Bill Wambsganss
Second Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1914-1926)
Bill Wambsganss was a second baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1914 to 1926 for the Cleveland Guardians, the Boston Red Sox, and the Philadelphia Athletics, a span of 13 seasons. In 1,491 career games, he hit .259 with 1,359 hits, 7 home runs, and 520 RBI.
- 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
- Second Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 175 lb
- Died
- 12/8/1985 in Lakewood, OH, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1914-08-04
- Last Game
- 1926-09-27
Full name: William Adolph Wambsganss
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,491 | 5,237 | 710 | 1,359 | 215 | 59 | 7 | 520 | 140 | 490 | 357 | .259 | .328 | .327 | .655 | -3,946 |
Career AVG .259 vs. league average .270 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .328 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .327 vs. league average .366 across their career seasons — 10.6% below league average.
Career OPS .655 vs. league average .699 across their career seasons — 6.2% below 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | CLE | AL | 43 | 143 | 12 | 31 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 24 | .217 | .255 (-15%) | .322 (-14%) | .339 (-15%) | .661 (-15%) | -321.3 |
| 1915 | CLE | AL | 121 | 375 | 30 | 73 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 21 | 8 | 36 | 50 | .195 | .250 (-22%) | .318 (-15%) | .332 (-32%) | .651 (-23%) | -1215.9 |
| 1916 | CLE | AL | 136 | 475 | 57 | 117 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 13 | 41 | 40 | .246 | .248 (-1%) | .314 (avg) | .326 (-10%) | .640 (-5%) | -311.8 |
| 1917 | CLE | AL | 141 | 499 | 52 | 127 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 43 | 16 | 37 | 42 | .255 | .248 (+2%) | .312 (+1%) | .323 (-3%) | .635 (-1%) | -72.5 |
| 1918 | CLE | AL | 87 | 315 | 34 | 93 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 16 | 21 | 21 | .295 | .255 (+16%) | .318 (+8%) | .326 (+9%) | .645 (+9%) | 454.3 |
| 1919 | CLE | AL | 139 | 526 | 60 | 146 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 60 | 18 | 32 | 24 | .278 | .262 (+6%) | .322 (avg) | .347 (-1%) | .670 (-1%) | -68.3 |
| 1920 | CLE | AL | 153 | 565 | 83 | 138 | 16 | 11 | 1 | 55 | 9 | 54 | 26 | .244 | .271 (-10%) | .331 (-5%) | .363 (-13%) | .694 (-9%) | -738.6 |
| 1921 | CLE | AL | 107 | 410 | 80 | 117 | 28 | 5 | 2 | 47 | 13 | 44 | 27 | .285 | .286 (avg) | .344 (+4%) | .395 (-1%) | .739 (+2%) | 186.5 |
| 1922 | CLE | AL | 142 | 538 | 89 | 141 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 47 | 17 | 60 | 26 | .262 | .285 (-8%) | .345 (-2%) | .397 (-18%) | .743 (-10%) | -801.5 |
| 1923 | CLE | AL | 101 | 345 | 59 | 100 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 59 | 10 | 43 | 15 | .290 | .282 (+2%) | .344 (+8%) | .390 (-3%) | .734 (+3%) | 275.5 |
| 1924 | BOS | AL | 156 | 632 | 93 | 174 | 41 | 5 | 0 | 49 | 14 | 54 | 33 | .275 | .283 (-3%) | .345 (-3%) | .389 (-9%) | .734 (-6%) | -580.7 |
| 1925 | BOS | AL | 111 | 360 | 50 | 83 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 41 | 3 | 52 | 21 | .231 | .288 (-20%) | .349 (-6%) | .407 (-28%) | .756 (-18%) | -953.0 |
| 1926 | PHA | AL | 54 | 54 | 11 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | .352 | .279 (+26%) | .345 (+29%) | .390 (+4%) | .735 (+16%) | 200.9 |
| Career · 13 seasons | 1,491 | 5,237 | 710 | 1,359 | 215 | 59 | 7 | 520 | 140 | 490 | 357 | .259 | — | — | — | — | -3,946 | ||
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 (1495 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 738 | 2517 | 377 | 689 | 3 | 274 | .274 |
| Away | 757 | 2729 | 331 | 674 | 4 | 259 | .247 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926-09-27 | PHA | CLE | L | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926-09-20 | PHA | DET | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926-09-19 | PHA | SLA | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1926-09-16 | PHA | SLA | W | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1926-09-16 | PHA | SLA | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926-09-11 | PHA | CHW | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926-09-03 | PHA | NYY | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1926-08-26 | PHA | SLA | W | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926-08-20 | PHA | DET | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926-08-15 | PHA | MIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 9 | 0 | 75 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| 2B | 1205 | 0 | 2986 | 3669 | 292 | 605 |
| 3B | 46 | 0 | 42 | 89 | 14 | 8 |
