Tom Forster, baseball player, 1882-1886

Tom Forster

Born: 5/1/1859 in New York, NY, USA

Died: 7/17/1946 in New York, NY, USA

MLB Debut: 1882-08-04 | Final Game: 1886-08-23

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 153 lbs

Full name: Thomas W. Forster

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Tom Forster was a professional baseball player born in 1859, who played in the Major Leagues from 1882 until his retirement in 1886. As a position player, he appeared in 180 games throughout his career, primarily during a transformative era in baseball characterized by the shift from the deadball era to a more offensive style of play. Forster's contributions to the game were marked by his tenacity on the field, accumulating 131 hits and 40 RBIs, while also showcasing his speed with 9 stolen bases. Despite a batting average of .197, Forster's impact extended beyond just numbers; he was part of the evolving landscape of baseball in the 1880s. His lone home run symbolized the early stages of power hitting that would later define the sport. Although he played during a time when the game was still finding its identity, Tom Forster's dedication and participation in the Major Leagues helped pave the way for future generations of players. His career, while modest in statistical terms, reflected the hard-fought battles of the era and the passion for baseball that continues to resonate today.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
180 666 76 131 15 4 1 40 9 49 12 0.197 0.256 0.236 0.492 -1907.3

Career AVG .197 vs. league average .245 across their career seasons — 19.7% below league average.

Career OBP .256 vs. league average .287 across their career seasons — 10.7% below league average.

Career SLG .236 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — 28.2% below league average.

Career OPS 0.492 vs. league average 0.615 across their career seasons — 20.0% 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
1882 DTN NL 21 76 5 7 0 0 0 2 0 5 12 0.092 .248 (-63%) .275 (-46%) .329 (-72%) .605 (-60%) -615.4
1884 PT1 AA 35 126 10 28 5 0 0 0 0 7 0 0.222 .243 (-9%) .278 (-6%) .327 (-20%) .606 (-13%) -217.9
1885 NY4 AA 57 213 28 47 7 2 0 18 0 17 0 0.221 .244 (-10%) .287 (-2%) .325 (-16%) .613 (-10%) -262.3
1886 NY4 AA 67 251 33 49 3 2 1 20 9 20 0 0.195 .246 (-21%) .302 (-13%) .331 (-29%) .634 (-22%) -811.7

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

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

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1884 WS NY4 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 136 0 339 394 95 52
3B 6 0 9 9 4 0
OF 9 0 11 1 7 1
SS 29 0 47 111 21 10

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1882 DTN 2B 21 0 58 54 23 5
1884 PT1 2B 1 0 2 4 1 0
1884 PT1 3B 6 0 9 9 4 0
1884 PT1 SS 28 0 45 103 17 8
1885 NY4 2B 52 0 127 143 29 21
1885 NY4 OF 5 0 8 0 6 0
1886 NY4 2B 62 0 152 193 42 26
1886 NY4 OF 4 0 3 1 1 1
1886 NY4 SS 1 0 2 8 4 2

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 136
Third Base 6
Shortstop 29
Left Field 5
Center Field 4