Walter Clarkson, baseball player, 1904-1908

Walter Clarkson

Born: 11/3/1878 in Cambridge, MA, USA

Died: 10/10/1946 in Cambridge, MA, USA

MLB Debut: 1904-07-02 | Final Game: 1908-04-28

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 150 lbs

Full name: Walter Hamilton Clarkson

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Biography

Walter Clarkson was a professional baseball pitcher who played in the early 20th century, making his mark in a time when the game was evolving rapidly. Born in 1878, he played in Major League Baseball from 1904 to 1908. During his career, Clarkson compiled a record of 18 wins and 16 losses, showcasing his competitive spirit and resilience on the mound. He finished his career with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.17, a notable statistic that reflected his ability to limit runs during a period characterized by lower scoring games compared to today's standards. Clarkson's career also featured a total of 178 strikeouts and 2 saves, indicating his effectiveness as a pitcher in both starting and relief roles. His contributions during the deadball era were significant, as pitchers like Clarkson relied heavily on strategy and precision rather than the power-hitting that would dominate later decades. Though not as widely known as some of his contemporaries, Clarkson's efforts on the field helped pave the way for future generations of pitchers, solidifying his place in baseball history.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
18 16 78 37 23 4 2 374.7 340 132 12 132 178 3.17 0

Career ERA 3.17 vs. league average 2.61 across their career seasons — 21.6% 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
1904 NYY AL 1 2 13 4 2 0 1 66.3 63 37 25 43 5.02 2.66 (-89%) -
1905 NYY AL 3 3 9 4 3 0 0 46.0 40 20 13 35 3.91 2.82 (-39%) -
1906 NYY AL 9 4 32 16 9 3 0 151.0 135 39 55 64 2.32 2.68 (+13%) -
1907 NYY AL 1 1 5 2 0 0 1 17.3 19 12 8 3 6.23 2.50 (-149%) -
1907 CLE AL 4 6 17 10 9 1 0 90.7 77 20 29 32 1.99 2.50 (+21%) -408.1
1908 CLE AL 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 3.3 6 4 2 1 10.80 — 0.0

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
78 132 9 20 2 4 0 12 0 1 27 0.152 0.158 0.227 0.385 -270.1

Career AVG .152 vs. league average .246 across their career seasons — 38.3% below league average.

Career OBP .158 vs. league average .304 across their career seasons — 48.0% below league average.

Career SLG .227 vs. league average .315 across their career seasons — 27.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.385 vs. league average 0.619 across their career seasons — 37.7% 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
1904 NYY AL 13 26 3 7 0 2 0 3 0 1 3 0.269 — — — — 0.0
1905 NYY AL 9 19 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.053 — — — — 0.0
1906 NYY AL 32 51 3 8 2 2 0 4 0 0 7 0.157 .247 (-37%) .307 (-49%) .315 (-13%) .622 (-31%) -270.1
1907 NYY AL 5 7 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0.286 — — — — 0.0
1907 CLE AL 17 28 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 10 0.036 — — — — 0.0
1908 CLE AL 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 78 37 16 94 7 4

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1904 NYA P 13 4 2 14 1 0
1905 NYA P 9 4 1 11 2 0
1906 NYA P 32 16 3 39 1 1
1907 NYA P 5 2 1 6 0 1
1907 CLE P 17 10 9 24 3 2
1908 CLE P 2 1 0 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 78

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Harvard University Cambridge MA 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904