James Burke, baseball player, 1882-1884

James Burke

MLB Debut: 1882-06-10 | Final Game: 1884-09-15

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

James Burke was a professional baseball pitcher who played in the early days of the Major Leagues, with a career that spanned from 1882 to 1884. Known for his competitive spirit and effective pitching style, Burke finished his career with a record of 19-16 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.02, demonstrating his ability to keep opposing hitters at bay during a time when the game was evolving rapidly. His 256 strikeouts reflected his proficiency on the mound, as he helped define the role of the pitcher during the nascent years of organized baseball. Burke's playing career unfolded in an era characterized by the transition from the deadball era to a more offense-driven style of play. Although he did not record any saves, his contributions as a starting pitcher were vital for his teams, as he navigated the challenges of a game that was beginning to embrace more strategic and competitive elements. His legacy, while not widely celebrated, is a testament to the foundational years of baseball, as players like Burke helped shape the future of the sport with their dedication and performance on the field.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
19 16 40 38 34 0 0 334.0 345 112 10 34 256 3.02 0

Career ERA 3.02 vs. league average 3.08 across their career seasons — near 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
1882 BFN NL 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 4.0 10 5 0 0 11.25 — 0.0
1883 BFN NL 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 8.0 9 5 3 1 5.62 — 0.0
1884 BSU UA 19 15 38 36 34 0 0 322.0 326 102 31 255 2.85 3.11 (+8%) 6290.5

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
49 193 21 42 8 3 0 1 0 6 4 0.218 0.241 0.290 0.531 -293.0

Career AVG .218 vs. league average .248 across their career seasons — 12.3% below league average.

Career OBP .241 vs. league average .280 across their career seasons — 13.9% below league average.

Career SLG .290 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — 12.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.531 vs. league average 0.613 across their career seasons — 13.3% 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
1882 BFN NL 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1883 BFN NL 1 5 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0.200 — — — — 0.0
1884 BSU UA 47 184 21 41 8 3 0 0 0 6 0 0.223 .243 (-8%) .278 (-11%) .327 (-9%) .606 (-10%) -293.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 15 0 8 5 6 1
P 40 0 14 50 11 2

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1882 BFN OF 1 0 1 0 0 0
1882 BFN P 1 0 1 4 0 0
1883 BFN OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
1883 BFN P 1 0 0 1 0 0
1884 BSU OF 13 0 7 5 6 1
1884 BSU P 38 0 13 45 11 2

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 40
Center Field 1
Right Field 14