Sam Mele was born on Saturday, January 21, 1922, in Astoria, New York. Mele was 25 years old when he broke into the big leagues on April 15, 1947, with the Boston Red Sox. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Sam Mele baseball stats page.
"While in Boston, Sam Mele played under legendary disciplinarian Joe McCarthy, who would not abide alibis or excuses of any kind. One bright, sunny day in 1949, Mele was playing Fenway's right field, an infamous 'sun field,' when a line drive was hit in his direction. The ball took a bad bounce, and Sam ducked as the ball caromed over his head. As he came to the dugout at the end of the inning, Mele made his second and more costly error - this one with McCarthy. 'Oh geez, the ball got lost in the sun, and I didn't have time to pull my sunglasses down,' he whined. 'You know something my boy?' replied Marse Joe. 'They play all night games in Washington.' Mele finished out the year where the sun never shone - with the lowly Senators in the basement of the American League." - Author Bill Nowlin in Amazing Tales from the Boston Red Sox Dugout: A Collection of the Greatest Red Sox Stories Ever Told (Sports Publishing, 06/06/2017)
Sam MeleSam Mele Autograph on a 1954 Topps Archive Baseball Card (#240) |
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Biographical Data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Sam MeleSam Mele Pitching Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
- | - | Did Not Pitch | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Career | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
Sam MeleSam Mele Hitting Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG |
1947 | 25 | Red Sox | 123 | 453 | 71 | 137 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 73 | 37 | 1 | 35 | 6 | - | 1 | 11 | .302 | .356 | .448 |
1948 | 26 | Red Sox | 66 | 180 | 25 | 42 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 13 | 1 | 21 | 3 | - | 2 | 5 | .233 | .292 | .344 |
1949 | 27 | Red Sox | 18 | 46 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 14 | 2 | - | 0 | 3 | .196 | .302 | .261 |
1949 | 27 | Senators | 78 | 264 | 21 | 64 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 17 | 0 | 34 | 0 | - | 0 | 10 | .242 | .288 | .337 |
1950 | 28 | Senators | 126 | 435 | 57 | 119 | 21 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 86 | 51 | 6 | 40 | 3 | - | 1 | 21 | .274 | .351 | .432 |
1951 | 29 | Senators | 143 | 558 | 58 | 153 | 36 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 94 | 32 | 1 | 31 | 3 | - | 1 | 22 | .274 | .315 | .391 |
1952 | 30 | Senators | 9 | 28 | 2 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | .429 | .448 | .750 |
1952 | 30 | White Sox | 123 | 423 | 46 | 105 | 18 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 59 | 48 | 11 | 40 | 1 | - | 2 | 18 | .248 | .328 | .400 |
1953 | 31 | White Sox | 140 | 481 | 64 | 132 | 26 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 82 | 58 | 8 | 47 | 5 | - | 0 | 14 | .274 | .353 | .437 |
1954 | 32 | Orioles | 72 | 230 | 17 | 55 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 32 | 18 | 3 | 26 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 12 | .239 | .290 | .378 |
1954 | 32 | Red Sox | 42 | 132 | 22 | 42 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 23 | 12 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .318 | .378 | .523 |
1955 | 33 | Red Sox | 14 | 31 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .129 | .125 | .194 |
1955 | 33 | Redlegs | 35 | 62 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .210 | .279 | .323 |
1956 | 34 | Indians | 57 | 114 | 17 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 12 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | .254 | .320 | .421 |
Career | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | ||
10 Years | 1,046 | 3,437 | 406 | 916 | 168 | 39 | 80 | 2 | 544 | 311 | 33 | 342 | 29 | 9 | 10 | 130 | .267 | .328 | .408 |
Sam MeleSam Mele Fielding Stats |
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Team | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
1947 Red Sox | 1B | 1 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 11.25 |
1947 Red Sox | CF | 24 | 21 | 564 | 64 | 2.7 | 63 | 63 | 0 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .984 | 3.02 |
1947 Red Sox | LF | 3 | 1 | 30 | 3 | 1.0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.70 |
