Dick Burns, baseball player, 1883-1885

Dick Burns

Born: 12/26/1863 in Holyoke, MA, USA

Died: 11/16/1937 in Holyoke, MA, USA

MLB Debut: 1883-05-03 | Final Game: 1885-07-23

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 5'7" | Weight: 140 lbs

Full name: Richard Simon Burns

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Biography

Dick Burns was a professional baseball pitcher who played in the late 19th century, making his mark in the nascent era of organized baseball. Born in 1863, Burns began his Major League career on May 3, 1883, and continued to compete until July 23, 1885. Over the course of his brief career, he recorded a win-loss record of 25-27 and achieved an earned run average (ERA) of 3.07, showcasing his ability to keep runs to a minimum during a time when offensive output was beginning to rise. Burns was known for his effectiveness on the mound, amassing a total of 199 strikeouts throughout his career. While he did not register any saves, his contributions as a starting pitcher were significant in the development of the game during an era that laid the groundwork for modern baseball. The period in which Burns played was characterized by a transition from the deadball era to a more offensively driven game, and his performance demonstrated the evolving strategies of pitching and team dynamics. Though his career was relatively short, Dick Burns remains a part of baseball history, representing the early days of the sport's professional landscape.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
25 27 58 53 47 1 0 460.3 473 157 15 80 199 3.07 0

Career ERA 3.07 vs. league average 3.11 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
1883 DTN NL 2 12 17 13 13 0 0 127.7 172 64 33 30 4.51 3.22 (-40%) -3803.8
1884 CNU UA 23 15 40 40 34 1 0 329.7 298 90 47 167 2.46 3.11 (+21%) 1278.9
1885 SL5 NL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3.0 3 3 0 2 9.00 — 0.0

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
130 544 97 145 26 14 4 9 0 10 30 0.267 0.280 0.388 0.668 617.0

Career AVG .267 vs. league average .247 across their career seasons — +7.9% above league average.

Career OBP .280 vs. league average .283 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .388 vs. league average .331 across their career seasons — +17.1% above league average.

Career OPS 0.668 vs. league average 0.614 across their career seasons — +8.7% 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
1883 DTN NL 37 140 11 26 7 1 0 5 0 2 22 0.186 .257 (-28%) .285 (-31%) .345 (-28%) .631 (-29%) -622.8
1884 CNU UA 79 350 84 107 17 12 4 0 0 5 0 0.306 .243 (+26%) .278 (+13%) .327 (+40%) .606 (+27%) 1309.7
1885 SL5 NL 14 54 2 12 2 1 0 4 0 3 8 0.222 .244 (-9%) .287 (-9%) .325 (-9%) .613 (-9%) -70.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 82 0 87 15 28 3
P 58 0 35 103 19 1
SS 2 0 0 0 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1883 DTN OF 24 0 21 4 8 1
1883 DTN P 17 0 1 28 6 1
1884 CNU OF 44 0 53 9 13 1
1884 CNU P 40 0 34 72 13 0
1884 CNU SS 2 0 0 0 0 0
1885 SL5 OF 14 0 13 2 7 1
1885 SL5 P 1 0 0 3 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 58
Shortstop 2
Left Field 7
Center Field 48
Right Field 30