Bill Wambsganss, baseball player, 1914-1926

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

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

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