| SS | 177 | 0 | 317 | 505 | 68 | 66 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | CLE | 2B | 4 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| 1914 | CLE | SS | 36 | 0 | 65 | 109 | 15 | 16 |
| 1915 | CLE | 2B | 78 | 0 | 138 | 237 | 25 | 24 |
| 1915 | CLE | 3B | 35 | 0 | 31 | 69 | 10 | 4 |
| 1916 | CLE | 2B | 24 | 0 | 39 | 76 | 5 | 11 |
| 1916 | CLE | 3B | 5 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 4 |
| 1916 | CLE | SS | 106 | 0 | 208 | 325 | 43 | 38 |
| 1917 | CLE | 1B | 3 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1917 | CLE | 2B | 137 | 0 | 304 | 441 | 38 | 70 |
| 1918 | CLE | 2B | 87 | 0 | 204 | 251 | 23 | 35 |
| 1919 | CLE | 2B | 139 | 0 | 342 | 436 | 30 | 60 |
| 1920 | CLE | 2B | 153 | 0 | 414 | 489 | 38 | 75 |
| 1921 | CLE | 2B | 103 | 0 | 268 | 255 | 20 | 51 |
| 1921 | CLE | 3B | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922 | CLE | 2B | 125 | 0 | 297 | 376 | 27 | 72 |
| 1922 | CLE | SS | 16 | 0 | 29 | 42 | 7 | 7 |
| 1923 | CLE | 2B | 88 | 0 | 252 | 275 | 20 | 47 |
| 1923 | CLE | 3B | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1923 | CLE | SS | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1924 | BOS | 2B | 156 | 0 | 463 | 494 | 37 | 100 |
| 1925 | BOS | 1B | 6 | 0 | 47 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 1925 | BOS | 2B | 103 | 0 | 254 | 326 | 26 | 60 |
| 1926 | PHA | 2B | 8 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926 | PHA | SS | 17 | 0 | 10 | 26 | 3 | 5 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 9 |
| Second Base | 1209 |
| Third Base | 45 |
| Shortstop | 174 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concordia Theological Seminary | Fort Wayne | IN | 1910, 1911, 1912 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 2.0 | 64 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Bill Wambsganss (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Bill Wambsganss: the record in brief
Bill Wambsganss played a first major league game on August 4, 1914 and a last one on September 27, 1926. The season rows list, in order, the Cleveland Naps (1914), the Cleveland Indians (1915 to 1923), the Boston Red Sox (1924 to 1925), and the Philadelphia Athletics (1926). The bio lists Wambsganss as a second baseman who threw and hit right-handed. The recorded size is 5 feet, 11 inches and 175 pounds. The birth record reads March 19, 1894, in Cleveland, OH, USA. Wambsganss's death is recorded on December 8, 1985, in Lakewood, OH, USA. The given name on file is William Adolph Wambsganss.
In 1,491 games and 5,237 at bats, Wambsganss batted .259 with 1,359 hits, plus 7 homers, 520 RBI, and 140 stolen bases. On-base and slugging figures of .328 and .327 give Wambsganss a career OPS of .655. Against a .270 league average for those years, Wambsganss's .259 average was near the norm. The highest hit total in a season was 174, in 1924. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .285 in 1921, did not top the league's .286.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bill Wambsganss
- What years did Bill Wambsganss play?
- Bill Wambsganss played in Major League Baseball from 1914 to 1926.
- Was Bill Wambsganss a pitcher?
- No. Bill Wambsganss was a position player (Second Baseman).
- How many home runs did Bill Wambsganss hit?
- Bill Wambsganss hit 7 career home runs with 1,359 hits.
- What teams did Bill Wambsganss play for?
- Bill Wambsganss played for 3 teams: the Cleveland Indians (1914–1923), the Boston Red Sox (1924–1925), and the Philadelphia Athletics (1926).
- What were Bill Wambsganss's career stats?
- In 1,491 games, Bill Wambsganss had 1,359 hits, 7 home runs, 520 RBI, 710 runs, and 140 stolen bases, with a .259 batting average.
- What position did Bill Wambsganss play?
- Bill Wambsganss played primarily as a second baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Bill Wambsganss and how much did he weigh?
- Bill Wambsganss was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 175 pounds.
- How many home runs did Bill Wambsganss hit each season?
- Bill Wambsganss's home runs by season: 0 in 1914, 0 in 1915, 0 in 1916, 0 in 1917, 0 in 1918, 2 in 1919, 1 in 1920, 2 in 1921, 0 in 1922, 1 in 1923, 0 in 1924, 1 in 1925, and 0 in 1926. His most in one season was 2, in 1919 and 1921.
- What was Bill Wambsganss's career batting average?
- Bill Wambsganss batted .259 over his career, with 1,359 hits in 5,237 at bats.
- How many RBI did Bill Wambsganss have?
- Bill Wambsganss drove in 520 runs in his career.
- Is Bill Wambsganss in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Bill Wambsganss has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.