Billy Sunday

Born: 11/19/1862 in Ames, IA, USA

Died: 11/6/1935 in Chicago, IL, USA

MLB Debut: 1883-05-22 | Final Game: 1890-10-04

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 160 lbs

Full name: William Ashley Sunday

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Billy Sunday, born in 1862, was a professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1883 to 1905. Primarily known as a position player, Sunday played a total of 499 games in Major League Baseball, where he made a significant impact with his dynamic playing style. Over the course of his career, he recorded 498 hits, 12 home runs, and 170 RBIs, finishing with a batting average of .248. Notably, he was also an exceptional base stealer, amassing 246 stolen bases, which showcased his speed and agility on the field. Sunday's career unfolded during a transformative era in baseball, marked by the transition from the deadball era to the more power-focused approach of the 20th century. His playing style was characterized by aggressive base running and a keen ability to generate offense, contributing to the evolving strategies of the game. After retiring from baseball, Billy Sunday became a prominent evangelist, using his platform to influence and inspire many, thus leaving an enduring legacy that extended beyond the baseball diamond.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
499	2007	339	498	55	24	12	170	246	134	229	0.248	0.300	0.317	0.617	-2019.4

Career AVG .248 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .300 vs. league average .308 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .317 vs. league average .342 across their career seasons — 7.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.617 vs. league average 0.649 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
1883	CHC	NL	14	54	6	13	4	0	0	5	0	1	18	0.241	.257 (-6%)	.285 (-11%)	.345 (-9%)	.631 (-10%)	-79.1
1884	CHC	NL	43	176	25	39	4	1	4	28	0	4	36	0.222	.243 (-9%)	.278 (-14%)	.327 (-1%)	.606 (-7%)	-207.9
1885	CHC	NL	46	172	36	44	3	3	2	20	0	12	33	0.256	.244 (+5%)	.287 (+6%)	.325 (+5%)	.613 (+6%)	156.2
1886	CHC	NL	28	103	16	25	2	2	0	6	10	7	26	0.243	.246 (-2%)	.302 (-4%)	.331 (-9%)	.634 (-7%)	-104.3
1887	CHC	NL	50	199	41	58	6	6	3	32	34	21	20	0.291	.270 (+8%)	.331 (+9%)	.373 (+14%)	.705 (+12%)	414.6
1888	PIT	NL	120	505	69	119	14	3	0	15	71	12	36	0.236	.238 (-1%)	.290 (-12%)	.319 (-14%)	.610 (-13%)	-1190.7
1889	PIT	NL	81	321	62	77	10	6	2	25	47	27	33	0.240	.263 (-9%)	.334 (-8%)	.357 (-9%)	.691 (-8%)	-513.4
1890	PIT	NL	86	358	58	92	9	2	1	33	56	32	20	0.257	.260 (-1%)	.336 (-3%)	.351 (-14%)	.687 (-9%)	-510.7
1890	PHI	NL	31	119	26	31	3	1	0	6	28	18	7	0.261	.260 (avg)	.336 (+9%)	.351 (-14%)	.687 (-3%)	-510.7

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0.0	2	2	0	0	0	0.00	0

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1890	PIT	NL	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0.0	2	2	0	0	0.00	—	0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
7	22	5	6	2	0	0	0	2	0	0.273

Playoff Batting by Year

Year	Round	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
1885	WS	CHN	7	22	5	6	2	0	0	0	2	0	0.273

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
OF	499	0	933	96	136	23
P	1	0	0	0	0	0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	PO	A	E	DP
1883	CHN	OF	14	10	1	6	0
1884	CHN	OF	43	45	8	27	1
1885	CHN	OF	46	46	6	11	2
1886	CHN	OF	28	50	3	5	0
1887	CHN	OF	50	78	4	25	2
1888	PIT	OF	120	297	27	21	5
1889	PIT	OF	81	157	17	10	2
1890	PIT	OF	86	181	23	27	9
1890	PIT	P	1	0	0	0	0
1890	PHI	OF	31	69	7	4	2