He played in Major League Baseball as an infielder for the Washington Senators (1951–57), Boston Red Sox (1958–62) and Houston Colt .45s (1963–64).

Runnels was a five-time All-Star player during his tenure with the Red Sox and, is notable for being a two-time American League batting champion.

A master at handling the bat, he was a notorious singles hitter who had one of the best eyes in the game, compiling an outstanding 1.35 walk-to-strikeout ratio (844-to-627).

In 1962, Runnels played in his third All-Star Game for the American League and hit a home run off the Philadelphia Phillies' Art Mahaffey.

[4] After suffering a stroke while golfing on May 17, 1991, Pete Runnels died three days later at Bayshore Hospital in Pasadena, Texas.