Alva Williams, baseball player, 1911-1918

Alva Williams

Born: 1/31/1882 in Carthage, IL, USA

Died: 7/23/1933 in Keokuk, IA, USA

MLB Debut: 1911-04-12 | Final Game: 1918-06-09

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 187 lbs

Full name: Alva Mitchell Williams

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Biography

Alva Williams was a professional baseball player born in 1882, who made his mark in Major League Baseball between 1911 and 1918. Primarily recognized as a position player, Williams played in 498 games throughout his career. He recorded a total of 314 hits, achieving a batting average of .265, which reflected his ability to contribute consistently at the plate during an era characterized by a transition from the deadball style to a more offensive-driven approach in the game. Williams showcased his versatility and speed on the base paths, finishing his career with 27 stolen bases. He also demonstrated power in his hitting with 2 home runs and a total of 145 runs batted in (RBIs). Despite not being a standout star of his time, he played a significant role in his teams' dynamics, contributing to the evolving nature of baseball in the early 20th century. Williams retired from professional baseball on June 9, 1918, leaving behind a legacy as a reliable player in a formative period of the sport's history.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
498 1186 111 314 51 23 2 145 27 95 123 0.265 0.328 0.352 0.680 259.2

Career AVG .265 vs. league average .257 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .328 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .352 vs. league average .340 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.680 vs. league average 0.664 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
1911 BOS AL 95 284 36 68 8 5 0 31 9 24 30 0.239 .266 (-10%) .336 (-7%) .356 (-15%) .693 (-11%) -552.1
1912 WSN AL 61 157 14 50 11 4 0 22 2 7 13 0.318 .268 (+18%) .335 (+5%) .358 (+23%) .694 (+14%) 308.9
1913 WSN AL 66 106 9 30 6 2 1 12 3 9 16 0.283 .259 (+9%) .325 (+4%) .345 (+17%) .670 (+11%) 175.3
1914 WSN AL 81 169 17 47 6 4 1 22 2 13 19 0.278 .255 (+9%) .322 (+6%) .339 (+12%) .661 (+9%) 241.4
1915 WSN AL 91 197 14 48 8 4 0 31 4 18 20 0.244 .250 (-3%) .318 (avg) .332 (-2%) .651 (-1%) -24.9
1916 WSN AL 76 202 16 54 10 2 0 20 5 15 19 0.267 .248 (+8%) .314 (+3%) .326 (+3%) .640 (+3%) 99.0
1918 CLE AL 28 71 5 17 2 2 0 7 2 9 6 0.239 .255 (-6%) .318 (+2%) .326 (-1%) .645 (+1%) 11.6

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 144 0 1288 78 26 68
3B 2 0 3 0 0 0
C 212 0 980 254 29 14
OF 6 0 2 1 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1911 BOS 1B 57 0 545 31 15 28
1911 BOS C 38 0 182 42 5 0
1912 WS1 C 48 0 234 74 7 6
1913 WS1 1B 9 0 64 6 1 5
1913 WS1 C 18 0 51 14 1 1
1913 WS1 OF 5 0 2 1 0 0
1914 WS1 1B 8 0 71 4 0 0
1914 WS1 C 44 0 181 54 6 0
1914 WS1 OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
1915 WS1 1B 15 0 149 16 1 6
1915 WS1 3B 1 0 1 0 0 0
1915 WS1 C 40 0 213 51 9 4
1916 WS1 1B 34 0 269 11 5 18
1916 WS1 3B 1 0 2 0 0 0
1916 WS1 C 23 0 119 19 1 3
1918 CLE 1B 21 0 190 10 4 11
1918 CLE C 1 0 0 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 208
First Base 151
Third Base 2
Left Field 2
Right Field 6