John Sowders, baseball player, 1887-1890

John Sowders

Born: 12/10/1866 in Louisville, KY, USA

Died: 7/29/1939 in Indianapolis, IN, USA

MLB Debut: 1887-06-28 | Final Game: 1890-10-04

Bats: R | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 150 lbs

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

John Sowders was a professional baseball pitcher who played from 1887 to 1890, establishing himself during a transformative period in the sport's history. Born in 1866, Sowders' career unfolded in the late 19th century, a time marked by the evolution of baseball from a burgeoning pastime into a structured professional sport. Over the course of his career, he recorded a win-loss record of 25-32 and posted an earned run average (ERA) of 4.29, showcasing his ability to compete on the mound against some of the era's toughest hitters. Sowders struck out 195 batters and recorded one save, contributing to the early development of pitching strategies in the game. While not among the most dominant pitchers of his time, he played an integral role in the teams he was part of, navigating the challenges of a league still in its formative years. His contributions reflect the evolution of the pitching role in baseball, as players began to refine their techniques and tactics in the face of growing competition. John Sowders' career remains a testament to the enduring spirit of early baseball and the players who laid the groundwork for future generations.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
25 32 65 60 48 1 1 497.0 573 237 12 271 195 4.29 0

Career ERA 4.29 vs. league average 3.98 across their career seasons — 7.9% worse 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
1887 IN3 NL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3.0 11 7 5 0 21.00 — 0.0
1889 KC2 AA 6 16 25 23 20 0 1 185.0 204 99 105 104 4.82 3.93 (-22%) -1918.8
1890 BRP PL 19 16 39 37 28 1 0 309.0 358 131 161 91 3.82 3.88 (+2%) -1988.9

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
69 221 25 44 6 0 1 26 1 14 33 0.199 0.253 0.240 0.493 -1017.7

Career AVG .199 vs. league average .264 across their career seasons — 24.6% below league average.

Career OBP .253 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — 24.3% below league average.

Career SLG .240 vs. league average .359 across their career seasons — 33.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.493 vs. league average 0.694 across their career seasons — 29.0% 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
1887 IN3 NL 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1889 KC2 AA 28 87 11 19 3 0 0 6 1 4 20 0.218 .263 (-17%) .334 (-20%) .357 (-29%) .691 (-25%) -347.7
1890 BRP PL 40 132 14 25 3 0 1 20 0 10 12 0.189 .260 (-27%) .336 (-27%) .351 (-33%) .687 (-30%) -670.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 7 0 3 1 1 0
P 65 0 12 102 15 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1887 IN3 OF 1 0 1 0 0 0
1887 IN3 P 1 0 0 0 2 0
1889 KC2 OF 3 0 2 0 1 0
1889 KC2 P 25 0 5 27 6 0
1890 BRP OF 3 0 0 1 0 0
1890 BRP P 39 0 7 75 7 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 65
Left Field 3
Right Field 4