Mule Shirley

Born: 5/24/1901 in Snow Hill, NC, USA

Died: 8/3/1955 in Goldsboro, NC, USA

MLB Debut: 1924-05-06 | Final Game: 1925-07-12

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Ernest Raeford Shirley

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Biography

Mule Shirley was a professional baseball player born in 1901, who played as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1924 to 1925. Despite a brief career spanning just 44 games, Shirley made his mark during an era characterized by the transition from the deadball era to a more offensively productive time in baseball history. He displayed a determined playing style, contributing significantly to his teams with 21 hits and 18 RBIs, despite finishing his career with a batting average of .21 and no home runs. Shirley's time in the majors was relatively short, yet he was part of a generation of players navigating the evolving landscape of baseball in the 1920s. While he did not achieve the statistical accolades of some of his contemporaries, his contributions to the game during this formative period remain a part of baseball's rich tapestry. His experiences in the sport illustrate the challenges and dynamics faced by players of his time, and he is remembered for his dedication to the game.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
44	100	14	21	3	2	0	18	0	4	14	0.210	0.240	0.280	0.520	-310.6

Career AVG .210 vs. league average .286 across their career seasons — 26.6% below league average.

Career OBP .240 vs. league average .348 across their career seasons — 30.8% below league average.

Career SLG .280 vs. league average .398 across their career seasons — 29.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.520 vs. league average 0.746 across their career seasons — 30.2% 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
1924	WSN	AL	30	77	12	18	2	2	0	16	0	3	7	0.234	.283 (-18%)	.345 (-24%)	.389 (-20%)	.734 (-22%)	-310.6
1925	WSN	AL	14	23	2	3	1	0	0	2	0	1	7	0.130	—	—	—	—	0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
3	2	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0.500

Playoff Batting by Year

Year	Round	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
1924	WS	WS1	3	2	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0.500

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	34	0	225	17	3	21

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1924	WS1	1B	25	0	176	14	3	17
1925	WS1	1B	9	0	49	3	0	4

Career Games by Position

Position	Games
First Base	34

College History

School Name	City	State	Years Attended
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Chapel Hill	NC	1921, 1922, 1923