George Zuverink
Born: 8/20/1924 in Holland, MI, USA
Died: 9/8/2014 in Tempe, AZ, USA
MLB Debut: 1951-04-21 | Final Game: 1959-06-15
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 195 lbs
Biography
George Zuverink was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1951 until 1959. Born in 1924, Zuverink made his debut during a transformative era in baseball marked by the post-World War II resurgence of the sport and the gradual integration of players into the league. Throughout his career, he displayed a solid level of performance on the mound, finishing with a record of 32 wins and 36 losses, an earned run average (ERA) of 3.54, and 223 strikeouts. His ability to come through in critical situations was underscored by his 40 saves, showcasing his effectiveness as both a starter and a reliever.
Zuverink's playing style was characterized by his versatility and competitiveness. He contributed significantly to the teams he played for, which included the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles, among others. His career spanned a time of great change and excitement in baseball, as the game transitioned into a new era of talent and style, setting the stage for future generations of pitchers. His legacy is remembered as part of the rich tapestry of baseball history during the mid-20th century.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | 36 | 265 | 31 | 9 | 2 | 40 | 642.3 | 660 | 253 | 56 | 203 | 223 | 3.54 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | CLE | AL | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25.3 | 24 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 5.33 | -11.7 |
| 1952 | CLE | AL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 0.0 |
| 1954 | CIN | NL | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 9.00 | 0.0 |
| 1954 | DET | AL | 9 | 13 | 35 | 25 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 203.0 | 201 | 81 | 62 | 70 | 3.59 | -1348.1 |
| 1955 | BAL | AL | 4 | 3 | 28 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 86.3 | 80 | 21 | 17 | 31 | 2.19 | 1903.9 |
| 1955 | DET | AL | 0 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28.3 | 38 | 22 | 14 | 13 | 6.99 | -1277.9 |
| 1956 | BAL | AL | 7 | 6 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 97.3 | 112 | 45 | 34 | 33 | 4.16 | 823.5 |
| 1957 | BAL | AL | 10 | 6 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 112.7 | 105 | 31 | 39 | 36 | 2.48 | -484.5 |
| 1958 | BAL | AL | 2 | 2 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 69.0 | 74 | 26 | 17 | 22 | 3.39 | 471.3 |
| 1959 | BAL | AL | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.0 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 4.15 | -283.5 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 266 | 142 | 5 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 39 | 0.148 | 0.199 | 0.176 | 0.375 | -671.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | CLE | AL | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1952 | CLE | AL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1954 | CIN | NL | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.500 | 0.0 |
| 1954 | DET | AL | 35 | 64 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 0.125 | 0.0 |
| 1955 | BAL | AL | 28 | 23 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.217 | 0.0 |
| 1955 | DET | AL | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1956 | BAL | AL | 62 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0.118 | 0.0 |
| 1957 | BAL | AL | 56 | 23 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0.130 | 0.0 |
| 1958 | BAL | AL | 45 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.222 | 0.0 |
| 1959 | BAL | AL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 265 | 31 | 45 | 145 | 7 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | CLE | P | 16 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1952 | CLE | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1954 | CIN | P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1954 | DET | P | 35 | 25 | 18 | 46 | 3 | 3 |
| 1955 | BAL | P | 28 | 5 | 7 | 19 | 3 | 2 |
| 1955 | DET | P | 14 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956 | BAL | P | 62 | 0 | 8 | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 1957 | BAL | P | 56 | 0 | 5 | 26 | 0 | 2 |
| 1958 | BAL | P | 45 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| 1959 | BAL | P | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 265 |