Denny Lyons, baseball player, 1885-1897

Denny Lyons

Born: 3/12/1866 in Cincinnati, OH, USA

Died: 1/2/1929 in Covington, KY, USA

MLB Debut: 1885-09-18 | Final Game: 1897-07-23

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: Dennis Patrick Aloysius Lyons

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Biography

Denny Lyons was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball during the late 19th century, known for his impressive offensive capabilities and solid all-around play. Born in 1866, Lyons made his professional debut on May 1, 1885, and his career spanned until July 23, 1897. Over the course of 1,123 games, he amassed 1,334 hits, showcasing a remarkable batting average of .31, which was impressive in an era characterized by evolving offensive strategies and defensive innovations. His career totals also included 62 home runs and 756 RBIs, underscoring his ability to drive in runs and contribute significantly to his teams' successes. A versatile player, Lyons was not only an effective hitter but also demonstrated speed on the basepaths, finishing his career with 224 stolen bases. He played during a transformative period in baseball history, where the game was shifting from the deadball era to a more offense-oriented approach. Lyons' legacy is marked by his contributions to the teams he played for, as well as his role in the development of the game during a time of significant change in the sport. His achievements remain a testament to his skill and impact on baseball during a foundational period for the Major Leagues.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1123 4300 933 1334 244 69 62 756 224 623 280 0.310 0.407 0.442 0.850 20477.5

Career AVG .310 vs. league average .266 across their career seasons — +16.5% above league average.

Career OBP .407 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — +22.6% above league average.

Career SLG .442 vs. league average .360 across their career seasons — +22.9% above league average.

Career OPS 0.850 vs. league average 0.692 across their career seasons — +22.8% above 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
1885 PRO NL 4 16 3 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 0.125 — — — — 0.0
1886 PH4 AA 32 123 22 26 3 1 0 11 7 8 0 0.211 .246 (-14%) .302 (-7%) .331 (-24%) .634 (-16%) -259.5
1887 PH4 AA 137 570 128 209 43 14 6 102 73 47 16 0.367 .270 (+35%) .331 (+27%) .373 (+40%) .705 (+34%) 3847.3
1888 PH4 AA 111 456 93 135 22 5 6 83 39 41 43 0.296 .238 (+24%) .290 (+25%) .319 (+27%) .610 (+26%) 2119.7
1889 PH4 AA 131 510 135 168 36 4 9 82 10 79 44 0.329 .263 (+25%) .334 (+28%) .357 (+31%) .691 (+29%) 3255.4
1890 PH4 AA 88 339 79 120 29 5 7 73 21 57 0 0.354 .260 (+36%) .336 (+37%) .351 (+51%) .687 (+44%) 2967.5
1891 SL4 AA 120 451 124 142 24 3 11 84 9 88 58 0.315 .254 (+24%) .331 (+34%) .343 (+32%) .675 (+33%) 3432.9
1892 NY1 NL 108 389 71 100 16 7 8 51 11 59 37 0.257 .244 (+5%) .316 (+13%) .327 (+21%) .644 (+17%) 1297.2
1893 PIT NL 131 490 103 150 19 16 3 105 19 97 29 0.306 .279 (+9%) .356 (+21%) .379 (+13%) .735 (+17%) 2078.5
1894 PIT NL 72 257 52 82 14 4 4 51 14 43 13 0.319 .309 (+3%) .379 (+12%) .435 (+4%) .814 (+8%) 525.0
1895 STL NL 34 132 24 39 6 0 2 25 3 15 7 0.295 .296 (avg) .361 (+5%) .399 (-3%) .761 (+1%) 62.3
1896 PIT NL 118 436 77 134 25 6 4 71 13 67 25 0.307 .290 (+6%) .354 (+14%) .387 (+8%) .741 (+11%) 1227.1
1897 PIT NL 37 131 22 27 6 4 2 17 5 22 5 0.206 .291 (-29%) .354 (-2%) .387 (-7%) .741 (-5%) -76.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 36 0 346 15 5 14
3B 1085 0 1675 2130 509 165

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1885 PRO 3B 4 0 6 8 3 0
1886 PH4 3B 32 0 35 53 21 1
1887 PH4 3B 137 0 255 215 73 29
1888 PH4 3B 111 0 159 193 49 11
1889 PH4 1B 1 0 7 0 1 0
1889 PH4 3B 130 0 202 291 80 29
1890 PH4 3B 88 0 147 203 35 15
1891 SL4 3B 120 0 151 246 59 16
1892 NY1 3B 108 0 152 206 53 13
1893 PIT 3B 131 0 214 303 46 23
1894 PIT 3B 72 0 121 157 32 11
1895 SLN 3B 34 0 62 50 14 2
1896 PIT 3B 116 0 165 201 44 15
1897 PIT 1B 35 0 339 15 4 14
1897 PIT 3B 2 0 6 4 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 36
Third Base 1085