Johnny Watwood
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1929-1939)
Johnny Watwood was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1929 to 1939 for the Chicago White Sox, the Boston Red Sox, and the Philadelphia Phillies, a span of 11 seasons. In 469 career games, he hit .283 with 403 hits, 5 home runs, and 158 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 186 lb
- Died
- 3/1/1980 in Goodwater, AL, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1929-04-16
- Last Game
- 1939-05-29
Full name: John Clifford Watwood
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 469 | 1,423 | 192 | 403 | 66 | 16 | 5 | 158 | 27 | 154 | 103 | .283 | .356 | .363 | .718 | -381 |
Career AVG .283 vs. league average .280 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .356 vs. league average .343 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .363 vs. league average .400 across their career seasons — 9.4% below league average.
Career OPS .718 vs. league average .743 across their career seasons — near 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | CHA | AL | 85 | 278 | 33 | 84 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 28 | 6 | 22 | 21 | .302 | .289 (+4%) | .353 (+1%) | .415 (-1%) | .769 (avg) | -35.6 |
| 1930 | CHA | AL | 133 | 427 | 75 | 129 | 25 | 4 | 2 | 51 | 5 | 52 | 35 | .302 | .293 (+3%) | .354 (+8%) | .429 (-8%) | .784 (-1%) | 59.7 |
| 1931 | CHA | AL | 128 | 367 | 51 | 104 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 47 | 9 | 56 | 30 | .283 | .276 (+3%) | .338 (+12%) | .388 (-5%) | .726 (+3%) | 409.7 |
| 1932 | CHA | AL | 13 | 49 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .306 | — | — | — | — | -46.7 |
| 1932 | BOS | AL | 95 | 266 | 26 | 66 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 7 | 20 | 11 | .248 | .275 (-10%) | .335 (-10%) | .391 (-26%) | .726 (-19%) | -46.7 |
| 1933 | BOS | AL | 13 | 30 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | .133 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1939 | PHI | NL | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .167 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 7 seasons | 469 | 1,423 | 192 | 403 | 66 | 16 | 5 | 158 | 27 | 154 | 103 | .283 | — | — | — | — | 340 | ||
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 (470 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 220 | 668 | 91 | 191 | 2 | 85 | .286 |
| Away | 250 | 757 | 102 | 212 | 3 | 76 | .280 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939-05-29 | PHI | NY1 | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1939-05-28 | PHI | NY1 | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933-05-14 | BOS | DET | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933-05-11 | BOS | CLE | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933-05-07 | BOS | CHW | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933-04-30 | BOS | NYY | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933-04-28 | BOS | PHA | L | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1933-04-27 | BOS | MIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933-04-24 | BOS | PHA | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933-04-22 | BOS | NYY | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 86 | 0 | 771 | 58 | 15 | 77 |
| OF | 299 | 0 | 707 | 29 | 40 | 4 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | CHA | OF | 77 | 0 | 188 | 7 | 12 | 2 |
| 1930 | CHA | 1B | 62 | 0 | 590 | 41 | 7 | 59 |
| 1930 | CHA | OF | 52 | 0 | 117 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| 1931 | CHA | 1B | 4 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1931 | CHA | OF | 102 | 0 | 259 | 13 | 16 | 2 |
| 1932 | CHA | OF | 13 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1932 | BOS | 1B | 18 | 0 | 149 | 16 | 7 | 17 |
| 1932 | BOS | OF | 46 | 0 | 101 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| 1933 | BOS | OF | 9 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1939 | PHI | 1B | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 85 |
| Left Field | 21 |
| Center Field | 197 |
| Right Field | 90 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University | Auburn | AL | 1927, 1928 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Johnny Watwood (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Johnny Watwood: the record in brief
The profile opens with Johnny Watwood's first major league game on April 16, 1929; the last one listed came on May 29, 1939. The season rows list, in order, the Chicago White Sox (1929 through 1932), the Boston Red Sox (1932 to 1933), and the Philadelphia Phillies (1939). Watwood, an outfielder by primary position, threw and hit left-handed. Watwood is listed at 6 feet, 1 inch and 186 pounds. Watwood was born on August 17, 1905, in Alexander City, AL, USA. Watwood's death is recorded on March 1, 1980, in Goodwater, AL, USA. The given name on file is John Clifford Watwood.
Across 469 games at the plate, Watwood's career line reads 403 hits in 1,423 at bats for a .283 average, adding 5 home runs, 158 RBI, and 27 stolen bases. Watwood got on base at a .356 rate and slugged .363 (.718 OPS). Watwood hit .283 while the league hit .280 over the same span, a figure close to average. The hits column peaks at 129, in 1930. Watwood drove in a season-high 51 runs in 1930.
Frequently Asked Questions about Johnny Watwood
- What years did Johnny Watwood play?
- Johnny Watwood played in Major League Baseball from 1929 to 1939.
- Was Johnny Watwood a pitcher?
- No. Johnny Watwood was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Johnny Watwood hit?
- Johnny Watwood hit 5 career home runs with 403 hits.
- What teams did Johnny Watwood play for?
- Johnny Watwood played for 3 teams: the Chicago White Sox (1929–1932), the Boston Red Sox (1932–1933), and the Philadelphia Phillies (1939).
- What were Johnny Watwood's career stats?
- In 469 games, Johnny Watwood had 403 hits, 5 home runs, 158 RBI, 192 runs, and 27 stolen bases, with a .283 batting average.
- What position did Johnny Watwood play?
- Johnny Watwood played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Johnny Watwood and how much did he weigh?
- Johnny Watwood was listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 186 pounds.
- How many home runs did Johnny Watwood hit each season?
- Johnny Watwood's home runs by season: 2 in 1929, 2 in 1930, 1 in 1931, 0 in 1932, 0 in 1933, and 0 in 1939. His most in one season was 2, in 1929 and 1930.
- What was Johnny Watwood's career batting average?
- Johnny Watwood batted .283 over his career, with 403 hits in 1,423 at bats.
- How many RBI did Johnny Watwood have?
- Johnny Watwood drove in 158 runs in his career.
- Is Johnny Watwood in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Johnny Watwood has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.