Denny Sullivan, baseball player, 1879-1880

Denny Sullivan

Born: 6/26/1858 in Boston, MA, USA

Died: 12/31/1925 in Boston, MA, USA

MLB Debut: 1879-08-25 | Final Game: 1880-09-25

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 170 lbs

Full name: Dennis J. Sullivan

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Biography

Denny Sullivan, born in 1858, was a professional baseball player who made his mark in the late 19th century, a time characterized by the early development of the sport in America. His career spanned from 1879 to 1880, during which he played as a position player. While his time in Major League Baseball was brief, appearing in only 6 games, Sullivan demonstrated a competent batting ability, finishing his career with 6 hits and a batting average of .261. He also contributed with 4 RBIs, showcasing his potential to drive in runs, although he did not hit any home runs or steal bases. Sullivan's playing era was marked by the transition from the so-called deadball era, where pitching dominated, to a more offensive-minded game that would emerge in the following decades. Despite the limited scope of his career, his participation in the early years of professional baseball adds to the rich tapestry of the sport's history. Players like Sullivan helped lay the groundwork for future generations, illustrating the evolving nature of batting technique and offensive strategy in baseball.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
6 23 6 6 2 0 0 4 0 1 2 0.261 0.292 0.348 0.639 0.0

Career AVG .261 vs. league average .250 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .292 vs. league average .269 across their career seasons — +8.5% above league average.

Career SLG .348 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — +7.3% above league average.

Career OPS 0.639 vs. league average 0.593 across their career seasons — +7.8% above 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
1879 PRO NL 5 19 5 5 2 0 0 2 0 1 1 0.263 — — — — 0.0
1880 BSN NL 1 4 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0.250 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
3B 4 0 1 5 8 0
C 1 0 6 0 1 0
OF 1 0 0 0 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1879 PRO 3B 4 0 1 5 8 0
1879 PRO OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
1880 BSN C 1 0 6 0 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 1
Third Base 4
Right Field 1