1947 Red Sox | RF | 92 | 90 | 2,301 | 181 | 2.0 | 180 | 170 | 10 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .994 | 2.11 |
1948 Red Sox | LF | 3 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
1948 Red Sox | RF | 52 | 45 | 1,206 | 103 | 2.0 | 101 | 99 | 2 | 2 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .981 | 2.26 |
1949 Red Sox | RF | 11 | 11 | 297 | 21 | 1.9 | 20 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .952 | 1.82 |
1949 Senators | 1B | 11 | 8 | 213 | 87 | 7.9 | 86 | 79 | 7 | 1 | 9 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .989 | 10.90 |
1949 Senators | CF | 24 | 21 | 483 | 54 | 2.3 | 52 | 50 | 2 | 2 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .963 | 2.91 |
1949 Senators | RF | 45 | 32 | 882 | 64 | 1.4 | 62 | 59 | 3 | 2 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .969 | 1.90 |
1950 Senators | 1B | 16 | 14 | 384 | 169 | 10.6 | 167 | 149 | 18 | 2 | 13 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .988 | 11.74 |
1950 Senators | CF | 26 | 26 | 654 | 69 | 2.7 | 67 | 65 | 2 | 2 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .971 | 2.77 |
1950 Senators | LF | 6 | 5 | 96 | 7 | 1.2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.97 |
1950 Senators | RF | 73 | 63 | 1,722 | 126 | 1.7 | 126 | 120 | 6 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.98 |
1951 Senators | 1B | 15 | 15 | 390 | 129 | 8.6 | 129 | 122 | 7 | 0 | 11 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 8.93 |
1951 Senators | CF | 19 | 19 | 504 | 46 | 2.4 | 46 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.46 |
1951 Senators | LF | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
1951 Senators | RF | 105 | 99 | 2,664 | 227 | 2.2 | 225 | 215 | 10 | 2 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .991 | 2.28 |
1952 Senators | CF | 1 | 1 | 27 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.00 |
1952 Senators | RF | 6 | 5 | 132 | 10 | 1.7 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .900 | 1.84 |
1952 White Sox | 1B | 3 | 0 | 33 | 10 | 3.3 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 8.18 |
1952 White Sox | RF | 112 | 107 | 2,844 | 159 | 1.4 | 159 | 153 | 6 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.51 |
1953 White Sox | 1B | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2.0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 18.00 |
1953 White Sox | CF | 4 | 3 | 57 | 7 | 1.8 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 3.32 |
1953 White Sox | RF | 138 | 117 | 3,351 | 219 | 1.6 | 218 | 204 | 14 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .995 | 1.76 |
1954 Orioles | LF | 40 | 35 | 969 | 66 | 1.7 | 63 | 60 | 3 | 3 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .955 | 1.76 |
1954 Red Sox | LF | 3 | 0 | 27 | 3 | 1.0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 3.00 |
1954 Orioles | RF | 24 | 23 | 576 | 40 | 1.7 | 39 | 38 | 1 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .975 | 1.83 |
1954 Red Sox | RF | 13 | 11 | 303 | 20 | 1.5 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .950 | 1.69 |
1954 Red Sox | 1B | 22 | 21 | 477 | 177 | 8.0 | 176 | 168 | 8 | 1 | 17 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .994 | 9.96 |
1955 Redlegs | LF | 12 | 11 | 255 | 23 | 1.9 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .957 | 2.33 |
1955 Red Sox | LF | 6 | 5 | 138 | 16 | 2.7 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 3.13 |
1955 Red Sox | RF | 1 | 1 | 24 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
1955 Redlegs | RF | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.50 |
1955 Redlegs | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
1956 Indians | 1B | 8 | 6 | 168 | 64 | 8.0 | 64 | 59 | 5 | 0 | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 10.29 |
1956 Indians | LF | 14 | 10 | 264 | 22 | 1.6 | 21 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .955 | 2.15 |
1956 Indians | RF | 6 | 5 | 126 | 11 | 1.8 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.36 |
Career | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
RF Totals | 679 | 609 | 16,446 | 1,182 | 1.7 | 1,170 | 1,116 | 54 | 12 | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .990 | 1.92 | |
CF Totals | 98 | 91 | 2,289 | 242 | 2.5 | 237 | 233 | 4 | 5 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .979 | 2.80 | |
LF Totals | 89 | 67 | 1,800 | 141 | 1.6 | 135 | 128 | 7 | 6 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .957 | 2.03 | |
