Whitey Witt
Born: 9/28/1895 in Orange, MA, USA
Died: 7/14/1988 in Salem County, NJ, USA
MLB Debut: 1916-04-12 | Final Game: 1926-08-19
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'7" | Weight: 150 lbs
Full name: Lawton Walter Witt
Biography
Whitey Witt was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball during the early 20th century, known for his agility and offensive capabilities. Born in 1895, he played professionally from 1916 until 1926, making significant contributions to the teams he represented, including the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Athletics. Over the course of his career, Witt appeared in 1,139 games, recording 1,195 hits and finishing with a batting average of .287. He demonstrated a well-rounded skill set, accumulating 18 home runs and 302 RBIs, while also showcasing his speed on the basepaths with 78 stolen bases.
Witt's playing style reflected the evolving nature of the game during the deadball era, where strategic baserunning and contact hitting were paramount. His ability to get on base and create scoring opportunities made him a valuable asset to his teams. As a player who transitioned through a transformative period in baseball, Whitey Witt left a lasting impact on the game, remembered for both his contributions on the field and his role in the development of offensive strategies in the sport. His career remains a testament to the talent and dedication of early 20th-century baseball players.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1139 | 4171 | 632 | 1195 | 144 | 62 | 18 | 302 | 78 | 489 | 309 | 0.287 | 0.362 | 0.364 | 0.726 | 3452.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | PHA | AL | 143 | 563 | 64 | 138 | 16 | 15 | 2 | 36 | 19 | 55 | 71 | 0.245 | 179.6 |
| 1917 | PHA | AL | 128 | 452 | 62 | 114 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 28 | 12 | 65 | 45 | 0.252 | 394.8 |
| 1919 | PHA | AL | 122 | 460 | 56 | 123 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 33 | 11 | 46 | 26 | 0.267 | -39.4 |
| 1920 | PHA | AL | 65 | 218 | 29 | 70 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 2 | 27 | 16 | 0.321 | 628.0 |
| 1921 | PHA | AL | 154 | 629 | 100 | 198 | 31 | 11 | 4 | 45 | 16 | 77 | 52 | 0.315 | 1250.7 |
| 1922 | NYY | AL | 140 | 528 | 98 | 157 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 40 | 5 | 89 | 29 | 0.297 | 638.0 |
| 1923 | NYY | AL | 146 | 596 | 113 | 187 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 56 | 2 | 67 | 42 | 0.314 | 1101.3 |
| 1924 | NYY | AL | 147 | 600 | 88 | 178 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 36 | 9 | 45 | 20 | 0.297 | -554.0 |
| 1925 | NYY | AL | 31 | 40 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1926 | BRO | NL | 63 | 85 | 13 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 0.259 | -146.8 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 43 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 0.233 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 | WS | NYA | 6 | 25 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0.240 |
| 1922 | WS | NYA | 5 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.222 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 66 | 0 | 161 | 189 | 17 | 30 |
| 3B | 8 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| OF | 729 | 0 | 1601 | 59 | 50 | 10 |
| SS | 255 | 0 | 489 | 778 | 116 | 100 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | PHA | SS | 142 | 0 | 299 | 423 | 78 | 59 |
| 1917 | PHA | 3B | 6 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| 1917 | PHA | SS | 111 | 0 | 190 | 354 | 38 | 41 |
| 1917 | PHA | OF | 7 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1919 | PHA | 2B | 56 | 0 | 132 | 162 | 15 | 25 |
| 1919 | PHA | 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1919 | PHA | OF | 59 | 0 | 134 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| 1920 | PHA | 2B | 10 | 0 | 29 | 27 | 2 | 5 |
| 1920 | PHA | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920 | PHA | OF | 50 | 0 | 70 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1921 | PHA | OF | 154 | 0 | 288 | 15 | 13 | 3 |
| 1922 | NYA | OF | 139 | 0 | 312 | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| 1923 | NYA | OF | 144 | 0 | 357 | 14 | 8 | 4 |
| 1924 | NYA | OF | 144 | 0 | 362 | 11 | 9 | 1 |
| 1925 | NYA | OF | 10 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926 | BRO | OF | 22 | 0 | 44 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 66 |
| Third Base | 9 |
| Shortstop | 256 |
| Left Field | 52 |
| Center Field | 452 |
| Right Field | 227 |