Billy Purtell

Born: 1/6/1886 in Columbus, OH, USA

Died: 3/17/1962 in Bradenton, FL, USA

MLB Debut: 1908-04-16 | Final Game: 1914-09-22

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 170 lbs

Full name: William Patrick Purtell

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Biography

Billy Purtell was a professional baseball player born in 1886, who played in Major League Baseball from 1908 to 1914. Known primarily as a position player, Purtell's career spanned the early years of the 20th century, a time when the game was transitioning away from the deadball era. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 335 games, accumulating 255 hits, 104 RBIs, and a batting average of .227. While he was not known for his power, hitting only 2 home runs, Purtell demonstrated speed on the bases, finishing his career with 24 stolen bases, showcasing his ability to contribute in various aspects of the game. Purtell played for several teams during his time in the majors, including notable stints with the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Braves. His playing style reflected the gritty and competitive nature of the era, which emphasized speed and fundamental play over the long-ball approach that would later define the sport. Though Purtell's statistical contributions may not place him among the game's legends, his role as a dependable player during a formative period in baseball history remains significant. His career, which ended in 1914, coincided with the evolving dynamics of the sport, paving the way for future generations of players.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
335	1124	82	255	26	11	2	104	24	63	92	0.227	0.275	0.275	0.550	-2649.0

Career AVG .227 vs. league average .252 across their career seasons — 9.9% below league average.

Career OBP .275 vs. league average .317 across their career seasons — 13.4% below league average.

Career SLG .275 vs. league average .330 across their career seasons — 16.6% below league average.

Career OPS 0.550 vs. league average 0.647 across their career seasons — 15.0% 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
1908	CHW	AL	26	69	3	9	2	0	0	3	2	2	8	0.130	.240 (-46%)	.298 (-48%)	.306 (-48%)	.605 (-48%)	-483.9
1909	CHW	AL	103	361	34	93	9	3	0	40	14	19	27	0.258	.244 (+5%)	.306 (-1%)	.312 (-4%)	.618 (-3%)	-193.0
1910	CHW	AL	102	368	21	82	5	3	1	36	5	21	30	0.223	.249 (-11%)	.317 (-14%)	.326 (-20%)	.644 (-17%)	-1130.2
1910	BOS	AL	49	168	15	35	1	2	1	15	2	18	17	0.208	.249 (-17%)	.317 (-9%)	.326 (-22%)	.644 (-15%)	-1130.2
1911	BOS	AL	27	82	5	23	5	3	0	7	1	1	3	0.280	.266 (+5%)	.336 (-11%)	.356 (+16%)	.693 (+3%)	-18.4
1914	DET	AL	28	76	4	13	4	0	0	3	0	2	7	0.171	.255 (-33%)	.322 (-37%)	.339 (-34%)	.661 (-36%)	-438.5

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
2B	36	32	77	97	5	13
3B	270	233	307	602	84	37
OF	1	0	0	0	0	0
SS	13	7	12	29	6	2

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1908	CHA	3B	25	22	18	60	5	5
1909	CHA	2B	32	32	72	90	5	13
1909	CHA	3B	71	68	90	158	19	11
1910	CHA	3B	102	102	117	233	36	16
1910	BOS	3B	41	41	41	87	13	2
1910	BOS	SS	8	7	8	21	3	2
1911	BOS	2B	3	0	4	5	0	0
1911	BOS	3B	15	0	22	30	8	1
1911	BOS	OF	1	0	0	0	0	0
1911	BOS	SS	3	0	3	8	2	0
1914	DET	2B	1	0	1	2	0	0
1914	DET	3B	16	0	19	34	3	2
1914	DET	SS	2	0	1	0	1	0