Jimmy Knowles

Born: 9/5/1856 in Toronto, ON, CAN

Died: 2/11/1912 in Jersey City, NJ, USA

MLB Debut: 1884-05-02 | Final Game: 1892-10-12

Bats: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 160 lbs

Full name: James Knowles

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Biography

Jimmy Knowles, born in 1856, was a notable position player in Major League Baseball who played from 1884 until his retirement on October 12, 1892. His career unfolded during a pivotal time in baseball history, as the sport was transitioning from the early days of the National League to a more organized and commercialized structure. In a career that spanned nearly a decade, Knowles participated in 357 games, accumulating 334 hits and finishing with a batting average of .241. His offensive contributions included 9 home runs and 132 RBIs, reflecting his role as a solid, if not spectacular, contributor to his teams. Known for his speed on the bases, Knowles successfully stole 83 bases throughout his career, showcasing his ability to change the dynamics of a game with his agility. His playing style was emblematic of the late 19th-century baseball ethos, where speed and contact hitting were prized. Although he played in an era often overshadowed by the more recognized legends of the game, Knowles's contributions were significant in shaping the early foundation of professional baseball, making him a respected figure among contemporaries and a part of the sport's rich history.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
357	1388	185	334	40	28	9	132	83	89	83	0.241	0.288	0.329	0.618	-1370.9

Career AVG .241 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .288 vs. league average .313 across their career seasons — 7.9% below league average.

Career SLG .329 vs. league average .342 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.618 vs. league average 0.655 across their career seasons — 5.8% 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
1884	PT1	AA	46	182	19	42	5	7	0	0	0	5	0	0.231	.243 (-5%)	.278 (-7%)	.327 (+2%)	.606 (-2%)	-98.2
1884	BR3	AA	41	153	19	36	5	1	1	0	0	3	0	0.235	.243 (-3%)	.278 (-9%)	.327 (-8%)	.606 (-8%)	-98.2
1886	WS8	NL	115	443	43	94	16	11	3	35	20	15	73	0.212	.246 (-14%)	.302 (-21%)	.331 (-4%)	.634 (-12%)	-1162.7
1887	NY4	AA	16	60	12	15	1	1	0	6	6	1	2	0.250	.270 (-8%)	.331 (-21%)	.373 (-20%)	.705 (-20%)	-207.1
1890	RC2	AA	123	491	83	138	12	8	5	84	55	59	0	0.281	.260 (+8%)	.336 (+7%)	.351 (+5%)	.687 (+6%)	616.2
1892	NY1	NL	16	59	9	9	1	0	0	7	2	6	8	0.153	.244 (-38%)	.316 (-27%)	.327 (-48%)	.644 (-38%)	-326.1

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	PO	A	E	DP
1B	76	809	33	37	38
2B	78	245	260	53	36
3B	203	252	469	116	30
SS	1	1	1	0	0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	PO	A	E	DP
1884	PT1	1B	46	499	15	21	20
1884	BR3	1B	30	310	18	16	18
1884	BR3	3B	11	9	18	8	0
1886	WS8	2B	62	196	224	47	32
1886	WS8	3B	53	68	122	34	9
1887	NY4	2B	16	49	36	6	4
1887	NY4	3B	1	0	1	1	0
1890	RC2	3B	123	162	303	63	19
1892	NY1	3B	15	13	25	10	2
1892	NY1	SS	1	1	1	0	0