Bob Bescher

Born: 2/25/1884 in London, OH, USA

Died: 11/29/1942 in London, OH, USA

MLB Debut: 1908-09-05 | Final Game: 1918-09-01

Bats: B | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 200 lbs

Full name: Robert Henry Bescher

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Biography

Bob Bescher was a professional baseball player born in 1884, whose career spanned from 1908 to 1918. He played primarily as a position player and made a significant impact in the early years of Major League Baseball. Bescher was known for his speed on the bases, evidenced by his impressive total of 428 stolen bases, which was one of the highest in the league during his era. Over the course of 1,228 games, he compiled 1,171 hits, showcasing his ability to consistently reach base, while also recording 28 home runs and 345 RBIs. His career batting average stood at .258, reflecting the competitive nature of hitting in the early 20th century. Bescher's playing style was characterized by aggressive baserunning and an excellent sense of timing, which allowed him to excel in stolen bases. He played during a transformative period in baseball history, just before the onset of the deadball era, when speed and strategy were paramount to a team's success. Throughout his career, Bescher contributed to the teams he played for, leaving a lasting legacy as a skilled player who understood the intricacies of the game. His accomplishments on the field not only highlighted his individual talent but also underscored the evolving dynamics of baseball during his time.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
1228	4536	749	1171	190	74	28	345	428	619	549	0.258	0.353	0.351	0.704	7572.7

Career AVG .258 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .353 vs. league average .319 across their career seasons — +10.7% above league average.

Career SLG .351 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — +5.5% above league average.

Career OPS 0.704 vs. league average 0.652 across their career seasons — +8.1% above league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1908	CIN	NL	32	114	16	31	5	5	0	17	10	9	22	0.272	.240 (+13%)	.298 (+13%)	.306 (+32%)	.605 (+22%)	339.2
1909	CIN	NL	124	446	73	107	17	6	1	34	54	56	76	0.240	.244 (-2%)	.306 (+9%)	.312 (avg)	.618 (+5%)	558.0
1910	CIN	NL	150	589	95	147	20	10	4	48	70	81	75	0.250	.249 (avg)	.317 (+8%)	.326 (+3%)	.644 (+6%)	840.3
1911	CIN	NL	153	599	106	165	32	10	1	45	81	102	78	0.275	.266 (+3%)	.336 (+15%)	.356 (+3%)	.693 (+9%)	1399.6
1912	CIN	NL	145	548	120	154	29	11	4	38	67	83	61	0.281	.268 (+5%)	.335 (+14%)	.358 (+10%)	.694 (+12%)	1549.6
1913	CIN	NL	141	511	86	132	22	11	1	37	38	94	68	0.258	.259 (-1%)	.325 (+16%)	.345 (+1%)	.670 (+8%)	1212.7
1914	NY1	NL	135	512	82	138	23	4	6	35	36	45	48	0.270	.255 (+6%)	.322 (+4%)	.339 (+8%)	.661 (+6%)	598.6
1915	STL	NL	130	486	71	128	15	7	4	34	27	52	53	0.263	.250 (+5%)	.318 (+7%)	.332 (+5%)	.651 (+6%)	634.5
1916	STL	NL	151	561	78	132	24	8	6	43	39	60	50	0.235	.248 (-5%)	.314 (+1%)	.326 (+4%)	.640 (+2%)	262.0
1917	STL	NL	42	110	10	17	1	1	1	8	3	20	13	0.155	.248 (-38%)	.312 (-7%)	.323 (-35%)	.635 (-21%)	-295.8
1918	CLE	AL	25	60	12	20	2	1	0	6	3	17	5	0.333	.255 (+31%)	.318 (+53%)	.326 (+23%)	.645 (+37%)	473.9

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
OF	1188	294	2493	137	109	28

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1908	CIN	OF	32	32	82	2	0	2
1909	CIN	OF	117	112	247	14	13	4
1910	CIN	OF	150	150	339	16	20	4
1911	CIN	OF	153	0	267	21	14	2
1912	CIN	OF	143	0	347	15	14	4
1913	CIN	OF	138	0	283	22	10	2
1914	NY1	OF	126	0	298	14	13	7
1915	SLN	OF	129	0	257	12	8	1
1916	SLN	OF	151	0	284	18	15	2
1917	SLN	OF	32	0	61	0	1	0
1918	CLE	OF	17	0	28	3	1	0