Ben Koehler, baseball player, 1905-1906

Ben Koehler

Born: 1/26/1877 in Schondorf, Bavaria, Germany

Died: 5/21/1961 in South Bend, IN, USA

MLB Debut: 1905-04-23 | Final Game: 1906-10-07

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: Bernard James Koehler

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Biography

Ben Koehler was a professional baseball player born in 1877, whose career spanned from 1905 to 1906. Primarily a position player, Koehler played in a total of 208 games during his brief time in Major League Baseball. He finished his career with 168 hits, accumulating a batting average of .233. Throughout his time on the field, Koehler contributed to his teams with 62 runs batted in and showcased his speed on the bases by stealing 31 bases. His power was modest, as he recorded 2 home runs, but his overall contributions were significant in the context of the early 20th century baseball landscape. Koehler's playing career occurred during a transformative period in baseball, just before the rise of the deadball era, which would emphasize pitching and defense over offensive fireworks. His ability to steal bases highlighted his agility and tactical awareness, traits that were valued in a game that was beginning to evolve. While Koehler may not have achieved the fame of some of his contemporaries, his role as a reliable position player during the formative years of Major League Baseball contributed to the development of the sport and set the stage for future generations of players.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
208 722 82 168 15 7 2 62 31 56 111 0.233 0.295 0.281 0.576 -955.4

Career AVG .233 vs. league average .248 across their career seasons — 6.1% below league average.

Career OBP .295 vs. league average .307 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .281 vs. league average .319 across their career seasons — 11.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.576 vs. league average 0.626 across their career seasons — 8.0% 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
1905 SLA AL 142 536 55 127 14 6 2 47 22 32 82 0.237 .248 (-5%) .307 (-7%) .322 (-8%) .629 (-8%) -788.7
1906 SLA AL 66 186 27 41 1 1 0 15 9 24 29 0.220 .247 (-11%) .307 (+5%) .315 (-25%) .622 (-10%) -166.7

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 12 11 111 5 1 6
2B 13 12 21 27 4 4
3B 1 0 1 1 0 0
OF 176 171 308 32 12 15
SS 1 0 1 3 1 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1905 SLA 1B 12 11 111 5 1 6
1905 SLA 2B 6 5 9 12 1 1
1905 SLA OF 124 125 227 24 8 11
1906 SLA 2B 7 7 12 15 3 3
1906 SLA 3B 1 0 1 1 0 0
1906 SLA OF 52 46 81 8 4 4
1906 SLA SS 1 0 1 3 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 12
Second Base 15
Third Base 1
Shortstop 2
Center Field 164
Right Field 13