Monk Cline

Born: 3/3/1858 in Louisville, KY, USA

Died: 9/23/1916 in Louisville, KY, USA

MLB Debut: 1882-07-04 | Final Game: 1891-10-04

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 5'4" | Weight: 150 lbs

Full name: John P. Cline

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Biography

Monk Cline was a professional baseball player born in 1858, who played as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1882 to 1891. Over the course of his career, Cline participated in 232 games, where he made a notable impact with a batting average of .261. He recorded 245 hits, including 2 home runs, and drove in 71 runs while also showcasing his speed on the bases with 31 stolen bases. Cline's career unfolded during a transformative era in baseball, which saw the game evolving from its early, rough-and-tumble roots into a more structured competition. His contributions on the field reflected the growing emphasis on offensive production and base running. Although not a household name today, Cline's role as a consistent hitter and base stealer in the late 19th century helped pave the way for future generations of players who would thrive in a more competitive and commercially viable sport. His legacy, while overshadowed by the legends of his time, remains a testament to the rich history of baseball's formative years.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
232	940	165	245	39	12	2	71	31	66	29	0.261	0.313	0.334	0.647	1032.7

Career AVG .261 vs. league average .245 across their career seasons — +6.3% above league average.

Career OBP .313 vs. league average .294 across their career seasons — +6.4% above league average.

Career SLG .334 vs. league average .329 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.647 vs. league average 0.623 across their career seasons — near 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	BL2	AA	44	172	18	38	6	2	0	0	0	3	0	0.221	.248 (-11%)	.275 (-15%)	.329 (-15%)	.605 (-15%)	-392.8
1884	LS2	AA	94	396	91	115	16	7	2	39	0	27	0	0.290	.243 (+19%)	.278 (+23%)	.327 (+17%)	.606 (+19%)	1334.7
1885	LS2	AA	2	9	0	2	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	0.222	—	—	—	—	0.0
1888	KC2	AA	73	293	45	69	13	2	0	19	29	20	27	0.235	.238 (-1%)	.290 (-1%)	.319 (-8%)	.610 (-5%)	-188.0
1891	LS2	AA	19	70	11	21	3	1	0	11	2	16	2	0.300	.254 (+18%)	.331 (+30%)	.343 (+8%)	.675 (+19%)	278.7

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	PO	A	E	DP
2B	5	3	4	1	1
3B	3	5	6	0	0
OF	219	337	65	61	6
SS	14	7	25	13	3

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	PO	A	E	DP
1882	BL2	2B	2	0	0	0	0
1882	BL2	3B	1	3	4	0	0
1882	BL2	OF	39	78	16	20	1
1882	BL2	SS	8	4	13	8	3
1884	LS2	OF	90	143	25	24	1
1884	LS2	SS	6	3	12	5	0
1885	LS2	3B	1	1	1	0	0
1885	LS2	OF	1	1	0	0	0
1888	KC2	2B	3	3	4	1	1
1888	KC2	3B	1	1	1	0	0
1888	KC2	OF	70	91	22	15	4
1891	LS2	OF	19	24	2	2	0