Ken Raffensberger – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Ken Raffensberger spent 15 years pitching in Major League Baseball, from 1939 to 1954, jumping between four different teams. Born in York, Pennsylvania, he broke in with the St. Louis Cardinals, but really found his rhythm with the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cincinnati Reds.

He moved through baseball’s golden era, adapting his approach and finding ways to succeed—even though he often played for teams that just couldn’t seem to win much.

Raffensberger wrapped up his career with a 119-154 record, 806 strikeouts, and a pretty solid 3.60 earned run average over 2,151 innings. The win-loss numbers might not catch your eye, but that ERA tells you he could really pitch. He earned National League All-Star honors in 1944 and even led the league in categories like shutouts and saves.

What made Raffensberger stand out? He kept reinventing himself as a pitcher. He started with a classic fastball, but over time, he added a forkball, curveball, and changeup.

He mixed up his deliveries too, throwing underhand, overhand, and everything in between. That made him a bit of a puzzle for hitters during baseball’s post-war boom.

Ken Raffensberger’s Early Life and Background

Ken Raffensberger grew up in a Pennsylvania Dutch family in York, Pennsylvania, born August 8, 1917. His dad had big dreams for his baseball future, and Ken’s natural left-handedness nudged him toward professional baseball, even though he left high school early to work.

Family and Hometown Roots

Kenneth David Raffensberger arrived with his father’s baseball dreams already set for him. Clarence Raffensberger, his dad, kept telling his wife Katie Cunningham that their first child needed to be a left-handed pitcher.

Some Pennsylvania Dutch relatives warned Clarence that such wishes were sinful. But when Ken came into the world left-handed on August 8, 1917, in York, his dad’s wish basically came true.

Clarence didn’t just wish—he got involved. He took Ken out to the alley behind their house about three times a week for pitching practice.

“He would take me down an alley in back of our house about three times a week and work with me sometimes for hours,” Ken remembered. “I wanted to throw always as hard as I could, but the main thing he wanted was for me to hit the target, his glove.”

That early focus on control, not just power, shaped Ken’s pitching style for his entire career.

Pathway to Professional Baseball

Ken went to William Penn High School in York, but the school didn’t even have a baseball team. Instead, he played for a youth team started by local doctor Roman Wise, and then the York Post 127 American Legion squad.

Money got tight, so Ken left school after his junior year. He worked with his dad selling condiments and spices, then landed a job as a boiler works apprentice for 17 cents an hour.

Baseball paid better. Ken made $20 per game pitching once a week for a semi-pro team.

Cardinals scout Pop Kelchner spotted Ken’s talent and offered him a pro contract. That meant a big pay cut—Ken would only get $75 a month as a rookie with Cambridge, Maryland, in the Class D Eastern Shore League in 1937.

The gamble paid off, though. Ken went 18-6 in Cambridge, which earned him a promotion to the Cardinals’ top farm team.

Major League Baseball Career Overview

Ken Raffensberger built a solid 15-year career in Major League Baseball from 1939 to 1954. He played for four teams and became a steady starting pitcher with a 3.60 ERA.

MLB Debut and Teams Played For

Raffensberger made his MLB debut on April 25, 1939, for the St. Louis Cardinals at age 21. He faced the Cincinnati Reds and pitched one inning.

After a short stint with the Cardinals, he joined the Chicago Cubs for the 1940-41 seasons. Then he moved to the Philadelphia Phillies from 1943-47, where he became a reliable starter.

The Cincinnati Reds picked him up in 1947, and he stayed there through 1954. The team even changed its name to the Redlegs for the 1953-54 seasons.

He made his last MLB appearance on June 2, 1954, against the Phillies, pitching one inning and giving up two hits and one earned run.

Roles and Key Positions

Raffensberger mostly worked as a starting pitcher. He threw left-handed and batted right-handed, making him useful against all kinds of hitters.

He grabbed All-Star honors in 1944 with the Phillies and led the National League in strikeout-to-walk ratio that year at 3.02.

He also pitched in relief when needed. In 1946, he led the NL with six saves, showing he could do more than just start games.

His pitching style didn’t stay the same. He started with a fastball, but then added a forkball, curveball, and changeup. He gained a reputation for using many different deliveries, from underhand to overhand.

Notable Achievements and Career Highlights

Ken Raffensberger earned an MLB All-Star spot in 1944 and gained a reputation for memorable pitching performances. He led the National League in several stats and had some games that really showed off his pitching variety.

1944 MLB All-Star Game Victory

Raffensberger’s selection to the 1944 National League All-Star team was the high point of his individual baseball honors. That season, even though he led the league in losses with 20, he showed real skill.

His All-Star nod came with the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1944, he led the National League in strikeout-to-walk ratio with 3.02.

The All-Star honor confirmed he was one of the league’s top pitchers. At age 26, he reached the peak of his individual recognition.

One-Hitters and Record Performances

Raffensberger made his mark by leading the National League in shutouts twice—five in 1949 and six in 1952.

His 1949 season stood out. He led the league in games started with 38 and, not surprisingly, in hits allowed with 289. That shows just how much the team relied on him.

In 1951, he posted his best WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched), leading the league at 1.086. That number highlights how few baserunners he allowed.

