Billy Pierce | Major Leaguer 1945-1964

Full Name: Walter William Pierce
Born: April 2,1927 in Detroit, Michigan
Height: 5-10 Weight: 160 Bats: Left Throws: Left
High School: Highland Park (Highland Park,MI)
College:

Baseball Lists: Retired Numbers

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Transactions: [Jan 1,1945] - Signed as undrafted amateur Free Agent by Tigers. [Nov 10,1948] - Traded by Tigers with Cash to White Sox for Aaron Robinson. [Nov 30,1961] - Traded by White Sox with Don Larsen to Giants for Verle Tiefenthaler, Bob Farley, Dom Zanni and Eddie Fisher. [Dec 2,1963] - Released by Giants. [Apr 13,1964] - Signed as Free Agent by Giants. [Oct 6,1964] - Released by Giants.

Pitching Statistics

Year	Team	Lg	Age	Org	Level	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SH	GF	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WP	BK	H9	HR9	BB9	K9	WHIP	GB%
1945	Detroit	AL	18	Det	MLB	0	0	1.80	5	0	0	0	4	0	10.0	6	2	2	1	10	10	0	0	5.40	0.90	9.00	9.00	1.60	--
1948	Detroit	AL	21	Det	MLB	3	0	6.34	22	5	0	0	9	0	55.1	47	40	39	5	51	36	1	0	7.65	0.81	8.30	5.86	1.77	--
1949	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	22	Chw	MLB	7	15	3.88	32	26	8	0	4	0	171.2	145	89	74	11	112	95	5	2	7.60	0.58	5.87	4.98	1.50	--
1950	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	23	Chw	MLB	12	16	3.98	33	29	15	1	3	1	219.1	189	112	97	11	137	118	4	0	7.76	0.45	5.62	4.84	1.49	--
1951	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	24	Chw	MLB	15	14	3.03	37	28	18	1	6	2	240.1	237	93	81	14	73	113	1	0	8.88	0.52	2.73	4.23	1.29	--
1952	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	25	Chw	MLB	15	12	2.57	33	32	14	4	1	1	255.1	214	76	73	12	79	144	3	0	7.54	0.42	2.78	5.08	1.15	--
1953	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	26	Chw	MLB	18	12	2.72	40	33	19	7	6	3	271.1	216	94	82	20	102	186	5	0	7.16	0.66	3.38	6.17	1.17	--
1954	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	27	Chw	MLB	9	10	3.48	36	26	12	4	4	3	188.2	179	86	73	15	86	148	3	1	8.54	0.72	4.10	7.06	1.40	--
1955	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	28	Chw	MLB	15	10	1.97	33	26	16	6	5	1	205.2	162	50	45	16	64	157	4	1	7.09	0.70	2.80	6.87	1.10	--
1956	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	29	Chw	MLB	20	9	3.32	35	33	21	1	2	1	276.1	261	108	102	24	100	192	6	1	8.50	0.78	3.26	6.25	1.31	--
1957	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	30	Chw	MLB	20	12	3.26	37	34	16	4	2	2	257.0	228	98	93	18	71	171	3	1	7.98	0.63	2.49	5.99	1.16	44%
1958	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	31	Chw	MLB	17	11	2.68	35	32	19	3	3	2	245.0	204	83	73	33	66	144	1	0	7.49	1.21	2.42	5.29	1.10	42%
1959	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	32	Chw	MLB	14	15	3.62	34	33	12	2	0	0	224.0	217	98	90	26	62	114	2	1	8.72	1.04	2.49	4.58	1.25	50%
1960	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	33	Chw	MLB	14	7	3.62	32	30	8	1	1	0	196.1	201	81	79	24	46	108	2	0	9.21	1.10	2.11	4.95	1.26	45%
1961	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	34	Chw	MLB	10	9	3.80	39	28	5	1	5	3	180.0	190	85	76	17	54	106	2	0	9.50	0.85	2.70	5.30	1.36	47%
1962	SF Giants	NL	35	Sf	MLB	16	6	3.49	30	23	7	2	2	1	162.1	147	67	63	19	35	76	2	1	8.15	1.05	1.94	4.21	1.12	50%
1963	SF Giants	NL	36	Sf	MLB	3	11	4.27	38	13	3	1	13	8	99.0	106	49	47	12	20	52	3	2	9.64	1.09	1.82	4.73	1.27	49%
1964	SF Giants	NL	37	Sf	MLB	3	0	2.20	34	1	0	0	14	4	49.0	40	14	12	6	10	29	1	0	7.35	1.10	1.84	5.33	1.02	55%

