Bill Sowders, baseball player, 1888-1890

Bill Sowders

Born: 11/29/1864 in Louisville, KY, USA

Died: 2/2/1951 in Indianapolis, IN, USA

MLB Debut: 1888-04-24 | Final Game: 1890-06-19

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 155 lbs

Full name: William Jefferson Sowders

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Biography

Bill Sowders, born in 1864, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1888 to June 19, 1890. He played during a transitional period in baseball, marked by the shift from the deadball era to a more offensive-oriented game. Sowders made a name for himself with a career record of 29 wins and 30 losses, showcasing his competitive spirit on the mound. His earned run average (ERA) stood at 3.34, reflecting a solid performance in an era where scoring was often limited, and pitchers relied heavily on skill and strategy. Over his career, Sowders accumulated a total of 205 strikeouts, demonstrating his ability to dominate hitters and secure crucial outs. Additionally, he recorded 3 saves, highlighting his capacity to perform under pressure and contribute to his team's success in tight situations. Although he may not have achieved the fame of some of his contemporaries, Sowders' contributions to the game during the late 19th century remain a testament to the evolving nature of baseball and the competitive landscape of the sport during his playing days.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
29 30 71 61 55 2 3 517.7 542 192 8 149 205 3.34 0

Career ERA 3.34 vs. league average 3.62 across their career seasons — 7.9% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1888 BSN NL 19 15 36 35 34 2 0 317.0 278 73 73 132 2.07 2.95 (+30%) 2520.9
1889 BSN NL 1 2 7 4 3 0 3 42.0 53 24 23 10 5.14 3.93 (-31%) -1390.5
1889 PIT NL 6 5 13 11 9 0 0 52.7 94 43 29 33 7.35 3.93 (-87%) 71.4
1890 PIT NL 3 8 15 11 9 0 0 106.0 117 52 24 30 4.42 3.88 (-14%) 1833.5

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
75 237 23 44 3 0 0 15 2 9 43 0.186 0.215 0.198 0.414 -1255.1

Career AVG .186 vs. league average .255 across their career seasons — 27.2% below league average.

Career OBP .215 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — 33.3% below league average.

Career SLG .198 vs. league average .344 across their career seasons — 42.4% below league average.

Career OPS 0.414 vs. league average 0.667 across their career seasons — 38.0% 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
1888 BSN NL 36 122 14 18 2 0 0 6 1 3 24 0.148 .238 (-38%) .290 (-42%) .319 (-49%) .610 (-46%) -818.6
1889 BSN NL 7 17 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0.235 — — — — 0.0
1889 PIT NL 15 48 4 13 1 0 0 5 0 3 10 0.271 — — — — 0.0
1890 PIT NL 17 50 3 9 0 0 0 4 1 2 7 0.180 .260 (-31%) .336 (-37%) .351 (-49%) .687 (-43%) -344.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 4 0 7 0 0 0
P 71 0 41 108 14 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1888 BSN P 36 0 23 69 8 1
1889 BSN P 7 0 3 11 0 0
1889 PIT OF 2 0 2 0 0 0
1889 PIT P 13 0 8 19 3 0
1890 PIT OF 2 0 5 0 0 0
1890 PIT P 15 0 7 9 3 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 71
Center Field 2
Right Field 2