Paul Cook, baseball player, 1884-1891

Paul Cook

Born: 5/5/1863 in Caledonia, NY, USA

Died: 5/25/1905 in Rochester, NY, USA

MLB Debut: 1884-09-13 | Final Game: 1891-07-16

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 185 lbs

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Biography

Paul Cook was a professional baseball player born in 1863, whose career spanned from 1884 to 1891. He played primarily as a position player during a time when baseball was undergoing significant changes, moving from the early days of the sport into a more organized and commercially viable era. Over the course of his career, Cook appeared in 378 games, where he recorded 304 hits and accumulated 114 RBIs. His batting average stood at .223, reflecting the challenges many players faced with offensive production during this period. Known for his speed on the bases, Cook successfully stole 52 bases, showcasing his ability to impact the game beyond just hitting. Despite not hitting any home runs throughout his career, Cook's contributions were vital in an era that emphasized contact hitting and aggressive base running. His playing style and performance mirrored the evolving nature of baseball in the late 19th century, as players began to adapt to the strategic complexities of the game. Cook's legacy is a reminder of the foundational years of Major League Baseball, paving the way for future generations of players.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
378 1364 172 304 27 9 0 114 52 67 145 0.223 0.270 0.256 0.526 -4622.1

Career AVG .223 vs. league average .254 across their career seasons — 12.2% below league average.

Career OBP .270 vs. league average .315 across their career seasons — 14.3% below league average.

Career SLG .256 vs. league average .343 across their career seasons — 25.4% below league average.

Career OPS 0.526 vs. league average 0.658 across their career seasons — 20.1% 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
1884 PHI NL 3 12 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.083 — — — — 0.0
1886 LS2 AA 66 262 28 54 5 2 0 14 6 10 0 0.206 .246 (-16%) .302 (-22%) .331 (-28%) .634 (-25%) -1071.4
1887 LS2 AA 61 223 34 55 4 2 0 17 15 11 25 0.247 .270 (-9%) .331 (-11%) .373 (-24%) .705 (-18%) -690.2
1888 LS2 AA 57 185 20 34 2 0 0 13 9 5 33 0.184 .238 (-23%) .290 (-24%) .319 (-39%) .610 (-32%) -871.6
1889 LS2 AA 81 286 34 65 10 1 0 15 11 15 48 0.227 .263 (-14%) .334 (-14%) .357 (-25%) .691 (-20%) -991.2
1890 BRP PL 58 218 32 55 3 3 0 31 7 14 18 0.252 .260 (-3%) .336 (-10%) .351 (-16%) .687 (-13%) -511.5
1891 LS2 AA 45 153 21 35 3 1 0 23 4 11 17 0.229 .254 (-10%) .331 (-14%) .343 (-24%) .675 (-19%) -486.2
1891 SL4 AA 7 25 3 5 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0.200 — — — — -486.2

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 81 0 760 26 41 45
C 284 0 1158 449 166 23
OF 14 0 24 2 3 1
SS 2 0 2 0 1 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1884 PHI C 3 0 16 2 4 1
1886 LS2 1B 43 0 420 13 25 21
1886 LS2 C 21 0 110 36 22 1
1886 LS2 OF 2 0 2 0 0 0
1887 LS2 1B 6 0 50 0 5 1
1887 LS2 C 55 0 220 95 29 4
1888 LS2 C 53 0 221 81 33 7
1888 LS2 OF 4 0 1 0 1 0
1888 LS2 SS 1 0 2 0 1 0
1889 LS2 1B 1 0 10 2 0 1
1889 LS2 C 74 0 293 138 35 6
1889 LS2 OF 7 0 20 2 2 1
1889 LS2 SS 1 0 0 0 0 0
1890 BRP 1B 21 0 190 8 8 16
1890 BRP C 36 0 129 49 22 4
1890 BRP OF 1 0 1 0 0 0
1891 LS2 1B 10 0 90 3 3 6
1891 LS2 C 35 0 120 39 16 0
1891 SL4 C 7 0 49 9 5 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 284
First Base 81
Shortstop 2
Left Field 2
Center Field 2
Right Field 10