Les Witherspoon
Left Fielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records
Les Witherspoon was a left fielder who played in Major League Baseball for the Indianapolis Clowns. In 5 career games, he hit .357 with 5 hits and 1 RBI. His totals include Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB recognized as major league in 2020.
- 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
- Left Fielder
- Bats / Throws
- B / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 206 lb
- Died
- 3/15/1980 in Miami, FL, USA
Full name: Lester Rudolph Witherspoon
Negro Leagues (season totals). Additive Retrosheet-digitized totals for seasons not already in the logs above; they are not summed into the career line. No team/league breakdown is available, and coverage may be partial.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .357 | .438 | .500 | .938 | 0 |
Career AVG .357 vs. league average .264 across their career seasons — +35.5% above league average.
Career OBP .438 vs. league average .340 across their career seasons — +28.6% above league average.
Career SLG .500 vs. league average .379 across their career seasons — +31.9% above league average.
Career OPS .938 vs. league average .719 across their career seasons — +30.3% above 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | IC | NAL | 5 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .357 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 1 season | 5 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .357 | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
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
Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 |
| Away | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Last 3 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949-05-03 | IN9 | NY6 | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948-07-23 | IN9 | CAG | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1948-07-18 | IN9 | CAG | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 5 |
Les Witherspoon: the record in brief
The season rows for Les Witherspoon begin in 1948. Witherspoon's only club in the season tables is the Indianapolis Clowns. At 206 pounds on a 6-foot-1 frame, Witherspoon is listed as a left fielder. The bio says Witherspoon switch-hit and threw right-handed. The recorded birth is June 7, 1926, in Kissimmee, FL, USA. Witherspoon's death is recorded on March 15, 1980, in Miami, FL, USA. On the record, Les Witherspoon was born Lester Rudolph Witherspoon.
In 5 games and 14 at bats, Witherspoon batted .357 with 5 hits, adding 1 runs batted in. Witherspoon's .357 average ran 35.5% above the .264 that the league posted over the same seasons. The OPS comparison is .938 to a league .719, 30.3% above average. Only one season appears, 1948 for the Indianapolis Clowns, when Witherspoon played 5 games and went 5 for 14.
The Negro Leagues section records 6 hits in 23 at bats for Witherspoon, a .261 average. The Negro Leagues table is compiled from box scores, so it is kept separate from the main career line.
Every defensive appearance on record for Witherspoon, 5 games, came at left field.
Frequently Asked Questions about Les Witherspoon
- Was Les Witherspoon a pitcher?
- No. Les Witherspoon was a position player (Left Fielder).
- How many home runs did Les Witherspoon hit?
- Les Witherspoon hit 0 career home runs with 5 hits.
- What teams did Les Witherspoon play for?
- Les Witherspoon played for one team, the Indianapolis Clowns (1948).
- What were Les Witherspoon's career stats?
- In 5 games, Les Witherspoon had 5 hits and 1 RBI, with a .357 batting average.
- What position did Les Witherspoon play?
- Les Witherspoon played primarily as a left fielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Les Witherspoon and how much did he weigh?
- Les Witherspoon was listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 206 pounds.
- What was Les Witherspoon's career batting average?
- Les Witherspoon batted .357 over his career, with 5 hits in 14 at bats.
- How many RBI did Les Witherspoon have?
- Les Witherspoon drove in 1 runs in his career.
- Is Les Witherspoon in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Les Witherspoon has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.