Birdie Tebbetts
Born: 11/10/1912 in Burlington, VT, USA
Died: 3/24/1999 in Manatee, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1936-09-16 | Final Game: 1952-09-14
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 170 lbs
Full name: George Robert Tebbetts
Biography
Birdie Tebbetts was a notable American professional baseball player, born in 1912, who made his mark in the Major Leagues from 1936 until his retirement in 1952. A versatile position player, Tebbetts was known for his strong defensive skills and leadership on the field. Over the course of his career, he played in 1,162 games, where he recorded 1,000 hits, 38 home runs, and 469 RBIs, culminating in a batting average of .270. His speed on the bases contributed to a total of 29 stolen bases, showcasing his ability to impact the game not just with his bat, but also with his agility.
Tebbetts was selected as an All-Star four times during his career, a testament to his performance and popularity among fans and peers alike. Playing primarily during the late 1930s through the 1940s, he navigated an era that was defined by the transition from the deadball era to a time of increased offensive production. Tebbetts' contributions to his teams, particularly with the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox, left a lasting legacy, both as an athlete and later as a manager. His career reflects the spirit of dedication and competitiveness that characterized baseball during a transformative period in the sport's history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1162 | 3704 | 357 | 1000 | 169 | 22 | 38 | 469 | 29 | 389 | 261 | 0.270 | 0.341 | 0.358 | 0.700 | -1494.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | DET | AL | 10 | 33 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0.303 | 0.0 |
| 1937 | DET | AL | 50 | 162 | 15 | 31 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 13 | 0.191 | -879.0 |
| 1938 | DET | AL | 53 | 143 | 16 | 42 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 0.294 | -24.6 |
| 1939 | DET | AL | 106 | 341 | 37 | 89 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 53 | 2 | 25 | 20 | 0.261 | -528.0 |
| 1940 | DET | AL | 111 | 379 | 46 | 112 | 24 | 4 | 4 | 46 | 4 | 35 | 14 | 0.296 | 434.7 |
| 1941 | DET | AL | 110 | 359 | 28 | 102 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 47 | 1 | 38 | 29 | 0.284 | 237.0 |
| 1942 | DET | AL | 99 | 308 | 24 | 76 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 4 | 39 | 17 | 0.247 | -248.0 |
| 1946 | DET | AL | 87 | 280 | 20 | 68 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 34 | 1 | 28 | 23 | 0.243 | -491.6 |
| 1947 | BOS | AL | 90 | 291 | 22 | 87 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 2 | 21 | 30 | 0.299 | -154.4 |
| 1947 | DET | AL | 20 | 53 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.094 | -154.4 |
| 1948 | BOS | AL | 128 | 446 | 54 | 125 | 26 | 2 | 5 | 68 | 5 | 62 | 32 | 0.280 | 479.5 |
| 1949 | BOS | AL | 122 | 403 | 42 | 109 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 48 | 8 | 62 | 22 | 0.270 | 14.4 |
| 1950 | BOS | AL | 79 | 268 | 33 | 83 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 45 | 1 | 29 | 26 | 0.310 | 518.6 |
| 1951 | CLE | AL | 55 | 137 | 8 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 0.263 | -227.8 |
| 1952 | CLE | AL | 42 | 101 | 4 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 0.248 | -61.3 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | WS | DET | 4 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 1108 | 0 | 4667 | 666 | 119 | 87 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | DET | C | 10 | 0 | 51 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1937 | DET | C | 48 | 0 | 155 | 25 | 7 | 1 |
| 1938 | DET | C | 53 | 0 | 108 | 20 | 2 | 4 |
| 1939 | DET | C | 100 | 0 | 449 | 64 | 16 | 10 |
| 1940 | DET | C | 107 | 0 | 572 | 89 | 17 | 10 |
| 1941 | DET | C | 98 | 0 | 461 | 83 | 13 | 11 |
| 1942 | DET | C | 97 | 0 | 446 | 69 | 12 | 10 |
| 1946 | DET | C | 87 | 0 | 486 | 53 | 10 | 4 |
| 1947 | BOS | C | 89 | 0 | 332 | 50 | 10 | 7 |
| 1947 | DET | C | 20 | 0 | 95 | 15 | 0 | 3 |
| 1948 | BOS | C | 126 | 0 | 470 | 56 | 10 | 8 |
| 1949 | BOS | C | 118 | 0 | 481 | 51 | 11 | 13 |
| 1950 | BOS | C | 74 | 0 | 285 | 44 | 4 | 5 |
| 1951 | CLE | C | 44 | 0 | 145 | 27 | 4 | 1 |
| 1952 | CLE | C | 37 | 0 | 131 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 1099 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | C |
| 1948 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | C |
| 1948 | TSN All-Star | C |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence College | Providence | RI | 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 6.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1948 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 11th | 23.0 | 336 | 0 |