Rube Vickers, baseball player, 1902-1909

Rube Vickers

Born: 5/17/1879 in Hillsdale, MI, USA

Died: 12/9/1958 in Belleville, MI, USA

MLB Debut: 1902-09-21 | Final Game: 1909-10-02

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 225 lbs

Full name: Harry Porter Vickers

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Biography

Rube Vickers was a professional baseball pitcher who played from 1902 until 1909. Born in 1879, Vickers made his mark in Major League Baseball during a time when the game was evolving rapidly, transitioning from the deadball era to a more offensive style. Over the course of his career, he compiled a record of 22 wins and 27 losses, showcasing resilience on the mound with an earned run average (ERA) of 2.93. His ability to strike out batters was evident, as he recorded 213 strikeouts, and he contributed to his teams with 2 saves, underscoring his versatility as a pitcher. Vickers played for several teams during his tenure, honing his skills and leaving an imprint on the game. His performance was characterized by a strong pitching style that emphasized control and precision, critical attributes during an era when pitchers often dominated the game. Although his win-loss record may not reflect a superstar status, Vickers' ERA indicates he was a formidable presence on the mound, often keeping opposing teams at bay. His contributions to baseball during the early 20th century helped lay the groundwork for future generations of pitchers, and he remains a noteworthy figure from a transformative period in the sport's history.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
22 27 88 45 29 7 2 458.0 426 149 1 119 213 2.93 0

Career ERA 2.93 vs. league average 2.72 across their career seasons — 7.6% 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
1902 CIN NL 0 3 3 3 3 0 0 21.0 31 14 8 6 6.00 3.17 (-89%) -111.2
1903 BRO NL 0 1 4 1 1 0 0 14.0 27 17 9 5 10.93 3.10 (-253%) -377.4
1907 PHA AL 2 2 10 4 3 1 0 50.3 44 19 12 21 3.40 2.50 (-36%) 154.6
1908 PHA AL 18 19 53 34 21 6 1 317.0 264 78 71 156 2.21 2.40 (+8%) 4070.1
1909 PHA AL 2 2 18 3 1 0 1 55.7 60 21 19 25 3.40 2.55 (-33%) 101.0

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
90 163 4 26 4 0 0 13 0 10 34 0.160 0.208 0.184 0.392 -468.1

Career AVG .160 vs. league average .251 across their career seasons — 36.5% below league average.

Career OBP .208 vs. league average .309 across their career seasons — 32.7% below league average.

Career SLG .184 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — 43.0% below league average.

Career OPS 0.392 vs. league average 0.632 across their career seasons — 37.9% 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
1902 CIN NL 4 11 0 4 1 0 0 3 0 0 2 0.364 — — — — 0.0
1903 BRO NL 5 10 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 0.100 — — — — 0.0
1907 PHA AL 10 20 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.150 — — — — 0.0
1908 PHA AL 53 106 4 17 3 0 0 4 0 10 23 0.160 .240 (-33%) .298 (-22%) .306 (-38%) .605 (-30%) -468.1
1909 PHA AL 18 16 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 4 0.062 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
C 1 0 0 1 0 0
OF 1 0 1 0 0 0
P 88 41 15 124 10 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1902 CIN C 1 0 0 1 0 0
1902 CIN P 3 0 0 3 0 0
1903 BRO OF 1 0 1 0 0 0
1903 BRO P 4 0 0 10 1 0
1907 PHA P 10 4 2 17 1 1
1908 PHA P 53 34 10 83 7 0
1909 PHA P 18 3 3 11 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 88
Catcher 1
Center Field 1