Frank Killen

Born: 11/30/1870 in Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Died: 12/3/1939 in Pittsburgh, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1891-08-27 | Final Game: 1900-06-27

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 200 lbs

Full name: Frank Bissell Killen

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Frank Killen was a prominent pitcher in Major League Baseball during the late 19th century, making his mark in an era defined by the transition from the deadball era toward a more offensive-oriented game. Born in 1870, Killen began his professional career in 1891 and played until 1900, showcasing his skills across several teams. He finished his career with a record of 164 wins and 131 losses, posting an earned run average (ERA) of 3.78. His ability to strike out batters was notable, as he recorded a total of 725 strikeouts during his time on the mound. Killen’s pitching style reflected the trends of his time, as he navigated the challenges of a league that was evolving rapidly. While he did not record any saves, his contributions to his teams were significant, and he was known for his durability and competitiveness. As a pitcher, he played a vital role in the development of the game during a pivotal period in baseball history, leaving behind a legacy that highlighted the changing dynamics of pitching in the sport. His career, spanning nearly a decade, remains a testament to the foundational years of professional baseball.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
164	131	321	300	253	13	0	2511.3	2730	1054	55	822	725	3.78	0

Career ERA 3.78 vs. league average 4.10 across their career seasons — 7.8% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1891	ML3	AA	7	4	11	11	11	2	96.7	73	18	51	38	1.68	3.52 (+52%)	-65.4
1892	WAS	NL	29	26	60	52	46	2	459.7	448	169	182	147	3.31	3.28 (-1%)	-3232.1
1893	PIT	NL	36	14	55	48	38	2	415.0	401	168	140	99	3.64	4.66 (+22%)	4531.0
1894	PIT	NL	14	11	28	28	20	1	204.0	261	102	86	62	4.50	5.33 (+16%)	3154.5
1895	PIT	NL	5	5	13	11	6	0	95.0	113	58	57	25	5.49	4.77 (-15%)	-941.7
1896	PIT	NL	30	18	52	50	44	5	432.3	476	164	119	134	3.41	4.36 (+22%)	6583.5
1897	PIT	NL	17	23	42	41	38	1	337.3	417	167	76	99	4.46	4.30 (-4%)	6131.8
1898	PIT	NL	10	11	23	23	17	0	177.7	201	74	41	48	3.75	3.59 (-4%)	1281.1
1898	WAS	NL	6	9	17	16	15	0	128.3	149	51	29	43	3.58	3.59 (avg)	1237.2
1899	WAS	NL	0	2	2	2	1	0	12.0	18	8	4	3	6.00	3.85 (-56%)	48.4
1899	BSN	NL	7	5	12	12	11	0	99.3	108	47	26	23	4.26	3.85 (-11%)	267.8
1900	CHC	NL	3	3	6	6	6	0	54.0	65	28	11	4	4.67	3.68 (-27%)	-

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
335	998	151	241	28	17	11	127	9	131	216	0.241	0.335	0.337	0.672	-527.1

Career AVG .241 vs. league average .278 across their career seasons — 13.3% below league average.

Career OBP .335 vs. league average .346 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .337 vs. league average .372 across their career seasons — 9.6% below league average.

Career OPS 0.672 vs. league average 0.718 across their career seasons — 6.5% 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
1891	ML3	AA	11	35	8	8	3	0	0	5	0	8	7	0.229	—	—	—	—	0.0
1892	WAS	NL	65	186	27	37	4	4	4	23	2	26	61	0.199	.244 (-19%)	.316 (-2%)	.327 (avg)	.644 (-1%)	6.6
1893	PIT	NL	55	171	35	47	6	6	4	30	1	22	28	0.275	.279 (-2%)	.356 (avg)	.379 (+19%)	.735 (+10%)	261.0
1894	PIT	NL	28	80	13	21	3	1	0	13	0	6	23	0.263	.309 (-15%)	.379 (-15%)	.435 (-25%)	.814 (-21%)	-310.4
1895	PIT	NL	14	38	7	13	0	1	0	5	2	6	7	0.342	—	—	—	—	0.0
1896	PIT	NL	55	173	29	40	4	5	2	25	1	26	31	0.231	.290 (-20%)	.354 (-4%)	.387 (-10%)	.741 (-8%)	-216.7
1897	PIT	NL	42	129	16	32	4	0	1	7	2	17	29	0.248	.291 (-15%)	.354 (-4%)	.387 (-22%)	.741 (-13%)	-260.4
1898	PIT	NL	24	65	6	17	1	0	0	4	0	6	10	0.262	.270 (-3%)	.333 (-3%)	.347 (-20%)	.680 (-12%)	-107.2
1898	WAS	NL	21	55	7	15	2	0	0	7	1	12	7	0.273	.270 (+1%)	.333 (+21%)	.347 (-11%)	.680 (+5%)	-107.2
1899	WAS	NL	2	5	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	0.200	—	—	—	—	0.0
1899	BSN	NL	12	41	3	7	1	0	0	5	0	1	9	0.171	—	—	—	—	0.0
1900	CHC	NL	6	20	0	3	0	0	0	2	0	1	3	0.150	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
OF	6	0	4	0	0	0
P	321	0	96	612	82	14

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	PO	A	E	DP
1891	ML3	P	11	3	22	3	1
1892	WAS	OF	2	1	0	0	0
1892	WAS	P	60	20	121	22	2
1893	PIT	P	55	16	103	14	2
1894	PIT	P	28	6	44	5	2
1895	PIT	P	13	1	26	0	1
1896	PIT	P	52	15	115	10	1
1897	PIT	P	42	17	73	13	2
1898	PIT	P	23	10	41	5	1
1898	WAS	OF	4	3	0	0	0
1898	WAS	P	17	2	28	3	2
1899	WAS	P	2	0	0	1	0
1899	BSN	P	12	6	24	4	0
1900	CHN	P	6	0	15	2	0