John Smith, baseball player, 1873-1875

John Smith

MLB Debut: 1873-04-14 | Final Game: 1875-05-21

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Biography

John Smith was a professional baseball player who played during the early years of Major League Baseball, specifically from 1873 to 1875. As a position player, Smith participated in a total of 12 games, where he recorded 6 hits and 2 runs batted in, culminating in a batting average of .14. His career, although brief, took place during a transformative period for the sport, as baseball was evolving from its early, informal roots into a more organized and professional endeavor. Smith's playing style reflected the era's emphasis on contact hitting, though he did not achieve significant power numbers, finishing his career without any home runs and no stolen bases. While his statistics may not place him among the more celebrated players of his time, his involvement in the game during its formative years contributes to the rich tapestry of baseball history. His tenure in the league serves as a reminder of the countless players who laid the groundwork for the sport's future growth and popularity.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
12 43 4 6 1 0 0 2 0 1 2 0.140 0.159 0.163 0.322 0.0

Career AVG .140 vs. league average .270 across their career seasons — 48.3% below league average.

Career OBP .159 vs. league average .279 across their career seasons — 43.0% below league average.

Career SLG .163 vs. league average .330 across their career seasons — 50.6% below league average.

Career OPS 0.322 vs. league average 0.609 across their career seasons — 47.1% 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
1873 BL4 5 19 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.105 — — — — 0.0
1874 BL1 6 21 2 4 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0.190 — — — — 0.0
1875 NH1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 2 0 1 0 1 0
SS 10 5 17 22 15 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1873 BL4 OF 2 0 1 0 1 0
1873 BL4 SS 3 0 7 10 5 0
1874 BL1 SS 6 5 9 10 7 0
1875 NH1 SS 1 0 1 2 3 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Shortstop 10
Left Field 2