John Smith

Born: 1858 in New York, NY, USA

Died: 1/6/1899 in San Francisco, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1882-05-01 | Final Game: 1882-09-27

Height: 5'11" | Weight: 210 lbs

Full name: John Joseph Smith

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Biography

John Smith, born in 1858, was a professional baseball player who made his mark in the early years of Major League Baseball. His career spanned from 1882 to 1882, a brief yet notable period during the formative years of the sport. Smith played a total of 54 games, where he demonstrated his skills as a position player. Over the course of his career, he recorded 53 hits, contributing to a batting average of .242. Although he did not hit any home runs, he drove in 19 runs, showcasing his ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Playing during an era when baseball was still evolving, Smith's contributions came at a time when the game was shifting from its early, rough-and-tumble roots towards a more structured form. Despite not being a prolific power hitter, his consistent hitting and gameplay reflected the style and competitiveness of the late 19th century. Smith's career, while relatively short, is a snapshot of a pivotal time in baseball history, marking the transition into a more organized league structure that would lay the groundwork for the modern game.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
54	219	37	53	7	5	0	19	0	8	34	0.242	0.269	0.320	0.588	-101.7

Career AVG .242 vs. league average .248 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .269 vs. league average .276 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .320 vs. league average .330 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.588 vs. league average 0.606 across their career seasons — near 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
1882	TRN	NL	35	149	27	36	4	3	0	14	0	3	24	0.242	.248 (-3%)	.275 (-7%)	.329 (-6%)	.605 (-7%)	-156.2
1882	WOR	NL	19	70	10	17	3	2	0	5	0	5	10	0.243	.248 (-2%)	.275 (+6%)	.329 (+4%)	.605 (+5%)	-156.2