Mike Golden, baseball player, 1875-1878

Mike Golden

Born: 9/11/1851 in Shirley, MA, USA

Died: 1/11/1929 in Rockford, IL, USA

MLB Debut: 1875-05-04 | Final Game: 1878-09-14

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'7" | Weight: 166 lbs

Full name: Michael Henry Golden

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Biography

Mike Golden was a professional baseball pitcher who played in the late 19th century, a time marked by the early development of the sport in America. Born in 1851, Golden's career spanned from 1875 to 1878, during which he participated in an era that was transitioning from the underhand pitching of the past to the overhand styles that would dominate the game. He finished his career with a record of 10-32, showcasing the challenges faced by pitchers in a developing league where offensive performances often overshadowed pitching excellence. Despite his overall record, Golden demonstrated commendable skill on the mound, posting an impressive earned run average (ERA) of 2.79 and accumulating 86 strikeouts over his career. His ability to limit runs during a period when scoring was typically higher highlighted his potential and contributions to his teams. While he did not record any saves, his role as a starting pitcher was vital in setting the tone for games in a competitive environment. Golden's presence in the early days of professional baseball contributed to the foundation upon which future generations of pitchers would build, marking him as a notable figure in the sport's rich history.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
10 32 49 45 40 1 0 393.0 457 122 1 53 86 2.79 0

Career ERA 2.79 vs. league average 2.25 across their career seasons — 24.0% 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
1875 KEO 1 12 13 13 13 0 0 113.0 111 23 12 20 1.83 2.23 (+18%) 63.8
1875 CH2 6 7 14 14 12 1 0 119.0 129 25 8 14 1.89 2.23 (+15%) 61.8
1878 ML2 NL 3 13 22 18 15 0 0 161.0 217 74 33 52 4.14 2.30 (-80%) -1177.0

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
107 415 38 90 9 3 0 35 3 5 48 0.217 0.226 0.253 0.479 -715.5

Career AVG .217 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — 15.2% below league average.

Career OBP .226 vs. league average .267 across their career seasons — 15.2% below league average.

Career SLG .253 vs. league average .313 across their career seasons — 19.2% below league average.

Career OPS 0.479 vs. league average 0.580 across their career seasons — 17.4% 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
1875 KEO 13 46 6 6 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0.130 — — — — 0.0
1875 CH2 39 155 16 40 3 0 0 14 3 2 10 0.258 .253 (+2%) .260 (+3%) .309 (-10%) .570 (-5%) 0.0
1878 ML2 NL 55 214 16 44 6 3 0 20 0 3 35 0.206 .259 (-21%) .278 (-22%) .319 (-18%) .597 (-20%) -650.9

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 1 0 18 0 2 0
OF 66 0 95 14 22 3
P 49 0 29 75 19 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1875 KEO P 13 0 9 18 5 0
1875 CH2 OF 27 0 45 5 10 1
1875 CH2 P 14 0 13 21 6 0
1878 ML2 1B 1 0 18 0 2 0
1878 ML2 OF 39 0 50 9 12 2
1878 ML2 P 22 0 7 36 8 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 49
First Base 1
Left Field 25
Center Field 25
Right Field 16