Billy Zitzmann, baseball player, 1919-1929

Billy Zitzmann

Born: 11/19/1895 in Long Island City, NY, USA

Died: 5/29/1985 in Passaic, NJ, USA

MLB Debut: 1919-04-27 | Final Game: 1929-09-25

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: William Arthur Zitzmann

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Biography

Billy Zitzmann was a professional baseball player born in 1895, who played as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1919 until his retirement in 1929. He appeared in 406 games over the course of his career, where he demonstrated his versatility and skill on the field. Zitzmann recorded a total of 268 hits, achieving a respectable batting average of .267. His offensive contributions included 3 home runs and 89 runs batted in (RBIs), showcasing his ability to drive in runs during critical moments of games. Additionally, Zitzmann was known for his speed on the bases, amassing 42 stolen bases, which reflected the aggressive style of play that characterized the era. Playing during the transitional period of baseball in the 1920s, Zitzmann's career unfolded during a time when the game was evolving both in terms of strategy and athleticism. While the deadball era was giving way to a more offense-driven game, Zitzmann adapted well, contributing to his teams with both his bat and his legs. Although he may not have reached the heights of some of his contemporaries, Zitzmann's contributions to the game during his decade-long career remain a notable part of baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
406 1004 197 268 38 11 3 89 42 83 85 0.267 0.333 0.336 0.668 -1594.9

Career AVG .267 vs. league average .281 across their career seasons — 5.1% below league average.

Career OBP .333 vs. league average .344 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .336 vs. league average .394 across their career seasons — 14.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.668 vs. league average 0.738 across their career seasons — 9.4% 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
1919 PIT NL 11 26 5 5 1 0 0 2 2 0 6 0.192 — — — — 0.0
1919 CIN NL 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1925 CIN NL 104 301 53 76 13 3 0 21 11 35 22 0.252 .288 (-12%) .349 (-2%) .407 (-22%) .756 (-13%) -681.2
1926 CIN NL 53 94 21 23 2 1 0 3 3 6 7 0.245 .279 (-12%) .345 (-12%) .390 (-26%) .735 (-20%) -320.8
1927 CIN NL 88 232 47 66 10 4 0 24 9 20 18 0.284 .282 (+1%) .344 (+2%) .392 (-8%) .736 (-3%) -107.5
1928 CIN NL 101 266 53 79 9 3 3 33 13 13 22 0.297 .280 (+6%) .342 (-2%) .395 (-2%) .737 (-2%) -108.1
1929 CIN NL 47 84 18 19 3 0 0 6 4 9 10 0.226 .289 (-22%) .353 (-13%) .415 (-37%) .769 (-26%) -377.4

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 5 0 30 0 2 1
3B 4 0 2 6 2 0
OF 289 0 538 11 25 2
SS 9 0 13 18 3 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1919 PIT OF 8 0 11 0 1 0
1919 CIN OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
1925 CIN OF 89 0 135 5 6 0
1925 CIN SS 1 0 1 1 0 0
1926 CIN OF 31 0 55 0 2 0
1927 CIN 3B 3 0 2 5 2 0
1927 CIN OF 60 0 135 2 6 0
1927 CIN SS 8 0 12 17 3 0
1928 CIN 3B 1 0 0 1 0 0
1928 CIN OF 78 0 155 4 7 2
1929 CIN 1B 5 0 30 0 2 1
1929 CIN OF 22 0 47 0 3 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 5
Third Base 4
Shortstop 9
Left Field 194
Center Field 57
Right Field 44