Gus Zernial
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1949-1959)
Gus Zernial was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1949 to 1959 for 4 teams, including the Chicago White Sox, a span of 11 seasons. In 1,234 career games, he hit .265 with 1,093 hits, 237 home runs, and 776 RBI. Gus Zernial was an All-Star. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 9,501.
- 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
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 210 lb
- Died
- 1/20/2011 in Fresno, CA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1949-04-19
- Last Game
- 1959-09-25
- Awards
- All-Star
Full name: Gus Edward Zernial
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,234 | 4,131 | 572 | 1,093 | 159 | 22 | 237 | 776 | 15 | 383 | 755 | .265 | .329 | .486 | .815 | 9,501 |
Career AVG .265 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .329 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .486 vs. league average .391 across their career seasons — +24.4% above league average.
Career OPS .815 vs. league average .723 across their career seasons — +12.7% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | CHA | AL | 73 | 198 | 29 | 63 | 17 | 2 | 5 | 38 | 0 | 15 | 26 | .318 | .262 (+21%) | .343 (+7%) | .384 (+30%) | .727 (+19%) | 605.6 |
| 1950 | CHA | AL | 143 | 543 | 75 | 152 | 16 | 4 | 29 | 93 | 0 | 38 | 110 | .280 | .265 (+5%) | .346 (-5%) | .401 (+21%) | .747 (+9%) | 820.5 |
| 1951 | CHA | AL | 4 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .105 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1951 | PHA | AL | 139 | 552 | 90 | 151 | 30 | 5 | 33 | 125 | 2 | 61 | 99 | .274 | .260 (+5%) | .336 (+4%) | .385 (+36%) | .721 (+21%) | 0.0 |
| 1952 | PHA | AL | 145 | 549 | 76 | 144 | 15 | 1 | 29 | 100 | 5 | 70 | 87 | .262 | .252 (+4%) | .326 (+6%) | .369 (+22%) | .696 (+15%) | 1619.9 |
| 1953 | PHA | AL | 147 | 556 | 85 | 158 | 21 | 3 | 42 | 108 | 4 | 57 | 79 | .284 | .264 (+8%) | .335 (+6%) | .397 (+41%) | .733 (+25%) | 2706.8 |
| 1954 | PHA | AL | 97 | 336 | 42 | 84 | 8 | 2 | 14 | 62 | 0 | 30 | 60 | .250 | .261 (-4%) | .333 (-5%) | .390 (+5%) | .723 (+1%) | 1.1 |
| 1955 | KC1 | AL | 120 | 413 | 62 | 105 | 9 | 3 | 30 | 84 | 1 | 30 | 90 | .254 | .258 (-2%) | .332 (-8%) | .393 (+29%) | .726 (+12%) | 721.9 |
| 1956 | KC1 | AL | 109 | 272 | 36 | 61 | 12 | 0 | 16 | 44 | 2 | 33 | 66 | .224 | .258 (-13%) | .331 (-5%) | .397 (+12%) | .728 (+4%) | 205.1 |
| 1957 | KC1 | AL | 131 | 437 | 56 | 103 | 20 | 1 | 27 | 69 | 1 | 34 | 84 | .236 | .257 (-8%) | .323 (-11%) | .391 (+21%) | .715 (+6%) | 364.8 |
| 1958 | DET | AL | 66 | 124 | 8 | 40 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 0 | 6 | 25 | .323 | .257 (+25%) | .324 (+8%) | .394 (+31%) | .719 (+21%) | 408.7 |
| 1959 | DET | AL | 60 | 132 | 11 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 0 | 7 | 27 | .227 | .256 (-11%) | .323 (-19%) | .392 (+6%) | .715 (-5%) | -161.0 |
| Career · 12 seasons | 1,234 | 4,131 | 572 | 1,093 | 159 | 22 | 237 | 776 | 15 | 383 | 755 | .265 | — | — | — | — | 7,294 | ||
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 (1234 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 618 | 1984 | 300 | 534 | 125 | 398 | .269 |
| Away | 616 | 2146 | 273 | 559 | 112 | 378 | .260 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-09-25 | DET | CHW | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1959-09-23 | DET | KC1 | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1959-09-20 | DET | CHW | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959-09-12 | DET | NYY | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1959-09-10 | DET | BOS | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1959-09-07 | DET | CLE | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959-09-02 | DET | CHW | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1959-08-30 | DET | KC1 | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959-08-25 | DET | MIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959-08-22 | DET | BOS | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 35 | 31 | 206 | 11 | 7 | 20 |
