Johnny Butler, baseball player, 1926-1929

Johnny Butler

Born: 3/20/1893 in Fall River, KS, USA

Died: 4/29/1967 in Seal Beach, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1926-04-18 | Final Game: 1929-10-05

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: John Stephen Butler

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Biography

Johnny Butler was a professional baseball player born in 1893 who enjoyed a career spanning from 1926 to 1929. Primarily a position player, Butler appeared in 375 games over four seasons, showcasing his skills in the Major Leagues during a time when the game was evolving both in terms of player ability and fan engagement. He recorded a total of 315 hits, resulting in a career batting average of .252, with 146 runs batted in and 3 home runs, underscoring his role as a consistent hitter and reliable contributor to his teams. Butler's playing style was characterized by his speed on the bases, as evidenced by his 17 stolen bases, which added a dynamic element to his game. Throughout his career, he played during a transitional period in baseball history, moving away from the deadball era and into a time that would soon embrace the thrilling power and speed of the modern game. While Butler may not be remembered as a superstar, his contributions and perseverance reflected the dedication of many players of his time, carving out a respectable career in the competitive landscape of Major League Baseball. He retired from the game on October 5, 1929, leaving behind a legacy as a steadfast competitor of the late 1920s.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
375 1251 115 315 48 12 3 146 17 111 89 0.252 0.320 0.317 0.636 -3308.6

Career AVG .252 vs. league average .283 across their career seasons — 11.0% below league average.

Career OBP .320 vs. league average .347 across their career seasons — 7.7% below league average.

Career SLG .317 vs. league average .398 across their career seasons — 20.5% below league average.

Career OPS 0.636 vs. league average 0.745 across their career seasons — 14.6% 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
1926 BRO NL 147 501 54 135 27 5 1 68 6 54 44 0.269 .279 (-4%) .345 (avg) .390 (-10%) .735 (-5%) -475.1
1927 BRO NL 149 521 39 124 13 6 2 57 9 34 33 0.238 .282 (-16%) .344 (-15%) .392 (-24%) .736 (-20%) -2170.2
1928 CHC NL 62 174 17 47 7 0 0 16 2 19 7 0.270 .280 (-4%) .342 (+3%) .395 (-22%) .737 (-10%) -242.8
1929 STL NL 17 55 5 9 1 1 0 5 0 4 5 0.164 .289 (-43%) .353 (-38%) .415 (-47%) .769 (-43%) -420.6

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 8 0 17 23 2 2
3B 170 0 167 306 19 19
SS 202 0 476 591 52 95

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1926 BRO 2B 8 0 17 23 2 2
1926 BRO 3B 42 0 38 67 2 3
1926 BRO SS 102 0 243 317 30 43
1927 BRO 3B 60 0 65 105 7 7
1927 BRO SS 90 0 214 251 20 49
1928 CHN 3B 59 0 51 120 9 9
1928 CHN SS 2 0 2 4 1 1
1929 SLN 3B 9 0 13 14 1 0
1929 SLN SS 8 0 17 19 1 2

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 9
Third Base 168
Shortstop 203

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1926 Most Valuable Player NL 19th 5.0 80 0