Charlie Ferguson, baseball player, 1884-1887

Charlie Ferguson

Born: 4/17/1863 in Charlottesville, VA, USA

Died: 4/29/1888 in Philadelphia, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1884-05-01 | Final Game: 1887-10-08

Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 165 lbs

Full name: Charles J. Ferguson

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Biography

Charlie Ferguson, born in 1863, was a prominent pitcher in the late 19th century, making a significant impact on the game during his career from 1884 to 1887. Known for his exceptional skill on the mound, Ferguson finished his career with a record of 99-64 and an impressive earned run average (ERA) of 2.67, showcasing his ability to limit opposing teams' scoring. Over his four-season career, he amassed a total of 728 strikeouts, demonstrating his prowess in overpowering hitters. Ferguson also contributed in relief situations, recording 4 saves, a notable achievement during an era when the role of the relief pitcher was still evolving. Ferguson's playing style was characterized by his fierce competitiveness and strategic approach to pitching, which helped him excel in a time when the game was transitioning from the deadball era to a more offense-oriented style. His contributions to the teams he played for not only solidified his reputation as one of the top pitchers of his time but also laid the groundwork for future generations of pitchers. Despite his relatively short career, Ferguson's performance on the field left a lasting legacy in the annals of baseball history.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
99 64 183 170 165 13 4 1514.7 1402 450 42 290 728 2.67 0

Career ERA 2.67 vs. league average 3.40 across their career seasons — 21.4% better 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
1884 PHI NL 21 25 50 47 46 2 1 416.7 443 164 93 194 3.54 3.11 (-14%) -3544.1
1885 PHI NL 26 20 48 45 45 5 0 405.0 345 100 81 197 2.22 3.03 (+27%) 4035.9
1886 PHI NL 30 9 48 45 43 4 2 395.7 317 87 69 212 1.98 3.37 (+41%) 4934.7
1887 PHI NL 22 10 37 33 31 2 1 297.3 297 99 47 125 3.00 4.17 (+28%) 4639.8

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
257 963 191 277 37 13 6 157 22 113 119 0.288 0.364 0.372 0.735 2697.0

Career AVG .288 vs. league average .251 across their career seasons — +14.8% above league average.

Career OBP .364 vs. league average .299 across their career seasons — +21.7% above league average.

Career SLG .372 vs. league average .339 across their career seasons — +9.8% above league average.

Career OPS 0.735 vs. league average 0.637 across their career seasons — +15.4% above 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 52 203 26 50 6 3 0 20 0 19 54 0.246 .243 (+1%) .278 (+11%) .327 (-7%) .606 (+2%) 130.4
1885 PHI NL 61 235 42 72 8 3 1 27 0 23 18 0.306 .244 (+26%) .287 (+28%) .325 (+16%) .613 (+22%) 887.4
1886 PHI NL 72 261 56 66 9 1 2 25 9 37 28 0.253 .246 (+3%) .302 (+14%) .331 (-4%) .634 (+5%) 362.3
1887 PHI NL 72 264 67 89 14 6 3 85 13 34 19 0.337 .270 (+25%) .331 (+26%) .373 (+26%) .705 (+26%) 1316.8

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 27 0 57 65 10 4
3B 5 0 9 9 4 3
OF 53 0 91 9 14 0
P 183 0 99 310 36 12

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1884 PHI OF 5 0 12 1 1 0
1884 PHI P 50 0 23 72 12 4
1885 PHI OF 15 0 29 2 6 0
1885 PHI P 48 0 27 87 9 3
1886 PHI OF 27 0 39 4 5 0
1886 PHI P 48 0 33 97 9 1
1887 PHI 2B 27 0 57 65 10 4
1887 PHI 3B 5 0 9 9 4 3
1887 PHI OF 6 0 11 2 2 0
1887 PHI P 37 0 16 54 6 4

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 183
Second Base 27
Third Base 5
Left Field 13
Center Field 22
Right Field 18