| OF | 1007 | 393 | 2081 | 81 | 71 | 14 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | CHA | OF | 46 | 0 | 73 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1950 | CHA | OF | 137 | 0 | 306 | 9 | 10 | 2 |
| 1951 | CHA | OF | 4 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1951 | PHA | OF | 138 | 0 | 321 | 17 | 9 | 3 |
| 1952 | PHA | OF | 141 | 0 | 302 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
| 1953 | PHA | OF | 141 | 0 | 300 | 17 | 9 | 2 |
| 1954 | PHA | 1B | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1954 | PHA | OF | 90 | 87 | 180 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
| 1955 | KC1 | OF | 103 | 102 | 231 | 9 | 9 | 4 |
| 1956 | KC1 | OF | 69 | 69 | 111 | 9 | 2 | 1 |
| 1957 | KC1 | 1B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1957 | KC1 | OF | 113 | 111 | 213 | 4 | 11 | 1 |
| 1958 | DET | OF | 24 | 24 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1959 | DET | 1B | 32 | 31 | 197 | 10 | 6 | 20 |
| 1959 | DET | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 35 |
| Left Field | 1005 |
| Right Field | 1 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 16.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1951 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 20th | 15.0 | 336 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Gus Zernial (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Gus Zernial: the record in brief
April 19, 1949 and September 25, 1959 bracket Gus Zernial's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. The season rows list, in order, the Chicago White Sox (1949 to 1951), the Philadelphia Athletics (1951 to 1954), the Kansas City Athletics (1955 to 1957), and the Detroit Tigers (1958 through 1959). Zernial played primarily as an outfielder and both batted and threw right-handed. Born on June 27, 1923, in Beaumont, TX, USA, Zernial was listed at 6 feet, 2 inches and 210 pounds. The bio records the death on January 20, 2011, in Fresno, CA, USA. Zernial's full given name, per the bio, is Gus Edward Zernial.
Across 1,234 games at the plate, Zernial's career line reads 1,093 hits in 4,131 at bats for a .265 average; the totals also include 237 homers and 776 runs batted in. Zernial got on base at a .329 rate and slugged .486 (.815 OPS). Against a .260 league average for those years, Zernial's .265 average was near the norm.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gus Zernial
- What years did Gus Zernial play?
- Gus Zernial played in Major League Baseball from 1949 to 1959.
- Was Gus Zernial a pitcher?
- No. Gus Zernial was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Gus Zernial hit?
- Gus Zernial hit 237 career home runs with 1,093 hits.
- What teams did Gus Zernial play for?
- Gus Zernial played for 3 teams: the Chicago White Sox (1949–1951), the Kansas City Athletics (1951–1957), and the Detroit Tigers (1958–1959).
- Did Gus Zernial win an MVP award?
- No. Gus Zernial did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Gus Zernial win?
- Gus Zernial was selected to 1 All-Star Game.
- What were Gus Zernial's career stats?
- In 1,234 games, Gus Zernial had 1,093 hits, 237 home runs, 776 RBI, 572 runs, and 15 stolen bases, with a .265 batting average.
- What position did Gus Zernial play?
- Gus Zernial played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Gus Zernial and how much did he weigh?
- Gus Zernial was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 210 pounds.
- How many home runs did Gus Zernial hit each season?
- Gus Zernial's home runs by season: 5 in 1949, 29 in 1950, 33 in 1951, 29 in 1952, 42 in 1953, 14 in 1954, 30 in 1955, 16 in 1956, 27 in 1957, 5 in 1958, and 7 in 1959. His most in one season was 42, in 1953.
- What was Gus Zernial's career batting average?
- Gus Zernial batted .265 over his career, with 1,093 hits in 4,131 at bats.
- How many RBI did Gus Zernial have?
- Gus Zernial drove in 776 runs in his career.
- Is Gus Zernial in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Gus Zernial has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- How many All-Star Games did Gus Zernial make?
- Gus Zernial was selected to 1 All-Star Game.