King Cole, baseball player, 1909-1915

King Cole

Born: 4/15/1886 in Toledo, IA, USA

Died: 1/6/1916 in Bay City, MI, USA

MLB Debut: 1909-10-06 | Final Game: 1915-09-20

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 170 lbs

Full name: Leonard Leslie Cole

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Biography

King Cole, born in 1886, was a notable pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1909 to 1915. Over his career, he compiled an impressive record of 56-27, showcasing his effectiveness on the mound during a time when the game was characterized by a strong emphasis on pitching. With a career earned run average (ERA) of 3.12, Cole demonstrated his ability to control the game and limit opponents' scoring opportunities. His striking out of 298 batters reflected his capability as a strikeout artist, making him a significant presence during the early part of the 20th century. Throughout his tenure, Cole contributed to his teams not only as a starting pitcher but also in relief, finishing his career with 2 saves. His playing style was characterized by a blend of skill and strategy, which was indicative of the evolving approach to pitching during his era. As baseball transitioned into a more offense-driven game, Cole’s achievements positioned him as a respected figure among his contemporaries, leaving a lasting impact on the sport and paving the way for future generations of pitchers.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
56 27 129 85 47 9 2 730.7 657 253 13 331 298 3.12 0

Career ERA 3.12 vs. league average 2.97 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
1909 CHC NL 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 9.0 6 0 3 1 0.00 2.55 (+100%) -
1910 CHC NL 20 4 33 29 21 4 1 239.7 174 48 130 114 1.80 2.79 (+35%) -
1911 CHC NL 18 7 32 27 13 2 0 221.3 188 77 99 101 3.13 3.37 (+7%) -
1912 CHC NL 1 2 8 3 0 0 0 19.0 36 23 8 9 10.89 3.36 (-224%) -
1912 PIT NL 2 2 12 4 2 0 0 49.0 61 35 18 11 6.43 3.36 (-91%) -677.2
1914 NYY AL 11 9 33 15 8 2 0 141.7 151 52 51 43 3.30 2.93 (-13%) -
1915 NYY AL 3 3 10 6 2 0 1 51.0 41 18 22 19 3.18 2.90 (-10%) -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
130 249 17 43 5 3 0 16 2 7 80 0.173 0.202 0.217 0.418 -888.0

Career AVG .173 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — 32.4% below league average.

Career OBP .202 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — 37.5% below league average.

Career SLG .217 vs. league average .338 across their career seasons — 35.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.418 vs. league average 0.660 across their career seasons — 36.6% 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
1909 CHC NL 1 4 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.750 — — — — 0.0
1910 CHC NL 34 91 7 21 2 1 0 9 1 3 25 0.231 .249 (-8%) .317 (-20%) .326 (-16%) .644 (-18%) -273.9
1911 CHC NL 32 79 7 12 1 1 0 0 1 1 23 0.152 .266 (-43%) .336 (-46%) .356 (-47%) .693 (-46%) -614.1
1912 CHC NL 8 5 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0.400 — — — — 0.0
1912 PIT NL 12 15 2 2 0 0 0 4 0 1 4 0.133 — — — — 0.0
1914 NYY AL 33 42 0 2 1 0 0 2 0 1 20 0.048 — — — — 0.0
1915 NYY AL 10 13 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 0.077 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1910 WS CHN 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000

Playoff Career Pitching

W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
0 0 1 1 0 8.0 10 3 3 5 3.38

Playoff Pitching by Year

Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1910 WS CHN 0 0 1 1 0 8.0 10 3 3 5 3.38

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 129 30 12 184 22 10

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1909 CHN P 1 1 0 1 0 0
1910 CHN P 33 29 3 65 7 3
1911 CHN P 32 0 3 52 5 5
1912 CHN P 8 0 1 7 1 0
1912 PIT P 12 0 0 14 2 0
1914 NYA P 33 0 4 29 3 1
1915 NYA P 10 0 1 16 4 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 129

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1910 Baseball Magazine All-Star P3