Bill Sweeney, baseball player, 1882-1884

Bill Sweeney

Born: 1858 in Philadelphia, PA, USA

Died: 8/2/1903 in Philadelphia, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1882-06-27 | Final Game: 1884-10-14

Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 160 lbs

Full name: William J. Sweeney

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Biography

Bill Sweeney was a prominent pitcher in the early years of professional baseball, showcasing his talents from 1882 to 1884. Born in 1858, Sweeney made his mark during a time when the game was transitioning from the rough-and-tumble days of the 19th century to a more organized sport. He compiled a notable career record of 49 wins and 31 losses, reflecting his effectiveness on the mound. With an earned run average (ERA) of 2.67, he was recognized for his ability to limit scoring opportunities for opposing teams and posted a total of 422 strikeouts throughout his career. Sweeney's playing style was characterized by his strategic approach to pitching, which was essential during an era that emphasized skill and precision over the power seen in later generations. Despite not recording any saves, his contributions as a starting pitcher were vital to his teams' successes. As one of the early figures in baseball history, Sweeney helped lay the groundwork for future generations of pitchers, influencing the evolution of the game during its formative years. His legacy remains a testament to the talent and determination that defined the sport in its early stages.

Negro Leagues Career Statistics

Batting

PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
67.0 66.0 10.0 25.0 3.0 3.0 1.0 3.0 1.0 0 0 0.379 0.388 0.561 0.949

Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting

Season PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB BA OBP SLG OPS
1928 34.0 34.0 5.0 14.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 0 0 0 0 0.412 0.412 0.647 1.059
1929 24.0 23.0 3.0 8.0 2.0 0 0 1.0 1.0 0 0 0.348 0.375 0.435 0.810
1930 9.0 9.0 2.0 3.0 0 1.0 0 2.0 0 0 0 0.333 0.333 0.556 0.889

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
49 31 82 80 76 4 0 708.0 700 210 17 116 422 2.67 0

Career ERA 2.67 vs. league average 3.02 across their career seasons — 11.7% 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
1882 PH4 AA 9 10 20 20 18 0 0 170.0 178 55 42 48 2.91 2.80 (-4%) -1959.1
1884 BLU UA 40 21 62 60 58 4 0 538.0 522 155 74 374 2.59 3.11 (+17%) 7556.8

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
97 384 43 85 11 0 0 6 0 13 0 0.221 0.247 0.250 0.497 -975.3

Career AVG .221 vs. league average .245 across their career seasons — 9.5% below league average.

Career OBP .247 vs. league average .278 across their career seasons — 11.3% below league average.

Career SLG .250 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — 23.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.497 vs. league average 0.606 across their career seasons — 18.0% 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
1882 PH4 AA 23 88 8 14 4 0 0 6 0 4 0 0.159 .248 (-36%) .275 (-29%) .329 (-38%) .605 (-34%) -407.8
1884 BLU UA 74 296 35 71 7 0 0 0 0 9 0 0.240 .243 (-1%) .278 (-6%) .327 (-19%) .606 (-13%) -567.6

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 6 0 6 15 7 1
OF 16 0 13 9 6 1
P 82 0 34 184 40 3
SS 2 0 3 5 2 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1882 PH4 OF 5 0 3 0 3 0
1882 PH4 P 20 0 9 51 6 0
1884 BLU 2B 6 0 6 15 7 1
1884 BLU OF 11 0 10 9 3 1
1884 BLU P 62 0 25 133 34 3
1884 BLU SS 2 0 3 5 2 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 82
Second Base 6
Shortstop 2
Left Field 1
Center Field 7
Right Field 8