He finished his career with 31 shutouts and 16 saves. In 1946, he picked up six saves while working in relief.

Pitching Style and Performance

Ken Raffensberger’s pitching approach changed a lot over his career. He started out throwing mostly fastballs but became a crafty pitcher with a bunch of different pitches and deliveries.

Pitching Techniques and Specialties

In the early days, Raffensberger leaned on his fastball, especially a rising one that gave hitters trouble. But by the early 1940s, he added more pitches to his bag.

He made the forkball his signature, mixing in a slow curveball and changeup. That kept hitters guessing every time he took the mound.

Delivery Variations:

• Underhand delivery
• Overhand delivery
• Sidearm angles
• Three-quarter arm slots

He probably had one of the widest ranges of deliveries in the majors. Batters had a tough time figuring out what was coming next.

Switching up his arm angles helped him disguise pitches. Hitters couldn’t settle in and predict what he’d throw.

Strengths and Reputation

Even though Raffensberger lost 154 games, he kept his ERA at 3.60 over 15 seasons. That’s a testament to his skill.

He stood out for his control and command. In 1944, he led the NL with a 3.02 strikeout-to-walk ratio, proving he could throw strikes all day.

Notable Achievements:

• 1944 National League All-Star
• Led NL in shutouts twice (1949, 1952)
• Led NL in WHIP (1.086 in 1951)
• Three-time MVP vote recipient

He pitched with precision, not just power. He worked fast and gave his team a chance—even when they weren’t that strong.

Statistical Review and Season Summaries

Ken Raffensberger posted a career record of 119 wins and 154 losses over 15 seasons, pitching 2,151 innings with a 3.60 ERA. His best years came in the late 1940s and early 1950s, especially with Cincinnati.

Career Statistics and Longevity

Raffensberger’s career ran from 1939 to 1954. He pitched in 396 games, started 282 of them, and finished 133 complete games—showing the kind of durability you just don’t see these days.

His career stats include 806 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.24. He threw 31 shutouts, and his best year for complete games was 1952, when he had 18.

Across his career, he racked up 34.0 Wins Above Replacement as a pitcher. He really hit his stride from 1949 to 1952, tossing over 230 innings each season.

Key Career Numbers:

• Games: 396
• Wins: 119
• Losses: 154
• ERA: 3.60
• Strikeouts: 806
• Complete Games: 133

Key Seasons: 1939-1954

Raffensberger started out quietly in 1939 with St. Louis, pitching just one inning. In 1944 with Philadelphia, he broke out—going 13-20 with a 3.06 ERA and making the All-Star team.

He hit his peak with Cincinnati from 1949 to 1952. In 1949, he went 18-17 with a 3.39 ERA and led the league with 38 starts. He even finished 19th in MVP voting that year.

His best performances came in 1951 and 1952. In 1951, he had a 1.086 WHIP, his career best. The next year, he posted a 2.81 ERA and a 17-13 record.

His last season in 1954 was short—just six games with a 7.84 ERA before he retired. That drop-off marked the end of a long run where he stayed effective into his mid-30s.

Life After MLB and Retirement

After leaving the majors in 1954, Ken Raffensberger stayed close to baseball. He played for his hometown team and kept up his connection to the sport he’d always loved.

His legacy lived on, thanks to the respect he earned from Hall of Fame players and his reputation as one of the era’s best left-handed pitchers.

Post-Retirement Baseball Involvement

After Raffensberger left the majors in 1954, he played baseball for a short time in Havana, Cuba.

He soon headed back to his hometown of York, Pennsylvania. There, he joined the York White Roses in the Piedmont League for the 1955 season.

At 38, Raffensberger showed he still had plenty left in the tank. He racked up an impressive 13-3 record with the White Roses, showing off the control and competitive spirit people remembered from his big league days.

Marlyn “Curly” Holtzapple played with Raffensberger on that 1955 team. He remembered how Raffensberger approached the game. “He didn’t throw that hard, but what he would do is he had great control,” Holtzapple said. “And he was a great competitor.”

Holtzapple even shared a specific memory that stuck with him. Once, Holtzapple made an error during a double play attempt, and Raffensberger didn’t hide his frustration. “He wasn’t happy with me,” Holtzapple laughed years later.

Legacy and Recognition

Raffensberger built a reputation as a tough competitor, and baseball’s greatest players respected him for it. Stan Musial, the legendary St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer, used to call him “Crafty Raffy” and even admitted he was one of the hardest left-handed pitchers he’d ever faced.

Years after both men hung up their gloves, Musial showed up on The Ed Sullivan Show. Someone asked him who gave him the most trouble at the plate, and “Stan The Man” just said, “Ken Raffensberger.”

Musial actually went into more detail in his autobiography. “The forkball looked as big as a grapefruit, but fell off the table low,” Musial wrote. “I stubbornly tried to slug with him and didn’t have much success.”

After he retired, Raffensberger stayed pretty modest about what he’d done in baseball. Ralph Goodwin, a longtime Central League manager who spent years bowling with Raffensberger, noticed this humility. “He never talked a whole lot about his baseball career, but every now and then you could get him going on it,” Goodwin said.