Bill Wambsganss
Born: 3/19/1894 in Cleveland, OH, USA
Died: 12/8/1985 in Lakewood, OH, USA
MLB Debut: 1914-08-04 | Final Game: 1926-09-27
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 175 lbs
Full name: William Adolph Wambsganss
Biography
Bill Wambsganss, born in 1894, was a professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1914 to 1926. He played primarily as a position player, appearing in 1,491 games throughout his tenure in Major League Baseball. Wambsganss was known for his steady performance and versatility on the field, contributing significantly to his teams with a career batting average of .259. He accumulated a total of 1,359 hits and drove in 520 runs, showcasing his ability to produce offensively. Wambsganss also displayed speed on the bases, successfully stealing 140 bases during his career.
Wambsganss played during a transformative era in baseball, witnessing the game evolve through the influence of the deadball era and the onset of the live-ball era. His most notable achievement came in the 1920 World Series when he made a remarkable unassisted triple play, a feat that remains one of the rarest in the history of the postseason. This exceptional play solidified his place in baseball lore, and he is often remembered for his contributions to the game both offensively and defensively. Wambsganss retired from professional baseball in 1926, leaving behind a legacy as a reliable player and an integral part of the teams he represented.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1491 | 5237 | 710 | 1359 | 215 | 59 | 7 | 520 | 140 | 490 | 357 | 0.259 | 0.328 | 0.327 | 0.655 | -5755.9 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | CLE | AL | 43 | 143 | 12 | 31 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 24 | 0.217 | -340.8 |
| 1915 | CLE | AL | 121 | 375 | 30 | 73 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 21 | 8 | 36 | 50 | 0.195 | -1524.0 |
| 1916 | CLE | AL | 136 | 475 | 57 | 117 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 13 | 41 | 40 | 0.246 | -364.6 |
| 1917 | CLE | AL | 141 | 499 | 52 | 127 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 43 | 16 | 37 | 42 | 0.255 | -78.4 |
| 1918 | CLE | AL | 87 | 315 | 34 | 93 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 0.295 | 485.2 |
| 1919 | CLE | AL | 139 | 526 | 60 | 146 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 60 | 18 | 32 | 24 | 0.278 | -70.0 |
| 1920 | CLE | AL | 153 | 565 | 83 | 138 | 16 | 11 | 1 | 55 | 9 | 54 | 26 | 0.244 | -1138.7 |
| 1921 | CLE | AL | 107 | 410 | 80 | 117 | 28 | 5 | 2 | 47 | 13 | 44 | 27 | 0.285 | 73.1 |
| 1922 | CLE | AL | 142 | 538 | 89 | 141 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 47 | 17 | 60 | 26 | 0.262 | -1116.2 |
| 1923 | CLE | AL | 101 | 345 | 59 | 100 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 59 | 10 | 43 | 15 | 0.290 | 237.8 |
| 1924 | BOS | AL | 156 | 632 | 93 | 174 | 41 | 5 | 0 | 49 | 14 | 54 | 33 | 0.275 | -878.4 |
| 1925 | BOS | AL | 111 | 360 | 50 | 83 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 41 | 3 | 52 | 21 | 0.231 | -1246.4 |
| 1926 | PHA | AL | 54 | 54 | 11 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0.352 | 205.3 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 26 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.154 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | WS | CLE | 7 | 26 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.154 |
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
| 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 |