John Donnelly

Born: 11/15/1850 in Philadelphia, PA, USA

Died: 12/24/1913 in Minneapolis, MN, USA

MLB Debut: 1873-04-14 | Final Game: 1874-10-30

Height: 5'6" | Weight: 132 lbs

Full name: John Louis Donnelly

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Biography

John Donnelly, born in 1850, was a position player who made his mark in the early days of professional baseball during the 1870s. His career spanned from 1873 to April 14, 1874, a time when the game was still in its formative years, characterized by the transition from the amateur to the professional era. Donnelly played a total of 36 games, showcasing his skills primarily as a hitter. He accumulated 40 hits and recorded 21 RBIs, finishing his brief career with a batting average of .252. Although he did not hit any home runs or steal bases, his contributions to the teams he played for were significant in an era where offensive production was developing rapidly. Donnelly’s time in the league coincided with the establishment of the National Association, the first professional baseball league, which provided a platform for players to showcase their talents. While his career was relatively short, the impact of players like Donnelly helped lay the groundwork for the future of the sport. Though he may not have achieved the same level of fame as some of his contemporaries, his participation in this pivotal era of baseball history reflects the evolution of the game and the players who contributed to its growth.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
36 159 17 40 2 0 0 21 0 1 0 0.252 0.256 0.264 0.520 -396.9

Career AVG .252 vs. league average .281 across their career seasons — 10.6% below league average.

Career OBP .256 vs. league average .293 across their career seasons — 12.5% below league average.

Career SLG .264 vs. league average .345 across their career seasons — 23.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.520 vs. league average 0.637 across their career seasons — 18.3% 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
1873 WS5 30 137 15 35 2 0 0 19 0 1 0 0.255 .290 (-12%) .304 (-14%) .357 (-24%) .661 (-20%) -396.9
1874 PH2 6 22 2 5 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0.227 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 13 1 37 37 12 1
3B 1 0 0 0 0 0
OF 9 2 15 1 6 0
SS 15 2 17 41 21 4

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1873 WS5 2B 12 0 36 36 11 1
1873 WS5 3B 1 0 0 0 0 0
1873 WS5 OF 6 0 13 1 5 0
1873 WS5 SS 13 0 16 38 18 4
1874 PH2 2B 1 1 1 1 1 0
1874 PH2 OF 3 2 2 0 1 0
1874 PH2 SS 2 2 1 3 3 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 13
Third Base 1
Shortstop 15
Center Field 6
Right Field 3