Walter Blair

Born: 10/13/1883 in Landrus, PA, USA

Died: 8/20/1948 in Lewisburg, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1907-09-17 | Final Game: 1915-09-29

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: Walter Allen Blair

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Biography

Walter Blair, born in 1883, was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1907 to 1915. As a position player, Blair participated in 442 games throughout his career, showcasing his skills primarily in the infield and outfield. He recorded a total of 272 hits, contributed 106 RBIs, and hit 3 home runs, finishing his career with a batting average of .217. Known for his speed on the base paths, Blair successfully stole 18 bases, reflecting the aggressive style of play that characterized the early 20th century. Blair played during a transformative era in baseball, a time when the game was evolving with the introduction of new strategies and the increasing importance of speed and defense. While he may not have been a household name, his contributions to the teams he played for—primarily the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies—were significant in the context of the game’s history. Blair’s career spanned the final years of the deadball era, a time when pitchers dominated and offensive statistics were often lower than in later decades. His tenacity on the field and commitment to the game left a lasting impact, adding to the rich tapestry of early baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
442	1255	80	272	42	11	3	106	18	86	176	0.217	0.272	0.275	0.547	-3370.5

Career AVG .217 vs. league average .251 across their career seasons — 13.6% below league average.

Career OBP .272 vs. league average .316 across their career seasons — 13.7% below league average.

Career SLG .275 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — 16.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.547 vs. league average 0.644 across their career seasons — 15.0% below 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
1907	NYY	AL	7	22	1	4	0	0	0	1	0	2	5	0.182	—	—	—	—	0.0
1908	NYY	AL	76	211	9	40	5	1	1	13	4	11	31	0.190	.240 (-21%)	.298 (-21%)	.306 (-23%)	.605 (-22%)	-734.0
1909	NYY	AL	42	110	5	23	2	2	0	11	2	7	17	0.209	.244 (-14%)	.306 (-12%)	.312 (-16%)	.618 (-14%)	-236.7
1910	NYY	AL	6	22	2	5	0	1	0	2	0	0	3	0.227	—	—	—	—	0.0
1911	NYY	AL	85	222	18	43	9	2	0	26	2	16	24	0.194	.266 (-27%)	.336 (-23%)	.356 (-29%)	.693 (-26%)	-1093.0
1914	BUF	FL	128	378	22	92	11	2	0	33	6	32	64	0.243	.255 (-5%)	.322 (-6%)	.339 (-17%)	.661 (-11%)	-758.3
1915	BUF	FL	98	290	23	65	15	3	2	20	4	18	32	0.224	.250 (-11%)	.318 (-14%)	.332 (-5%)	.651 (-9%)	-548.4

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	4	0	16	2	1	0
C	424	90	1821	561	64	52
OF	9	11	12	0	3	0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1907	NYA	C	7	6	36	11	4	0
1908	NYA	1B	3	0	9	1	0	0
1908	NYA	C	60	49	225	58	13	4
1908	NYA	OF	9	11	12	0	3	0
1909	NYA	C	42	29	151	37	7	2
1910	NYA	C	6	6	22	10	1	2
1911	NYA	1B	1	0	7	1	1	0
1911	NYA	C	84	0	379	101	15	12
1914	BUF	C	128	0	604	194	13	17
1915	BUF	C	97	0	404	150	11	15