Earl Torgeson
Born: 1/1/1924 in Snohomish, WA, USA
Died: 11/8/1990 in Everett, WA, USA
MLB Debut: 1947-04-15 | Final Game: 1961-08-23
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Clifford Earl Torgeson
Biography
Earl Torgeson was a notable position player in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1947 to 1961. Born in 1924, Torgeson established himself as a dependable offensive contributor during an era characterized by evolving playing styles and post-war baseball dynamics. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 1,668 games, amassing 1,318 hits, 149 home runs, and 740 RBIs, which reflected his ability to drive in runs consistently. With a batting average of .265, he demonstrated a solid hitting capability that contributed to his teams’ offensive efforts.
In addition to his prowess at the plate, Torgeson showcased speed on the bases, finishing his career with 133 stolen bases. His versatility and skill set allowed him to adapt to various team needs, making him a valuable player in the league. Torgeson’s career intersected with significant developments in baseball, including the transition towards the more power-centric game that would dominate the years following his retirement. Overall, Earl Torgeson left a lasting impact on the game, remembered for his contributions both as a hitter and an all-around player.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1668 | 4969 | 848 | 1318 | 215 | 46 | 149 | 740 | 133 | 980 | 653 | 0.265 | 0.385 | 0.417 | 0.802 | 13998.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | BSN | NL | 128 | 399 | 73 | 112 | 20 | 6 | 16 | 78 | 11 | 82 | 59 | 0.281 | 2111.5 |
| 1948 | BSN | NL | 134 | 438 | 70 | 111 | 23 | 5 | 10 | 67 | 19 | 81 | 54 | 0.253 | 750.6 |
| 1949 | BSN | NL | 25 | 100 | 17 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 0.260 | 141.7 |
| 1950 | BSN | NL | 156 | 576 | 120 | 167 | 30 | 3 | 23 | 87 | 15 | 119 | 69 | 0.290 | 2646.2 |
| 1951 | BSN | NL | 155 | 581 | 99 | 153 | 21 | 4 | 24 | 92 | 20 | 102 | 70 | 0.263 | 1750.1 |
| 1952 | BSN | NL | 122 | 382 | 49 | 88 | 17 | 0 | 5 | 34 | 11 | 81 | 38 | 0.230 | 183.2 |
| 1953 | PHI | NL | 111 | 379 | 58 | 104 | 25 | 8 | 11 | 64 | 7 | 53 | 57 | 0.274 | 1038.5 |
| 1954 | PHI | NL | 135 | 490 | 63 | 133 | 22 | 6 | 5 | 54 | 7 | 75 | 52 | 0.271 | 338.1 |
| 1955 | DET | AL | 89 | 300 | 58 | 85 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 50 | 9 | 61 | 29 | 0.283 | 854.7 |
| 1955 | PHI | NL | 47 | 150 | 29 | 40 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 2 | 32 | 20 | 0.267 | 854.7 |
| 1956 | DET | AL | 117 | 318 | 61 | 84 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 42 | 6 | 78 | 47 | 0.264 | 1216.2 |
| 1957 | CHW | AL | 86 | 251 | 53 | 74 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 46 | 7 | 49 | 44 | 0.295 | 1028.6 |
| 1957 | DET | AL | 30 | 50 | 5 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 10 | 0.240 | 1028.6 |
| 1958 | CHW | AL | 96 | 188 | 37 | 50 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 30 | 7 | 48 | 29 | 0.266 | 1044.8 |
| 1959 | CHW | AL | 127 | 277 | 40 | 61 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 45 | 7 | 62 | 55 | 0.220 | 209.5 |
| 1960 | CHW | AL | 68 | 57 | 12 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 21 | 8 | 0.263 | 364.6 |
| 1961 | CHW | AL | 20 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0.067 | 0.0 |
| 1961 | NYY | AL | 22 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 0.111 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 19 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0.368 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | WS | CHA | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1948 | WS | BSN | 5 | 18 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.389 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1416 | 520 | 11680 | 814 | 143 | 1097 |
| OF | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | BSN | 1B | 117 | 0 | 1033 | 76 | 18 | 83 |
| 1948 | BSN | 1B | 129 | 0 | 1069 | 81 | 8 | 85 |
| 1949 | BSN | 1B | 25 | 0 | 242 | 8 | 3 | 21 |
| 1950 | BSN | 1B | 156 | 0 | 1365 | 110 | 21 | 126 |
| 1951 | BSN | 1B | 155 | 0 | 1330 | 107 | 17 | 137 |
| 1952 | BSN | 1B | 105 | 0 | 931 | 73 | 11 | 86 |
| 1952 | BSN | OF | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1953 | PHI | 1B | 105 | 0 | 916 | 65 | 13 | 83 |
| 1954 | PHI | 1B | 133 | 131 | 1146 | 74 | 12 | 103 |
| 1955 | DET | 1B | 83 | 80 | 695 | 53 | 6 | 79 |
| 1955 | PHI | 1B | 43 | 43 | 349 | 26 | 2 | 27 |
| 1956 | DET | 1B | 83 | 75 | 623 | 32 | 5 | 62 |
| 1957 | CHA | 1B | 70 | 62 | 612 | 29 | 1 | 72 |
| 1957 | CHA | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957 | DET | 1B | 17 | 9 | 98 | 7 | 0 | 11 |
| 1958 | CHA | 1B | 73 | 45 | 470 | 30 | 11 | 54 |
| 1959 | CHA | 1B | 103 | 68 | 717 | 37 | 13 | 58 |
| 1960 | CHA | 1B | 10 | 4 | 54 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 1961 | CHA | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1961 | NYA | 1B | 8 | 3 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 1417 |
| Left Field | 2 |
| Right Field | 4 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 27th | 6.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1949 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 27th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |