Charlie Sprague

Born: 10/10/1864 in Cleveland, OH, USA

Died: 12/31/1912 in Des Moines, IA, USA

MLB Debut: 1887-09-17 | Final Game: 1890-10-10

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 150 lbs

Full name: Charles Wellington Sprague

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Charlie Sprague was a professional baseball pitcher who played in the late 19th century, a time when the game was still evolving rapidly in terms of rules and playing style. Born in 1864, Sprague's career spanned from 1887 to 1890, during which he was known for his competitive spirit on the mound. He recorded a win-loss record of 10-7 and maintained an earned run average (ERA) of 4.51, showcasing his ability to compete against the era's hitters. Over his relatively brief career, he struck out 76 batters, demonstrating his potential as a strikeout pitcher during a period that was not dominated by such statistics. Sprague's contributions to the game came during a transitional phase between the deadball era and the more modern approach to pitching and hitting. While he did not record any saves, his role as a starting pitcher allowed him to be a part of a team's rotation, contributing to the overall strategy of the game. His career, though not extensive, reflects the challenges and developments of baseball at the time, as players like Sprague laid the groundwork for future generations of pitchers.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
10	7	24	17	13	0	0	161.7	162	81	1	101	76	4.51	0

Career ERA 4.51 vs. league average 3.98 across their career seasons — 13.4% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1887	CHC	NL	1	0	3	3	2	22.0	24	12	13	9	4.91	4.17 (-18%)	-
1889	CL4	NL	0	2	2	2	2	17.0	27	16	10	8	8.47	3.93 (-115%)	-106.5
1890	TL2	AA	9	5	19	12	9	122.7	111	53	78	59	3.89	3.88 (avg)	-1321.1

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
60	219	27	50	5	6	1	20	11	17	2	0.228	0.293	0.320	0.613	-289.2

Career AVG .228 vs. league average .264 across their career seasons — 13.6% below league average.

Career OBP .293 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — 12.4% below league average.

Career SLG .320 vs. league average .359 across their career seasons — 11.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.613 vs. league average 0.694 across their career seasons — 11.7% 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	CHC	NL	3	13	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0.154	—	—	—	—	0.0
1889	CL4	NL	2	7	2	1	0	0	0	1	1	1	0	0.143	—	—	—	—	0.0
1890	TL2	AA	55	199	25	47	5	6	1	19	10	16	0	0.236	.260 (-9%)	.336 (-10%)	.351 (-4%)	.687 (-7%)	-289.2