Billy Southworth
Outfielder · Career Stats, Hall of Fame Bio & Records (1913-1929)
Billy Southworth was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1913 to 1929 for 5 teams, including the Cleveland Guardians, a span of 17 seasons. In 1,192 career games, he hit .297 with 1,296 hits, 52 home runs, and 561 RBI. Billy Southworth was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 6,580.
- 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'9" / 170 lb
- Died
- 11/15/1969 in Columbus, OH, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1913-08-04
- Last Game
- 1929-07-09
- Hall of Fame
- Inducted 2008 (BBWAA)
Full name: William Harold Southworth
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,192 | 4,359 | 661 | 1,296 | 173 | 91 | 52 | 561 | 138 | 402 | 148 | .297 | .359 | .415 | .773 | 6,580 |
Career AVG .297 vs. league average .276 across their career seasons — +7.6% above league average.
Career OBP .359 vs. league average .339 across their career seasons — +5.8% above league average.
Career SLG .415 vs. league average .379 across their career seasons — +9.4% above league average.
Career OPS .773 vs. league average .718 across their career seasons — +7.7% above 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | CLE | AL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1915 | CLE | AL | 60 | 177 | 25 | 39 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 36 | 12 | .220 | .250 (-12%) | .318 (+11%) | .332 (-13%) | .651 (-2%) | 82.7 |
| 1918 | PIT | NL | 64 | 246 | 37 | 84 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 43 | 19 | 26 | 9 | .341 | .255 (+34%) | .318 (+28%) | .326 (+36%) | .645 (+32%) | 1329.3 |
| 1919 | PIT | NL | 121 | 453 | 56 | 127 | 14 | 14 | 4 | 61 | 23 | 32 | 22 | .280 | .262 (+7%) | .322 (+2%) | .347 (+15%) | .670 (+9%) | 599.3 |
| 1920 | PIT | NL | 146 | 546 | 64 | 155 | 17 | 13 | 2 | 53 | 23 | 52 | 20 | .284 | .271 (+4%) | .331 (+5%) | .363 (+3%) | .694 (+4%) | 445.3 |
| 1921 | BSN | NL | 141 | 569 | 86 | 175 | 25 | 15 | 7 | 79 | 22 | 36 | 13 | .308 | .286 (+7%) | .344 (+2%) | .395 (+12%) | .739 (+7%) | 697.1 |
| 1922 | BSN | NL | 43 | 158 | 27 | 51 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 4 | 18 | 1 | .323 | .285 (+13%) | .345 (+13%) | .397 (+19%) | .743 (+17%) | 479.2 |
| 1923 | BSN | NL | 153 | 611 | 95 | 195 | 29 | 16 | 6 | 78 | 14 | 61 | 23 | .319 | .282 (+13%) | .344 (+11%) | .390 (+15%) | .734 (+13%) | 1678.2 |
| 1924 | NY1 | NL | 94 | 281 | 40 | 72 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 1 | 32 | 16 | .256 | .283 (-10%) | .345 (-4%) | .389 (-14%) | .734 (-9%) | -372.7 |
| 1925 | NY1 | NL | 123 | 473 | 79 | 138 | 19 | 5 | 6 | 44 | 6 | 51 | 11 | .292 | .288 (+1%) | .349 (+4%) | .407 (-4%) | .756 (avg) | 68.3 |
| 1926 | NY1 | NL | 36 | 116 | 23 | 38 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 30 | 1 | 7 | 1 | .328 | .279 (+17%) | .345 (+6%) | .390 (+35%) | .735 (+21%) | 389.2 |
| 1926 | SLN | NL | 99 | 391 | 76 | 124 | 22 | 6 | 11 | 69 | 13 | 26 | 9 | .317 | .279 (+13%) | .345 (+5%) | .390 (+25%) | .735 (+16%) | 389.2 |
| 1927 | SLN | NL | 92 | 306 | 52 | 92 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 39 | 10 | 23 | 7 | .301 | .282 (+7%) | .344 (+1%) | .392 (+2%) | .736 (+2%) | 86.8 |
| 1929 | SLN | NL | 19 | 32 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .188 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 14 seasons | 1,192 | 4,359 | 661 | 1,296 | 173 | 91 | 52 | 561 | 138 | 402 | 148 | .297 | — | — | — | — | 5,872 | ||
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 (1192 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 598 | 2089 | 315 | 621 | 25 | 287 | .297 |
| Away | 594 | 2268 | 345 | 675 | 27 | 268 | .298 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929-07-09 | STL | PHI | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1929-07-08 | STL | PHI | L | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1929-07-04 | STL | PIT | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1929-06-28 | STL | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1929-06-23 | STL | CIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1929-06-20 | STL | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1929-06-19 | STL | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1929-06-16 | STL | BSN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1929-06-15 | STL | BSN | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1929-06-04 | STL | BRO | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| OF | 1115 | 0 | 2442 | 127 | 92 | 33 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913 | CLE | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1915 | CLE | OF | 44 | 0 | 90 | 7 | 6 | 3 |
