Bill James, baseball player, 1913-1919

Bill James

Born: 3/12/1892 in Iowa Hill, CA, USA

Died: 3/10/1971 in Oroville, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1913-04-17 | Final Game: 1919-06-04

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 196 lbs

Full name: William Lawrence James

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Biography

Bill James was a talented pitcher who made his mark in Major League Baseball during the early 20th century. Born in 1892, he began his professional career in 1913 and played until June 4, 1919. Over the span of his brief but impactful career, James compiled a record of 37 wins and 21 losses, showcasing his ability to perform at a high level during a time when the game was characterized by low scoring and dominant pitching. With an earned run average (ERA) of 2.28, James established himself as one of the more effective pitchers of his era, demonstrating a keen ability to control the game from the mound. He recorded a total of 253 strikeouts, reflecting his skill in overpowering hitters and his strategic approach to pitching. Additionally, he notched 2 saves, highlighting his versatility and capability in clutch situations. Bill James's contributions to the game helped shape the landscape of early 20th-century baseball, and his legacy as a reliable pitcher remains a noteworthy part of the sport's rich history.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
37 21 84 61 44 5 2 541.7 469 137 14 199 253 2.28 0

Career ERA 2.28 vs. league average 2.98 across their career seasons — 23.5% 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
1913 BSN NL 6 10 24 14 10 1 0 135.7 134 42 57 73 2.79 3.07 (+9%) -864.0
1914 BSN NL 26 7 46 37 30 4 2 332.3 261 70 118 156 1.90 2.93 (+35%) -460.3
1915 BSN NL 5 4 13 10 4 0 0 68.3 68 23 22 23 3.03 2.90 (-5%) -819.4
1919 BSN NL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 5.3 6 2 2 1 3.38 — 0.0

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
88 199 18 46 5 0 0 9 2 2 44 0.231 0.243 0.256 0.499 -410.3

Career AVG .231 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — 9.7% below league average.

Career OBP .243 vs. league average .322 across their career seasons — 24.6% below league average.

Career SLG .256 vs. league average .340 across their career seasons — 24.6% below league average.

Career OPS 0.499 vs. league average 0.662 across their career seasons — 24.6% 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
1913 BSN NL 24 47 5 12 2 0 0 0 2 1 12 0.255 — — — — 0.0
1914 BSN NL 49 129 9 33 3 0 0 9 0 0 20 0.256 .255 (avg) .322 (-19%) .339 (-18%) .661 (-18%) -410.3
1915 BSN NL 14 21 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 11 0.048 — — — — 0.0
1919 BSN NL 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.000

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1914 WS BSN 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.000

Playoff Career Pitching

W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
2 0 2 1 0 11.0 2 0 6 9 0.00

Playoff Pitching by Year

Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1914 WS BSN 2 0 2 1 0 11.0 2 0 6 9 0.00

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 84 0 13 148 17 9

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1913 BSN P 24 0 7 35 7 2
1914 BSN P 46 0 4 85 10 7
1915 BSN P 13 0 2 25 0 0
1919 BSN P 1 0 0 3 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 84

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1914 Baseball Magazine All-Star P3

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1914 Most Valuable Player NL 3rd 33.0 64 0