Howdy Caton, baseball player, 1917-1920

Howdy Caton

Born: 7/16/1894 in Zanesville, OH, USA

Died: 1/8/1948 in Zanesville, OH, USA

MLB Debut: 1917-09-17 | Final Game: 1920-09-06

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'6" | Weight: 165 lbs

Full name: James Howard Caton

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Biography

Howdy Caton was a professional baseball player born in 1894, whose career spanned from 1917 to 1920. Primarily serving as a position player, Caton appeared in 231 games across his brief tenure in Major League Baseball. He played during a transformative period in the sport, which was characterized by the tail end of the deadball era, a time when offensive numbers were typically low and the game relied heavily on speed and strategy rather than power hitting. Throughout his career, Caton recorded 184 hits and drove in 53 runs, finishing with a batting average of .226. Although he did not hit any home runs, he showcased his speed on the basepaths with 18 stolen bases, reflecting his ability to contribute to his team's offensive efforts in alternative ways. Caton's career, while not marked by overwhelming statistics, highlighted the crucial role of versatile players during a time when the game was evolving, and he remains a part of the rich tapestry of early 20th-century baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
231 814 85 184 18 16 0 53 18 83 52 0.226 0.301 0.287 0.588 -1614.0

Career AVG .226 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 13.1% below league average.

Career OBP .301 vs. league average .322 across their career seasons — 6.6% below league average.

Career SLG .287 vs. league average .341 across their career seasons — 15.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.588 vs. league average 0.663 across their career seasons — 11.3% 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
1917 PIT NL 14 57 6 12 1 2 0 4 0 6 7 0.211 .248 (-15%) .312 (-9%) .323 (-8%) .635 (-8%) -74.4
1918 PIT NL 80 303 37 71 5 7 0 17 12 32 16 0.234 .255 (-8%) .318 (-2%) .326 (-9%) .645 (-6%) -261.0
1919 PIT NL 39 102 13 18 1 2 0 5 2 12 10 0.176 .262 (-33%) .322 (-18%) .347 (-35%) .670 (-27%) -435.2
1920 PIT NL 98 352 29 83 11 5 0 27 4 33 19 0.236 .271 (-13%) .331 (-8%) .363 (-19%) .694 (-14%) -843.4

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
3B 14 0 12 25 2 1
OF 1 0 2 0 0 0
SS 206 0 372 646 81 83

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1917 PIT SS 14 0 21 47 8 5
1918 PIT SS 79 0 136 276 32 35
1919 PIT 3B 14 0 12 25 2 1
1919 PIT OF 1 0 2 0 0 0
1919 PIT SS 17 0 24 27 4 3
1920 PIT SS 96 0 191 296 37 40

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Third Base 15
Shortstop 206
Center Field 1