Fred Waterman

Born: 1845 in New York, NY, USA

Died: 12/16/1899 in Cincinnati, OH, USA

MLB Debut: 1871-05-05 | Final Game: 1875-09-23

Height: 5'7" | Weight: 148 lbs

Full name: Frederick A. Waterman

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Biography

Fred Waterman, born in 1845, was a notable position player in the early days of professional baseball, whose career spanned from 1871 to 1875. He played a total of 61 games, during which he recorded 101 hits and maintained an impressive batting average of .333, a testament to his skill at the plate during an era that predated the more modern offensive strategies of the game. Waterman contributed significantly to his teams with 38 RBIs and showcased his speed on the bases with 11 stolen bases, highlighting his all-around offensive capabilities. As a player in the formative years of Major League Baseball, Waterman participated in a rapidly evolving sport that was beginning to define its identity. While he did not hit any home runs, his consistent hitting and ability to drive in runs were valued during a time when the focus was more on contact hitting than power. His contributions to the game during its infancy reflect the transition from amateur play to professional leagues, making him a part of baseball history as it began to capture the imagination of fans across the country.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
61 303 81 101 9 7 0 38 11 11 3 0.333 0.357 0.409 0.766 457.4

Career AVG .333 vs. league average .275 across their career seasons — +21.3% above league average.

Career OBP .357 vs. league average .287 across their career seasons — +24.2% above league average.

Career SLG .409 vs. league average .341 across their career seasons — +19.9% above league average.

Career OPS 0.766 vs. league average 0.628 across their career seasons — +21.9% 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
1871 WS3 32 158 46 50 7 4 0 17 11 10 0 0.316 .286 (+10%) .311 (+15%) .383 (+7%) .695 (+11%) 298.1
1872 WS3 9 45 13 17 1 2 0 6 0 0 0 0.378 — — — — 0.0
1873 WS5 15 80 20 28 1 1 0 12 0 1 1 0.350 .290 (+20%) .304 (+18%) .357 (+8%) .661 (+13%) 159.3
1875 CH2 5 20 2 6 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 0.300 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
3B 42 34 70 104 72 10
C 8 7 20 6 4 0
OF 4 0 3 2 2 0
SS 9 0 13 24 20 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1871 WS3 3B 28 27 47 67 50 6
1871 WS3 C 6 5 17 5 2 0
1872 WS3 3B 7 7 15 28 8 3
1872 WS3 C 2 2 3 1 2 0
1873 WS5 3B 2 0 3 2 4 0
1873 WS5 OF 4 0 3 2 2 0
1873 WS5 SS 9 0 13 24 20 0
1875 CH2 3B 5 0 5 7 10 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 8
Third Base 42
Shortstop 9
Center Field 3
Right Field 1