Bill Kelly

MLB Debut: 1871-05-04 | Final Game: 1871-08-29

Height: 5'7" | Weight: 150 lbs

Full name: William J. Kelly

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Biography

Bill Kelly was a professional baseball player who competed in the early days of the sport, specifically during the 1871 season. He played as a position player in an era that was characterized by the formation of professional baseball leagues and the transition from amateur play. Over the course of his brief career, Kelly participated in 18 games, where he recorded 15 hits and drove in 7 runs, achieving a batting average of .224. Although he did not hit any home runs and did not steal any bases, his contributions came during a time when the game was still developing its identity, and players were beginning to establish the key roles that would define modern baseball. Kelly's tenure in Major League Baseball was notably short, spanning just a few months from May 4 to August 29 in 1871. While his statistics may not have placed him among the most celebrated players of his time, his involvement in the early stages of professional baseball is historically significant. Players like Kelly laid the groundwork for future generations, helping to popularize the game and shape its evolution as a professional sport. His participation in this formative era highlights the dedication and passion that characterized players of the time, paving the way for the rich history of baseball that followed.

Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
1.0	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting

Season	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
1929	1.0	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
18	67	16	15	1	1	0	7	0	6	1	0.224	0.288	0.269	0.556	-186.4

Career AVG .224 vs. league average .287 across their career seasons — 21.9% below league average.

Career OBP .288 vs. league average .312 across their career seasons — 7.7% below league average.

Career SLG .269 vs. league average .384 across their career seasons — 30.0% below league average.

Career OPS 0.556 vs. league average 0.695 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
1871	FW1		18	67	16	15	1	1	0	7	0	6	1	0.224	.286 (-22%)	.311 (-8%)	.383 (-30%)	.695 (-20%)	-186.4

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
OF	18	17	34	1	7	1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1871	FW1	OF	18	17	34	1	7	1

Career Games by Position

Position	Games
Left Field	1
Center Field	4
Right Field	14