Al Mays

Born: 5/17/1865 in Canal Dover, OH, USA

Died: 5/7/1905 in Parkersburg, WV, USA

MLB Debut: 1885-05-10 | Final Game: 1890-05-02

Bats: R | Throws: R

Full name: Albert C. Mays

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Biography

Al Mays was a professional baseball pitcher who played in the late 19th century, a time when the game was evolving rapidly in terms of rules, playing style, and fan engagement. Born in 1865, Mays began his Major League career in 1885, showcasing his skills during an era often characterized by the transition from the pitcher's dominance of the deadball era to the more offensive-oriented style that would emerge in the following decades. He played until May 2, 1890, leaving behind a career record of 53 wins and 89 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.91 and a total of 469 strikeouts. Mays was known for his competitive spirit and resilience on the mound. Despite his struggles in terms of win-loss record, he contributed significantly to his teams and was part of a pivotal period in baseball history. The late 1800s saw the establishment of professional leagues and the integration of more sophisticated pitching techniques, and Mays' performance reflected these changes. While he did not record any saves, his strikeout total of 469 indicated his ability to overpower batters of his time. Al Mays remains a part of the rich tapestry of early baseball, illustrating the challenges and triumphs faced by pitchers in a formative era of the sport.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
53	89	150	147	137	3	0	1251.0	1341	543	26	415	469	3.91	0

Career ERA 3.91 vs. league average 3.59 across their career seasons — 8.8% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1885	LS2	AA	6	11	17	17	17	0	150.0	129	46	43	61	2.76	3.03 (+9%)	-1225.2
1886	NY4	AA	11	27	41	40	39	1	350.0	330	132	140	163	3.39	3.37 (-1%)	-3599.0
1887	NY4	AA	17	34	52	52	50	0	441.3	551	232	136	124	4.73	4.17 (-13%)	892.4
1888	BR3	AA	9	9	18	18	17	1	160.7	150	50	32	67	2.80	2.95 (+5%)	1302.1
1889	CL6	AA	10	7	21	19	13	1	140.0	167	75	56	52	4.82	3.93 (-23%)	45.8
1890	CL6	AA	0	1	1	1	1	0	9.0	14	8	8	2	8.00	3.88 (-106%)	0.0

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
160	537	50	86	21	7	3	46	12	33	49	0.160	0.214	0.242	0.456	-2745.8

Career AVG .160 vs. league average .255 across their career seasons — 37.1% below league average.

Career OBP .214 vs. league average .317 across their career seasons — 32.4% below league average.

Career SLG .242 vs. league average .344 across their career seasons — 29.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.456 vs. league average 0.661 across their career seasons — 31.0% 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
1885	LS2	AA	17	61	8	13	1	1	0	4	0	2	0	0.213	.244 (-13%)	.287 (-17%)	.325 (-19%)	.613 (-18%)	-163.2
1886	NY4	AA	41	135	11	16	3	1	1	10	2	4	0	0.119	.246 (-52%)	.302 (-48%)	.331 (-46%)	.634 (-47%)	-997.6
1887	NY4	AA	62	221	23	45	15	4	2	23	7	10	25	0.204	.270 (-25%)	.331 (-27%)	.373 (-10%)	.705 (-18%)	-808.6
1888	BR3	AA	18	63	4	5	1	1	0	5	2	5	14	0.079	.238 (-67%)	.290 (-45%)	.319 (-60%)	.610 (-53%)	-470.7
1889	CL6	AA	21	54	4	7	1	0	0	4	1	11	10	0.130	.263 (-51%)	.334 (-17%)	.357 (-59%)	.691 (-39%)	-305.8
1890	CL6	AA	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.000	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	PO	A	E	DP
1B	1	1	0	0	0
OF	14	15	2	4	0
P	150	47	282	46	10

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	PO	A	E	DP
1885	LS2	P	17	5	23	0	0
1886	NY4	P	41	9	61	11	3
1887	NY4	1B	1	1	0	0	0
1887	NY4	OF	11	14	2	4	0
1887	NY4	P	52	21	121	24	4
1888	BR3	OF	1	0	0	0	0
1888	BR3	P	18	7	45	6	2
1889	CL6	OF	2	1	0	0	0
1889	CL6	P	21	5	32	4	1
1890	CL6	P	1	0	0	1	0