| 1918 | PIT | OF | 64 | 0 | 137 | 12 | 3 | 4 |
| 1919 | PIT | OF | 121 | 0 | 253 | 17 | 9 | 5 |
| 1920 | PIT | OF | 142 | 0 | 337 | 12 | 3 | 3 |
| 1921 | BSN | OF | 141 | 0 | 288 | 25 | 8 | 6 |
| 1922 | BSN | OF | 41 | 0 | 100 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| 1923 | BSN | 2B | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1923 | BSN | OF | 151 | 0 | 326 | 22 | 21 | 6 |
| 1924 | NY1 | OF | 75 | 0 | 167 | 5 | 12 | 2 |
| 1925 | NY1 | OF | 119 | 0 | 289 | 7 | 11 | 1 |
| 1926 | NY1 | OF | 29 | 0 | 62 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 1926 | SLN | OF | 99 | 0 | 228 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| 1927 | SLN | OF | 83 | 0 | 153 | 6 | 5 | 2 |
| 1929 | SLN | OF | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 2 |
| Left Field | 95 |
| Center Field | 217 |
| Right Field | 808 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 19th | 5.0 | 80 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Billy Southworth (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Billy Southworth
Billy Southworth: the record in brief
Billy Southworth's major league career runs from a debut on August 4, 1913 to a final game on July 9, 1929. The team column moves through the Cleveland Naps (1913), the Cleveland Indians (1915), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1918 to 1920), the Boston Braves (1921 to 1923), the New York Giants (1924 to 1926), and the St. Louis Cardinals (1926 through 1929). Listed as an outfielder, Southworth hit left-handed while throwing right-handed. Height and weight on file: 5 feet, 9 inches and 170 pounds. The birth record reads March 9, 1893, in Harvard, NE, USA. Southworth's death is recorded on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, OH, USA. The given name on file is William Harold Southworth.
In 1,192 games and 4,359 at bats, Southworth batted .297 with 1,296 hits, plus 52 home runs, 561 runs batted in, and 138 stolen bases. The on-base percentage is .359 and the slugging percentage .415, for an OPS of .773.
Frequently Asked Questions about Billy Southworth
- What years did Billy Southworth play?
- Billy Southworth played in Major League Baseball from 1913 to 1929.
- Was Billy Southworth a pitcher?
- No. Billy Southworth was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Billy Southworth hit?
- Billy Southworth hit 52 career home runs with 1,296 hits.
- Is Billy Southworth in the Hall of Fame?
- Yes. Billy Southworth was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008.
- What teams did Billy Southworth play for?
- Billy Southworth played for 5 teams: the Cleveland Indians (1913, 1915), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1918–1920), the Boston Braves (1921–1923), the New York Giants (1924–1926), and the St. Louis Cardinals (1926–1927, 1929).
- What were Billy Southworth's career stats?
- In 1,192 games, Billy Southworth had 1,296 hits, 52 home runs, 561 RBI, 661 runs, and 138 stolen bases, with a .297 batting average.
- What position did Billy Southworth play?
- Billy Southworth played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Billy Southworth and how much did he weigh?
- Billy Southworth was listed at 5 feet 9 inches and 170 pounds.
- How many home runs did Billy Southworth hit each season?
- Billy Southworth's home runs by season: 0 in 1915, 2 in 1918, 4 in 1919, 2 in 1920, 7 in 1921, 4 in 1922, 6 in 1923, 3 in 1924, 6 in 1925, 16 in 1926, 2 in 1927, and 0 in 1929. His most in one season was 16, in 1926.
- What was Billy Southworth's career batting average?
- Billy Southworth batted .297 over his career, with 1,296 hits in 4,359 at bats.
- How many RBI did Billy Southworth have?
- Billy Southworth drove in 561 runs in his career.