Billy Gilbert

Born: 6/21/1876 in Tullytown, PA, USA

Died: 8/8/1927 in New York, NY, USA

MLB Debut: 1901-04-25 | Final Game: 1909-06-27

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'4" | Weight: 153 lbs

Full name: William Oliver Gilbert

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Biography

Billy Gilbert was a professional baseball player born in 1876, whose career spanned from 1901 to 1909. Primarily recognized as a position player, Gilbert made a notable impact in the early 20th century, a period characterized by the transition from the deadball era to the live-ball era. Over the course of his career, he played in 850 games, accumulating 695 hits, 4 home runs, and 237 RBIs, while maintaining a batting average of .247. His offensive contributions were complemented by his speed on the bases, as evidenced by his 167 stolen bases, which showcased his ability to create scoring opportunities. Throughout his tenure in Major League Baseball, Gilbert was known for his solid defensive skills and versatility on the field. He played primarily in the infield, where his agility and quick reflexes made him a reliable asset to his teams. As baseball evolved during his playing years, Gilbert's performance reflected the shifting dynamics of the game, which increasingly favored power hitting and speed. His career, while perhaps overshadowed by more prominent figures of the era, remains a testament to the grit and determination of players who laid the groundwork for future generations in America’s pastime.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
850	2816	375	695	72	17	4	237	167	270	229	0.247	0.328	0.289	0.617	-675.9

Career AVG .247 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .328 vs. league average .310 across their career seasons — +5.8% above league average.

Career SLG .289 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — 11.9% below league average.

Career OPS 0.617 vs. league average 0.638 across their career seasons — near 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
1901	MLA	AL	127	492	77	133	14	7	0	43	19	31	40	0.270	.271 (-1%)	.326 (-2%)	.359 (-9%)	.686 (-6%)	-512.4
1902	BLA	AL	129	445	74	109	12	3	2	38	38	45	32	0.245	.266 (-8%)	.321 (+2%)	.343 (-13%)	.665 (-6%)	-310.3
1903	NY1	NL	128	413	62	104	9	0	1	40	37	41	28	0.252	.261 (-4%)	.316 (+10%)	.345 (-19%)	.662 (-5%)	-8.5
1904	NY1	NL	146	478	57	121	13	3	1	54	33	46	32	0.253	.246 (+3%)	.300 (+13%)	.321 (-7%)	.622 (+3%)	581.3
1905	NY1	NL	115	376	45	93	11	3	0	24	11	41	44	0.247	.248 (avg)	.307 (+8%)	.322 (-9%)	.629 (-1%)	115.4
1906	NY1	NL	104	307	44	71	6	1	0	27	22	42	32	0.231	.247 (-7%)	.307 (+11%)	.315 (-18%)	.622 (-4%)	78.0
1908	STL	NL	89	276	12	59	7	0	0	10	6	20	20	0.214	.240 (-11%)	.298 (-8%)	.306 (-22%)	.605 (-15%)	-619.3
1909	STL	NL	12	29	4	5	0	0	0	1	1	4	1	0.172	—	—	—	—	0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
5	17	1	5	0	0	0	2	0	2	0.294

Playoff Batting by Year

Year	Round	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
1905	WS	NY1	5	17	1	5	0	0	0	2	0	2	0.294

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
2B	715	454	1647	2200	237	253
SS	129	0	349	410	78	72

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1901	MLA	2B	127	0	319	395	49	66
1902	BLA	SS	129	0	349	410	78	72
1903	NY1	2B	128	0	314	366	47	42
1904	NY1	2B	146	146	305	466	44	48
1905	NY1	2B	115	114	245	367	34	41
1906	NY1	2B	98	96	223	324	35	32
1908	SLN	2B	89	88	222	254	24	23
1909	SLN	2B	12	10	19	28	4	1