John O'Rourke, baseball player, 1879-1883

John O'Rourke

Born: 8/23/1849 in Bridgeport, CT, USA

Died: 6/23/1911 in Boston, MA, USA

MLB Debut: 1879-05-01 | Final Game: 1883-09-10

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 190 lbs

Full name: John W. O'Rourke

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Biography

John O'Rourke was a prominent figure in the early days of professional baseball, playing from 1879 until his retirement in 1883. Born in 1849, O'Rourke's career unfolded during a transformative era for the sport, as it transitioned from amateur play to the more organized, competitive structure of the National League. As a position player, he showcased a remarkable ability at the plate, finishing his career with a .295 batting average over 230 games. His offensive contributions included 279 hits, 11 home runs, and 98 RBIs, marking him as one of the more effective hitters of his time. O'Rourke's playing style was characterized by his consistent hitting and ability to drive in runs, although he did not attempt any stolen bases throughout his career. His performance was notable in a period when the game was still developing its modern identity, and his achievements contributed to the growing popularity of baseball in the late 19th century. O'Rourke's legacy is remembered as part of the foundation of Major League Baseball, reflecting the evolving strategies and skill sets that would shape the future of the game.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
230 945 148 279 58 24 11 98 0 47 64 0.295 0.329 0.442 0.771 3896.3

Career AVG .295 vs. league average .254 across their career seasons — +16.3% above league average.

Career OBP .329 vs. league average .278 across their career seasons — +18.1% above league average.

Career SLG .442 vs. league average .336 across their career seasons — +31.8% above league average.

Career OPS 0.771 vs. league average 0.614 across their career seasons — +25.6% 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
1879 BSN NL 72 317 69 108 17 11 6 62 0 8 32 0.341 .255 (+33%) .270 (+32%) .328 (+58%) .599 (+46%) 2128.4
1880 BSN NL 81 313 30 86 22 8 3 36 0 18 32 0.275 .244 (+12%) .267 (+18%) .319 (+33%) .586 (+26%) 1205.9
1883 NY4 AA 77 315 49 85 19 5 2 0 0 21 0 0.270 .257 (+5%) .285 (+10%) .345 (+10%) .631 (+10%) 562.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 1 0 9 0 3 0
OF 228 0 398 41 65 4

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1879 BSN OF 71 0 147 10 21 2
1880 BSN OF 81 0 156 19 26 0
1883 NY4 1B 1 0 9 0 3 0
1883 NY4 OF 76 0 95 12 18 2

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 1
Left Field 3
Center Field 224
Right Field 2