |
| Second Base | 2 |
| Third Base | 13 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purdue University | West Lafayette | IN | 1950 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 9th | 56.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1957 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 22th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |