Willard Mains, baseball player, 1888-1896

Willard Mains

Born: 7/7/1868 in North Windham, ME, USA

Died: 5/23/1923 in Bridgton, ME, USA

MLB Debut: 1888-08-03 | Final Game: 1896-06-02

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 190 lbs

Full name: Willard Eben Mains

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Biography

Willard Mains, born in 1868, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1888 to 1896. Playing during the late 19th century, Mains contributed to the formative years of Major League Baseball, a time marked by the transition from the deadball era to a more dynamic style of play. Over his career, he compiled a record of 16 wins and 17 losses, showcasing his competitive spirit on the mound. Mains posted an earned run average (ERA) of 3.53, reflecting his ability to manage opposing hitters effectively, and he recorded a total of 96 strikeouts, indicating his proficiency in overpowering batters. Mains' career, though modest in terms of wins, came at a pivotal time in baseball history when the game was evolving rapidly. His lone save highlights the varied roles that pitchers began to adopt during this era, as the concept of specialization was starting to take root. While his tenure in the league was relatively brief, Mains' contributions as a pitcher helped lay the groundwork for the future of the game, making him a notable figure in the annals of baseball history.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
16 17 42 32 24 0 1 267.7 261 105 5 154 96 3.53 0

Career ERA 3.53 vs. league average 3.53 across their career seasons — near 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
1888 CHC NL 1 1 2 2 1 0 0 11.0 8 6 6 5 4.91 2.95 (-67%) -
1891 CN3 AA 12 12 30 23 19 0 0 204.0 196 61 107 76 2.69 3.52 (+24%) -1061.0
1891 ML3 AA 0 2 2 2 1 0 0 10.0 14 12 10 2 10.80 3.52 (-207%) -727.3
1896 BSN NL 3 2 8 5 3 0 1 42.7 43 26 31 13 5.48 4.36 (-26%) -1023.5

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
45 124 17 32 4 2 1 15 2 6 14 0.258 0.292 0.347 0.639 -116.6

Career AVG .258 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .292 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — 9.6% below league average.

Career SLG .347 vs. league average .347 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.639 vs. league average 0.670 across their career seasons — near 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
1888 CHC NL 2 7 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0.143 — — — — 0.0
1891 CN3 AA 31 90 14 22 3 2 1 10 2 5 8 0.244 .254 (-4%) .331 (-14%) .343 (+4%) .675 (-5%) -116.6
1891 ML3 AA 2 5 0 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.600 — — — — -116.6
1896 BSN NL 10 22 2 6 1 0 0 4 0 0 2 0.273 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 2 0 0 0 1 0
P 42 0 6 81 7 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1888 CHN OF 1 0 0 0 1 0
1888 CHN P 2 0 0 2 0 0
1891 CN3 OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
1891 CN3 P 30 0 4 67 6 1
1891 ML3 P 2 0 0 3 1 0
1896 BSN P 8 0 2 9 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 42
Left Field 1
Right Field 1