Ed Killian

Born: 11/12/1876 in Racine, WI, USA

Died: 7/18/1928 in Detroit, MI, USA

MLB Debut: 1903-08-25 | Final Game: 1910-07-15

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 170 lbs

Full name: Edwin Henry Killian

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Biography

Ed Killian was a prominent pitcher in Major League Baseball during the early 20th century, playing from 1903 until 1910. Born in 1876, Killian established himself as a formidable presence on the mound, finishing his career with a record of 103 wins and 78 losses. His career earned run average (ERA) stood at an impressive 2.38, showcasing his ability to stifle opposing hitters during a period when offensive production was on the rise. Over the course of his career, he recorded 516 strikeouts and notched 4 saves, contributing significantly to his teams’ successes. Killian's playing style was characterized by his control and ability to induce weak contact, which was crucial in the context of the era he played in, as the game was transitioning from the deadball era to a more offensive-minded approach. His effectiveness on the mound helped him secure a place among the top pitchers of his time, and he remains a notable figure in baseball history for his contributions to the sport during its formative years. After retiring from professional play on July 15, 1910, Killian left behind a legacy that reflects the competitive nature and evolving strategies of early baseball.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
103	78	214	180	149	22	4	1598.3	1463	423	9	482	516	2.38	0

Career ERA 2.38 vs. league average 2.68 across their career seasons — 11.1% 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
1903	CLE	AL	3	4	9	8	7	3	0	61.7	61	17	13	18	2.48	3.10 (+20%)	-156.7
1904	DET	AL	15	20	40	34	32	4	0	331.7	293	90	93	124	2.44	2.66 (+8%)	-57.2
1905	DET	AL	23	14	39	37	33	8	0	313.3	263	79	102	110	2.27	2.82 (+20%)	-879.9
1906	DET	AL	10	6	21	16	14	0	2	149.7	165	57	54	47	3.43	2.68 (-28%)	-987.1
1907	DET	AL	25	13	42	34	29	3	0	314.0	286	62	91	96	1.78	2.50 (+29%)	-1061.3
1908	DET	AL	12	9	27	23	15	0	1	180.7	170	60	53	47	2.99	2.40 (-25%)	-2068.8
1909	DET	AL	11	9	25	19	14	3	1	173.3	150	33	49	54	1.71	2.55 (+33%)	-445.3
1910	DET	AL	4	3	11	9	5	1	0	74.0	75	25	27	20	3.04	2.79 (-9%)	-1340.6

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
220	609	56	127	18	9	0	52	6	16	101	0.209	0.230	0.268	0.498	-1601.5

Career AVG .209 vs. league average .248 across their career seasons — 15.9% below league average.

Career OBP .230 vs. league average .307 across their career seasons — 25.2% below league average.

Career SLG .268 vs. league average .320 across their career seasons — 16.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.498 vs. league average 0.627 across their career seasons — 20.6% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1903	CLE	AL	10	28	3	5	1	0	4	0	0	2	0.179	—	—	—	—	0.0
1904	DET	AL	40	126	8	18	4	2	6	1	5	28	0.143	.246 (-42%)	.300 (-42%)	.321 (-36%)	.622 (-39%)	-765.2
1905	DET	AL	39	118	12	32	3	4	19	2	2	16	0.271	.248 (+9%)	.307 (-8%)	.322 (+13%)	.629 (+3%)	-16.5
1906	DET	AL	21	53	7	9	2	0	5	0	2	13	0.170	.247 (-31%)	.307 (-35%)	.315 (-34%)	.622 (-35%)	-275.2
1907	DET	AL	46	122	16	39	5	3	11	3	4	15	0.320	.245 (+30%)	.304 (+14%)	.308 (+33%)	.613 (+23%)	374.1
1908	DET	AL	28	73	5	10	3	0	6	0	0	10	0.137	.240 (-43%)	.298 (-54%)	.306 (-42%)	.605 (-48%)	-521.9
1909	DET	AL	25	62	4	10	0	0	0	0	2	14	0.161	.244 (-34%)	.306 (-39%)	.312 (-48%)	.618 (-44%)	-396.8
1910	DET	AL	11	27	1	4	0	0	1	0	1	3	0.148	—	—	—	—	0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
2	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.500

Playoff Batting by Year

Year	Round	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
1908	WS	DET	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
1907	WS	DET	1	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.500

Playoff Career Pitching

W	L	G	GS	SV	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA
0	0	2	1	0	6.3	8	4	4	2	5.68

Playoff Pitching by Year

Year	Round	Team	W	L	G	GS	SV	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA
1908	WS	DET	0	0	1	1	0	2.3	5	3	3	1	11.57
1907	WS	DET	0	0	1	0	0	4.0	3	1	1	1	2.25

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	1	0	1	3	0	0
OF	2	2	5	0	0	0
P	214	172	82	455	27	10

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1903	CLE	P	9	0	2	20	2	0
1904	DET	P	40	34	20	85	8	3
1905	DET	P	39	37	14	79	7	3
1906	DET	P	21	16	2	38	2	2
1907	DET	1B	1	0	1	3	0	0
1907	DET	OF	2	2	5	0	0	0
1907	DET	P	42	34	11	94	4	1
1908	DET	P	27	23	15	71	3	0
1909	DET	P	25	19	11	49	1	1
1910	DET	P	11	9	7	19	0	0