Jud Wilson
Wilson hit .357 over a 24-year career in the Negro Leagues, a number that would rank among the greatest of any era. His consistency was legendary — teammates called him "Boojum" for the sound the ball made off his bat, a testament to his line-drive stroke that rarely failed him.
The Baltimore Elite Giants third baseman peaked at age 37 in 1939, posting a .945 OPS that represented his career-best 129 OPS+. That late-career surge exemplified Wilson's durability in an era when Negro League players often competed year-round, from summer leagues to winter ball in Latin America.
His .357 career average over more than 1,000 games speaks to remarkable plate discipline and contact ability. The Hall of Fame finally recognized Wilson in 2006, acknowledging a hitter whose consistency rivaled the game's greatest contact artists.
Career · Batting
24 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | BBS | 32 | 115 | 1 | 20 | .339 | — | — |
| 1923 | BBS | 53 | 195 | 7 | 44 | .338 | — | — |
| 1924 | BBS | 52 | 198 | 4 | 50 | .399 | — | — |
| 1925 | BBS | 61 | 227 | 8 | 53 | .370 | — | — |
| 1926 | BBS | 48 | 161 | 3 | 36 | .373 | — | — |
| 1927 | BBS | 67 | 249 | 9 | 65 | .422 | — | — |
| 1928 | BBS | 42 | 158 | 6 | 40 | .399 | — | — |
| 1929 | BBS | 76 | 280 | 10 | 74 | .404 | — | — |
| 1930 | BBS | 40 | 150 | 2 | 27 | .433 | — | — |
| 1931 | HG | 42 | 164 | 10 | 44 | .415 | — | — |
| 1932 | PC | 48 | 184 | 4 | 37 | .348 | — | — |
| 1933 | PS | 26 | 98 | 2 | 23 | .367 | — | — |
| 1934 | PS | 62 | 221 | 4 | 40 | .353 | — | — |
| 1935 | PS | 51 | 193 | 9 | 52 | .352 | — | — |
| 1936 | PS | 49 | 180 | 8 | 40 | .333 | — | — |
| 1937 | PS | 23 | 82 | 0 | 13 | .317 | — | — |
| 1938 | PS | 36 | 95 | 3 | 24 | .295 | — | — |
| 1939 | PS | 37 | 104 | 3 | 23 | .327 | .945 | 129 |
| 1940 | HG | 41 | 114 | 0 | 21 | .254 | — | — |
| 1941 | HG | 38 | 124 | 1 | 31 | .387 | — | — |
| 1942 | HG | 53 | 149 | 4 | 34 | .262 | .785 | 117 |
| 1943 | HG | 64 | 217 | 0 | 57 | .304 | — | — |
| 1944 | HG | 26 | 62 | 1 | 11 | .226 | .677 | 99 |
| 1945 | HG | 26 | 62 | 1 | 11 | .306 | .822 | 121 |
| Career | 1093 | 3782 | 100 | 870 | .357 | — | — | |
Matchups, projections, comps — grounded in Lahman, Retrosheet, and Statcast.