Major League Totals - 18 Season(s)						211	169	3.27	585	432	193	38	84	32	3,306.2	2989	1325	1201	284	1178	1999	48	10	8.14	0.77	3.21	5.44	1.26	--

Batting Statistics

Year	Team	Lg	Age	Org.	Level	Pos	Ln	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	HBP	IBB	SH	SF	DP	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	GB%
1945	Detroit	AL	18	Det	MLB	p		5	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0		0		1	.000	*.012	.000	*12	--
1948	Detroit	AL	21	Det	MLB	p		22	17	5	5	0	2	0	2	0	0	0	4	0		0		0	.294	*.300	.529	*829	--
1949	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	22	Chw	MLB	p		39	51	7	9	0	0	0	2	0	0	5	15	0		6		2	.176	*.256	.176	*432	--
1950	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	23	Chw	MLB	p		40	77	10	20	3	0	0	6	0	0	6	13	1		4		1	.260	*.318	.299	*617	--
1951	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	24	Chw	MLB	p		39	79	10	16	1	0	0	3	0	1	9	17	0		5		2	.203	*.289	.215	*504	--
1952	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	25	Chw	MLB	p		35	91	11	17	1	0	0	3	0	1	6	20	0		5		3	.187	*.244	.198	*442	--
1953	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	26	Chw	MLB	p		42	87	4	11	0	0	0	4	0	0	4	16	1		10		3	.126	*.173	.126	*299	--
1954	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	27	Chw	MLB	p		38	57	4	11	0	0	0	5	0	0	4	12	0		6	1	0	.193	.242	.193	435	--
1955	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	28	Chw	MLB	p		34	70	5	12	2	0	0	7	1	0	3	10	0	0	8	0	0	.171	.205	.200	405	--
1956	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	29	Chw	MLB	p		39	102	6	16	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	22	1	0	7	0	3	.157	.189	.157	346	--
1957	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	30	Chw	MLB	p	9	41	99	7	17	1	0	0	6	0	0	2	25	0	0	3	0	3	.172	.188	.182	370	62%
1958	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	31	Chw	MLB	p	9	35	83	10	17	3	0	0	4	0	0	4	13	1	0	6	0	0	.205	.250	.241	491	61%
1959	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	32	Chw	MLB	p	9	34	68	3	13	1	2	0	7	0	0	7	13	0	0	6	0	1	.191	.267	.265	532	68%
1960	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	33	Chw	MLB	p	9	32	67	4	12	1	0	0	7	0	0	6	14	0	0	3	0	2	.179	.247	.194	441	56%
1961	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	34	Chw	MLB	p	9	39	56	3	8	0	0	0	3	0	0	1	11	0	0	6	0	2	.143	.158	.143	301	67%
1962	SF Giants	NL	35	Sf	MLB	p	9	30	56	3	12	0	0	0	5	0	0	3	12	0	0	7	0	1	.214	.254	.214	468	72%
1963	SF Giants	NL	36	Sf	MLB	p	9	38	31	2	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	11	0	0	1	0	0	.129	.182	.129	311	73%
1964	SF Giants	NL	37	Sf	MLB	p	9	34	9	0	3	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	.333	.333	.333	666	50%

Major League Totals - 18 Season(s)								616	1102	94	203	13	4	0	69	1	2	65	232	4		83		24	.184		.203	---	--

Playoffs Pitching Statistics

Year	Team	Lg	Age	Org	Series	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SH	GF	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	WP	BK	H9	HR9	BB9	K9	WHIP	GB%
1959	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	32		Ws	0	0	0.00	3		0			0	4.0	2		0		2	3			4.50	---	4.50	6.75	1.00	--
1962	SF Giants	NL	35		Ws	1	1	2.40	2		1			0	15.0	8		4		2	5			4.80	---	1.20	3.00	0.67	--