1B Totals | 79 | 64 | 1,686 | 645 | 8.2 | 641 | 596 | 45 | 4 | 55 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .994 | 10.27 | |
10 Years | 945 | 831 | 22,221 | 2,210 | 2.3 | 2,183 | 2,073 | 110 | 27 | 64 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .988 | 2.65 |
Sam MeleSam Mele Miscellaneous Stats |
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Baserunning Statistics | Other Positions | Common Hitting Ratios | Common Pitching Ratios | |||||||||
Team | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
1947 Red Sox | 0 | 3 | .000 | 7 | 1 | n/a | 37.8 | 12.9 | 6.2 | - | - | - |
1948 Red Sox | 1 | 1 | .500 | 9 | 5 | n/a | 90.0 | 8.6 | 7.2 | - | - | - |
1949 Red Sox | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 7 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 3.3 | 6.6 | - | - | - |
1949 Senators | 2 | 1 | .667 | 10 | 1 | n/a | 88.0 | 7.8 | 10.6 | - | - | - |
1950 Senators | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 16 | 0 | n/a | 36.3 | 10.9 | 5.1 | - | - | - |
1951 Senators | 2 | 3 | .400 | 7 | 0 | n/a | 111.6 | 18.0 | 5.9 | - | - | - |
1952 Senators | 0 | 0 | .000 | 3 | 0 | n/a | 14.0 | 14.0 | 2.8 | - | - | - |
1952 White Sox | 1 | 2 | .333 | 11 | 0 | n/a | 30.2 | 10.6 | 7.2 | - | - | - |
1953 White Sox | 3 | 1 | .750 | 9 | 0 | n/a | 40.1 | 10.2 | 5.9 | - | - | - |
1954 Orioles | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 13 | 0 | n/a | 46.0 | 8.8 | 7.2 | - | - | - |
1954 Red Sox | 0 | 1 | .000 | 10 | 0 | n/a | 18.9 | 11.0 | 5.7 | - | - | - |
1955 Red Sox | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 7 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 4.4 | 31.0 | - | - | - |
1955 Redlegs | 0 | 1 | .000 | 22 | 0 | n/a | 31.0 | 4.8 | 8.9 | - | - | - |
1956 Indians | 0 | 1 | .000 | 33 | 0 | n/a | 28.5 | 5.7 | 5.7 | - | - | - |
Career | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
10 Years | 15 | 14 | .517 | 164 | 7 | n/a | 43.0 | 10.0 | 6.3 | - | - | - |
Sam MeleSam Mele Miscellaneous Items of Interest |
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Team | Roster | Uniform Numbers | Salary | All-Star | World Series |
1947 Boston Red Sox | 14 | Undetermined | - | - |
1948 Boston Red Sox | 4 | Undetermined | - | - |
1949 Boston Red Sox | 4 | Undetermined | - | - |
1949 Washington Senators | 27 | Undetermined | - | - |
1950 Washington Senators | 31 | Undetermined | - | - |
1951 Washington Senators | 14 | Undetermined | - | - |
1952 Washington Senators | 14 | Undetermined | - | - |
1952 Chicago White Sox | 14 | Undetermined | - | - |
1953 Chicago White Sox | 5 | Undetermined | - | - |
1954 Baltimore Orioles | 15 | Undetermined | - | - |
1954 Boston Red Sox | 31 | Undetermined | - | - |
1955 Boston Red Sox | 7 | Undetermined | - | - |
1955 Cincinnati Redlegs | 24 | Undetermined | - | - |
1956 Cleveland Indians | 36 | Undetermined | - | - |
Sam Mele Stats by Baseball Almanac |
Sabath Anthony Mele was a Major League Baseball player for the Boston Red Sox (1947-1949 & 1954-1955), Washington Senators (1949-1952), Chicago White Sox (1952-1953), Baltimore Orioles (1954), Cincinnati Redlegs (1955), and Cleveland Indians (1956).
Sam Mele | 1949 Bowman Baseball Card (#118 | Checklist) | Baseball Almanac Collection
Did you know that Sam Mele, on June 10, 1952, had a record-tying six RBIs in an inning? Sam hit a three run homer and a bases loaded triple in the fourth frame, tying the since broken American League record for RBIs in an inning, but through today, he remains the only Chicago White Sox player with six or more RBIs in an inning.
Did you know that Sam Mele was the Washington Senators (1901-1960) last right-handed hitter to lead the American League in doubles (36 doubles in 1951)? Do you know who their last lefty was, before the franchise shifted to Minnesota Twins in 1961? [Answer]
The Minnesota Twins won 102 games in 1965, a franchise record, and Sam Mele was their managers that historic season. The pennant winning 1965 Minnesota Twins included the American League's Most Valuable Player, Zoilo Versalles, batting title (.321) Tony Oliva, and ace-pitcher Mudcat Grant, who won 21 games. Minnesota won the first two games in the 1965 World Series, but the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching aces; Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Claude Osteen, took home the title after a hard-fought seven game Fall Classic.