Doc Kennedy, baseball player, 1879-1883

Doc Kennedy

Born: 8/11/1853 in Brooklyn, NY, USA

Died: 5/23/1920 in Grove, NY, USA

MLB Debut: 1879-05-01 | Final Game: 1883-07-06

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: Michael Joseph Kennedy

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Biography

Doc Kennedy, born in 1853, was a professional baseball player who made significant contributions to the game during the early years of organized baseball. His career spanned from 1879 to 1883, a period characterized by the evolution of the sport as it transitioned from the formative years of the 19th century into a more structured competitive format. Playing primarily as a position player, Kennedy participated in 160 games, where he showcased his skills at the plate and on the field. Throughout his career, Kennedy recorded 160 hits, culminating in a batting average of .26. He was known for his consistency, driving in 53 runs and hitting one home run, reflecting the style of play during an era when home runs were not as prevalent as they would later become. Despite not being known for his speed on the bases, as evidenced by his zero stolen bases, Kennedy's contributions were valued in the context of his time. His playing career concluded on July 6, 1883, but his legacy as one of the early players in the professional ranks remains a noteworthy chapter in the history of baseball.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
160 615 67 160 25 4 1 53 0 15 37 0.260 0.278 0.319 0.596 -167.9

Career AVG .260 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .278 vs. league average .279 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .319 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.596 vs. league average 0.614 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
1879 CL2 NL 49 193 19 56 8 2 1 18 0 2 10 0.290 .255 (+14%) .270 (+10%) .328 (+12%) .599 (+11%) 298.9
1880 CL2 NL 66 250 26 50 10 1 0 18 0 5 12 0.200 .244 (-18%) .267 (-19%) .319 (-22%) .586 (-21%) -763.3
1881 CL2 NL 39 150 19 47 7 1 0 15 0 5 13 0.313 .260 (+20%) .290 (+16%) .338 (+10%) .628 (+13%) 296.5
1882 CL2 NL 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.333 — — — — 0.0
1883 BFN NL 5 19 3 6 0 0 0 2 0 2 2 0.316 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 5 0 55 2 2 4
3B 1 0 1 1 0 0
C 147 0 890 163 116 15
OF 9 0 15 1 7 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1879 CL2 1B 4 0 41 2 2 2
1879 CL2 C 46 0 277 50 40 2
1880 CL2 C 65 0 397 68 52 9
1880 CL2 OF 2 0 1 0 0 0
1881 CL2 3B 1 0 1 1 0 0
1881 CL2 C 35 0 207 36 21 4
1881 CL2 OF 3 0 7 1 2 0
1882 CL2 C 1 0 9 9 3 0
1883 BFN 1B 1 0 14 0 0 2
1883 BFN OF 4 0 7 0 5 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 147
First Base 5
Third Base 1
Left Field 4
Center Field 5