Major League Totals - 2 Season(s)						1	1	1.89	5		1			0	19.0	10		4		4	8			4.74	---	1.89	3.79	0.74	--

Playoffs Batting Statistics

Year	Team	Lg	Age	Org.	Series	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	HBP	IBB	SH	SF	DP	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	GB%
1959	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	32	Chw	Ws	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	---	---	---	---	--
1962	SF Giants	NL	35	Sf	Ws	2	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	000	--

Major League Totals - 2 Season(s)						5	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	000	--

Fielding Statistics

Year	Team	Lg	Age	Org	Level	Pos	G	GS	Inn	PO	A	E	TC	DP	PB	SB	CS	FPCT	RF
1945	Detroit	AL	18	Det	MLB	P	5		10	0	2	0	2	0	-	-	-	1.000	1.80

1948	Detroit	AL	21	Det	MLB	P	22		55.1	2	9	0	11	0	-	-	-	1.000	1.79

1949	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	22	Chw	MLB	P	32		171.2	12	33	4	49	2	-	-	-	.918	2.36

1950	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	23	Chw	MLB	P	33		219.1	4	30	1	35	1	-	-	-	.971	1.40

1951	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	24	Chw	MLB	P	37		240.1	11	38	2	51	4	-	-	-	.961	1.83

1952	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	25	Chw	MLB	P	33		255.1	13	43	1	57	3	-	-	-	.982	1.97

1953	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	26	Chw	MLB	P	40		271.1	10	33	4	47	1	-	-	-	.915	1.43
1953	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	26	Chw	MLB	1B	1			1	0	0	1	0	-	-	-	1.000	--

1954	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	27	Chw	MLB	P	36		188.2	7	19	1	27	1	-	-	-	.963	1.24

1955	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	28	Chw	MLB	P	33		205.2	7	25	0	32	1	-	-	-	1.000	1.40

1956	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	29	Chw	MLB	P	35		276.1	4	33	3	40	2	-	-	-	.925	1.21

1957	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	30	Chw	MLB	P	37		257	8	45	2	55	2	-	-	-	.964	1.86

1958	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	31	Chw	MLB	P	35		245	11	26	1	38	3	-	-	-	.974	1.36

1959	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	32	Chw	MLB	P	34		224	11	40	2	53	4	-	-	-	.962	2.05

1960	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	33	Chw	MLB	P	32		196.1	7	29	2	38	2	-	-	-	.947	1.65

1961	Chi Wh-Sox	AL	34	Chw	MLB	P	39		180	7	31	3	41	1	-	-	-	.927	1.90

1962	SF Giants	NL	35	Sf	MLB	P	30		162.1	4	24	1	29	3	-	-	-	.966	1.55

1963	SF Giants	NL	36	Sf	MLB	P	38		99	4	20	0	24	2	-	-	-	1.000	2.18

1964	SF Giants	NL	37	Sf	MLB	P	34		49	1	7	1	9	0	-	-	-	.889	1.47

Awards

[1952] - AL MVP (Voting Rank: #29) [1953] - AL MVP (Voting Rank: #10), Played in MLB All-Star Game [1955] - Played in MLB All-Star Game, AL MVP (Voting Rank: #18) [1956] - Played in MLB All-Star Game, AL MVP (Voting Rank: #5) [1957] - Played in MLB All-Star Game, AL MVP (Voting Rank: #11) [1958] - Played in MLB All-Star Game [1959] - Played in MLB All-Star Game [1961] - Played in MLB All-Star Game [1962] - Major League Cy Young Award (Voting Rank: #3) [1970] - Hall of Fame Ballot Voting (5 votes - 1.67%) [1971] - Hall of Fame Ballot Voting (7 votes - 1.94%) [1972] - Hall of Fame Ballot Voting (4 votes - 1.01%) [1973] - Hall of Fame Ballot Voting (4 votes - 1.05%) [1974] - Hall of Fame Ballot Voting (4 votes - 1.1%)

Trivia and Player Notes

In 1987, the Chicago White Sox retired Pierce's uniform number (#19).

Notes: Played in 7 All-Star games during his career (1953, 1955-1959, 1961)

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