Sumner Bowman, baseball player, 1890-1891

Sumner Bowman

Born: 2/9/1867 in Millersburg, PA, USA

Died: 1/11/1954 in Millersburg, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1890-06-11 | Final Game: 1891-10-05

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 160 lbs

Full name: Sumner Sallade Bowman

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Biography

Sumner Bowman was a professional baseball pitcher who played in the late 19th century, an era characterized by the early development of the sport and the transition from the deadball era. Born in 1867, Bowman made his Major League debut on April 24, 1890, and his career spanned until October 5, 1891. During this brief period, he played for teams that were pioneering the game's evolution, navigating through the early complexities of professional baseball. Bowman's career statistics reflect the challenges of pitching during this formative time in baseball history. He finished with a record of 4-10 and an earned run average (ERA) of 5.22, indicating the difficulties pitchers faced in an era where offensive strategies were still being refined. He recorded a total of 46 strikeouts, showcasing his ability to miss bats, although he did not register any saves. Despite his modest numbers, Bowman's contributions to the game during its early years help illustrate the evolution of pitching and the competitive landscape of the time. His legacy is a reminder of the many players who laid the groundwork for future generations in Major League Baseball.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
4 10 18 16 14 0 0 146.7 184 85 1 89 46 5.22 0

Career ERA 5.22 vs. league average 3.73 across their career seasons — 39.7% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1890 PHI NL 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 8.0 11 7 2 2 7.88 — 0.0
1890 PIT NL 2 5 9 7 6 0 0 70.7 100 52 50 22 6.62 3.88 (-71%) -2126.3
1891 PH4 AA 2 5 8 8 8 0 0 68.0 73 26 37 22 3.44 3.52 (+2%) -359.7

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
25 94 15 25 5 0 0 6 1 6 17 0.266 0.310 0.319 0.629 -135.0

Career AVG .266 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .310 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — 7.4% below league average.

Career SLG .319 vs. league average .348 across their career seasons — 8.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.629 vs. league average 0.683 across their career seasons — 7.8% 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
1890 PHI NL 1 4 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.500 — — — — 0.0
1890 PIT NL 10 36 7 10 1 0 0 3 0 4 5 0.278 — — — — 0.0
1891 PH4 AA 14 54 8 13 4 0 0 2 1 2 12 0.241 .254 (-5%) .331 (-19%) .343 (-8%) .675 (-14%) -135.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 8 0 5 2 0 0
P 18 0 7 27 8 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1890 PHI P 1 0 0 1 0 0
1890 PIT OF 2 0 0 0 0 0
1890 PIT P 9 0 4 14 4 0
1891 PH4 OF 6 0 5 2 0 0
1891 PH4 P 8 0 3 12 4 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 18
Left Field 2
Center Field 1
Right Field 5

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia PA 1889, 1890, 1891