Preston Ward
Born: 7/24/1927 in Columbia, MO, USA
Died: 6/2/2013 in Las Vegas, NV, USA
MLB Debut: 1948-04-20 | Final Game: 1959-08-18
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 190 lbs
Full name: Preston Meyer Ward
Biography
Preston Ward was a professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball from 1948 to 1959. Born in 1927, Ward made a significant impact as a position player during his career, participating in 744 games. He showcased his offensive skills with a total of 522 hits, contributing 50 home runs and driving in 262 runs. His batting average settled at .253, reflecting his role as a solid, if not star, contributor to his teams.
Ward's career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, transitioning from the late stages of the deadball era into a time of increasing offensive production. Known for his steady presence in the lineup, he also demonstrated speed on the base paths, recording 7 stolen bases. Throughout his tenure, Ward played for several teams, leaving a legacy as a dependable player who contributed to the evolution of the game's offensive dynamics in the late 1950s.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 744 | 2067 | 219 | 522 | 83 | 15 | 50 | 262 | 7 | 231 | 315 | 0.253 | 0.326 | 0.380 | 0.706 | -1315.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | BRO | NL | 42 | 146 | 9 | 38 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 15 | 23 | 0.260 | -105.5 |
| 1950 | CHC | NL | 80 | 285 | 31 | 72 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 33 | 3 | 27 | 42 | 0.253 | -484.2 |
| 1953 | CHC | NL | 33 | 100 | 10 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 18 | 21 | 0.230 | 62.3 |
| 1953 | PIT | NL | 88 | 281 | 35 | 59 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 27 | 1 | 44 | 39 | 0.210 | 62.3 |
| 1954 | PIT | NL | 117 | 360 | 37 | 97 | 16 | 2 | 7 | 48 | 0 | 39 | 61 | 0.269 | -16.2 |
| 1955 | PIT | NL | 84 | 179 | 16 | 38 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 25 | 0 | 22 | 28 | 0.212 | -285.2 |
| 1956 | CLE | AL | 87 | 150 | 18 | 38 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 21 | 0 | 16 | 20 | 0.253 | 128.0 |
| 1956 | PIT | NL | 16 | 30 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0.333 | 128.0 |
| 1957 | CLE | AL | 10 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.182 | 0.0 |
| 1958 | CLE | AL | 48 | 148 | 22 | 50 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 21 | 0 | 10 | 27 | 0.338 | 406.0 |
| 1958 | KC1 | AL | 81 | 268 | 28 | 68 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 24 | 0 | 27 | 36 | 0.254 | 406.0 |
| 1959 | KC1 | AL | 58 | 109 | 8 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 0.248 | -237.6 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 438 | 169 | 3337 | 297 | 31 | 319 |
| 3B | 74 | 62 | 49 | 104 | 13 | 6 |
| OF | 95 | 63 | 157 | 9 | 9 | 3 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | BRO | 1B | 38 | 0 | 268 | 20 | 3 | 21 |
| 1950 | CHN | 1B | 76 | 0 | 734 | 73 | 4 | 78 |
| 1953 | CHN | 1B | 7 | 0 | 49 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| 1953 | CHN | OF | 27 | 0 | 49 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1953 | PIT | 1B | 78 | 0 | 693 | 64 | 7 | 65 |
| 1954 | PIT | 1B | 48 | 38 | 338 | 41 | 6 | 31 |
| 1954 | PIT | 3B | 11 | 12 | 7 | 20 | 3 | 0 |
| 1954 | PIT | OF | 42 | 41 | 74 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
| 1955 | PIT | 1B | 48 | 38 | 384 | 35 | 1 | 41 |
| 1955 | PIT | OF | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956 | CLE | 1B | 60 | 16 | 226 | 21 | 3 | 20 |
| 1956 | CLE | OF | 17 | 14 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956 | PIT | 3B | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956 | PIT | OF | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1957 | CLE | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958 | CLE | 1B | 21 | 18 | 135 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1958 | CLE | 3B | 24 | 14 | 16 | 28 | 2 | 2 |
| 1958 | KC1 | 1B | 39 | 39 | 346 | 23 | 4 | 28 |
| 1958 | KC1 | 3B | 34 | 31 | 23 | 53 | 8 | 4 |
| 1958 | KC1 | OF | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | KC1 | 1B | 22 | 20 | 161 | 7 | 3 | 14 |
| 1959 | KC1 | OF | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 436 |
| Third Base | 76 |
| Left Field | 17 |
| Center Field | 27 |
| Right Field | 51 |