Bill French

Born: 1849 in Baltimore, MD, USA

Died: 6/1/1893 in Baltimore, MD, USA

MLB Debut: 1873-04-14 | Final Game: 1873-06-30

Full name: William Henry French

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Biography

Bill French was a professional baseball player born in 1849, who made his mark in the early years of Major League Baseball, particularly during the nascent stages of the sport's evolution in the 1870s. French's career spanned a brief period from 1873 to June 30, 1873, during which he played a total of 5 games. As a position player, he showcased his skills at the plate, finishing his short-lived career with 4 hits and a batting average of .222. Despite not hitting any home runs, he managed to drive in 1 run, contributing to his team's efforts in a time when the game was still forming its identity. Playing in an era characterized by its unique challenges and rapidly changing game dynamics, French's contributions, while modest in terms of statistics, were part of the early fabric of professional baseball. The 1870s were pivotal for the sport, marked by the establishment of formal leagues and the professionalization of players, and French's participation during this formative period highlights the diverse array of talent that shaped the game. His experience, though brief, represents the spirit of early baseball and the players who laid the groundwork for future generations.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
0 1 1 1 1 0 0 9.0 30 12 0 0 0 12.00 0

Career ERA 12.00 vs. league average 3.40 across their career seasons — 253.3% worse 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
1873 BL4 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 9.0 30 12 0 0 12.00 3.40 (-253%) 0.0

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
5 18 3 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.222 0.222 0.222 0.444 0.0

Career AVG .222 vs. league average .290 across their career seasons — 23.5% below league average.

Career OBP .222 vs. league average .304 across their career seasons — 27.0% below league average.

Career SLG .222 vs. league average .357 across their career seasons — 37.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.444 vs. league average 0.661 across their career seasons — 32.8% 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 BL4 5 18 3 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.222 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 2 0 19 0 2 0
3B 1 0 1 1 1 0
OF 2 0 2 1 2 0
P 1 0 0 0 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1873 BL4 1B 2 0 19 0 2 0
1873 BL4 3B 1 0 1 1 1 0
1873 BL4 OF 2 0 2 1 2 0
1873 BL4 P 1 0 0 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 1
First Base 2
Third Base 1
Right Field 2