Bill James 1880-1889 All Decade Team

[Old Sweater]

Third Team, Right Fielder, Chicken Wolf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_Wolf

William Van Winkle "Jimmy" Wolf (May 12, 1862 – May 16, 1903), also known as Chicken Wolf, was an American Major League Baseball player from Louisville, Kentucky who played right field, but occasionally played other positions in the infield.[1]

Wolf played for his hometown team, the Louisville Colonels of the American Association, from 1882, when they were called the Eclipse, to 1891. When the American Association folded, he then played for the St. Louis Browns of the National League in 1892. It was his last season in the Majors. He played in just three games for the Browns when he decided to retire.

In 1889, with the team 2–8 after ten games under player-manager Dude Esterbrook, the managerial reins were handed over to Wolf, who won only 14 of the 65 games he managed. The other two managers to follow, Dan Shannon and Jack Chapman, didn't fare any better, as Louisville won only 27 games that year with 111 losses. In 1890, he led the American Association in batting with .363.

Wolf died in 1903 at the age of 41, from the effects of brain trauma he suffered a few years before in a fire-fighting accident, and is interred at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville.[2] This cemetery is where other Louisville ballplayers have been buried as well, including childhood friend and teammate Pete Browning.

Teams

As Player

Louisville Eclipse/Colonels (1882–1891)
St. Louis Browns (1892)

As Manager

Louisville Eclipse/Colonels (1889)

Career highlights and awards

American Association batting champion: 1890
American Association hits leader: 1890
2 seasons with 100+ runs scored
1 season with 100+ RBI

[Old Sweater]

Third Team, Pitcher, Jim Whitney

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Whitney

James Evans "Grasshopper Jim" Whitney (November 10, 1857 - May 21, 1891) was a former professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of ten seasons (1881–1890) with the Boston Red Caps/Beaneaters, Kansas City Cowboys, Washington Nationals, Indianapolis Hoosiers and Philadelphia Athletics (AA). He was the National League strikeout champion in 1883 with the Boston. For his career, he compiled a 191-204 record in 413 appearances, with a 2.97 ERA and 1571 strikeouts.

During his five seasons with the Boston franchise (now the Atlanta Braves) he ranks 4th in franchise history in ERA (2.49), 3rd in WHIP (1.082), 9th in innings pitched (2263 2/3), 8th in strikeouts (1157), 9th in games started (254), 4th in complete games (242), 1st in strikeout to walk ratio (5.03), 7th in losses (121), and 2nd in wild pitches (162).

He was born in Conklin, New York and later died in Binghamton, New York at the age of 33.

Teams

Boston Red Caps/Beaneaters (1881-1885)
Kansas City Cowboys (1886)
Washington Nationals (1887-1888)
Indianapolis Hoosiers (1889)
Philadelphia Athletics (1890)

[Old Sweater]

Third Team, Pitcher, Bob Caruthers

Robert Lee Caruthers (January 5, 1864 – August 5, 1911), nicknamed "Parisian Bob," was an American right-handed pitcher and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the St. Louis Browns and Brooklyn Bridegrooms. The star pitcher on five league champions in a ten-year career, he was the top pitcher in the American Association, leading that league in wins and shutouts twice each, winning percentage three times, and earned run average once. His 175 wins in the Association were the second most of any pitcher, and his league ERA of 2.62 was the lowest of any pitcher with at least 2000 innings in the league; he was also the only pitcher to have 40-win seasons for two different Association teams. His career winning percentage was the highest of any pitcher prior to 1950 with at least 250 decisions; some sources recognize him as having compiled the highest winning percentage of any pitcher with at least 200 decisions (and retired as of 2006) in major league history.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Caruthers debuted with a 4-hitter for the Browns in late 1884, and the following year led the team to its first pennant. He led the league in wins (40), ERA (2.07), shutouts (6) and winning percentage (.755) in 1885, and was 30-14 for the 1886 champions after a lengthy contract dispute which he conducted from Paris, earning him his nickname. In 1886 he also played right field when not pitching, batting .334 to place him among the league's top five hitters, and leading the league in on base percentage. On August 16 of that year, he became the fourth pitcher to hit two home runs in a game, while also getting a double and a triple; after the last he was thrown out at the plate, ending the game, in trying for a third home run. In 1887, despite battling malaria, he again led the league in winning percentage with a 29-9 record as the Browns won their third consecutive title; he also batted .357 with 73 runs batted in, while finishing second in the league in slugging average for the second consecutive year.

After the team's 1887 postseason loss, during which the team was criticized for its recreational activities, his contract was sold to Brooklyn by team owner Chris von der Ahe, who largely blamed Caruthers, an expert billiards and poker player, for the failure. He posted a record of 29-15 in 1888, though his batting average dropped to .230; in 1889 he again led the league in wins (40), shutouts (7) and winning percentage (.784) as the team captured its first title, but rarely played in the field when not pitching. Brooklyn changed leagues following the 1889 season, joining the National League. Caruthers' 175 wins during six Association seasons would stand as the second-best total in the league's ten-year existence, behind Tony Mullane's 203 wins in seven seasons; Caruthers' league ERA of 2.62 was the best of any pitcher with at least 2000 innings, and put him behind only Ed Morris and Will White among those with 1500 innings.

In 1890, Caruthers posted a record of 23-11 as Brooklyn won the NL title in their first season in the league; he also saw considerable playing time in left field and batted .265. In 1891 his record slipped to 18-14, and he played only occasionally in right field though he hit .281. In 1892 he returned to the Browns, who had joined the NL that season in a league merger; it marked his last season as a pitcher as he earned only two victories, though he played regularly in right field, hitting .277 with 69 RBI. He also managed the team for the final third of the season, compiling a 16-32 record. In 1893 the pitching distance was increased from 50 feet to 60 feet 6 inches, and after playing one game in center field with the Chicago Colts, he ended his Major League career with several games in right field for the Cincinnati Reds. He continued to play in the minor leagues until 1898, and later became an American League umpire in 1902 and 1903. During his career he threw 298 career complete games among his 310 starts, including 24 shutouts, and had a career ERA of 2.83 in 2828 2/3 innings pitched. He also batted .282 lifetime with 29 home runs and 259 RBI. He was the only 19th-century pitcher to lead the league in winning percentage three times.

Caruthers is often considered one of the most deserving candidates for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Many sources recognize him as having compiled 218 wins and 99 losses, making his .688 winning percentage 3rd all-time behind only Whitey Ford, and Dave Foutz (his teammate for eight seasons) among pitchers with at least 200 major league decisions. However, that is based on a total of 10 losses in the 1892 season (his last as a pitcher), a total revised from the contemporary record; the official league records for that year, which are recognized by Major League Baseball, charged him with only 8 losses, a figure which some other sources also recognize. The reduction of two losses would increase his career winning percentage to .691, placing him behind only Spud Chandler who compiled a record of .717 over 150 decisions.

Caruthers died in Peoria, Illinois at age 47.

Teams

As Player

St. Louis Browns (1884-1887, 1892)
Brooklyn Bridegrooms/Grooms (1888-1891)
Chicago Colts (1893)
Cincinnati Reds (1893)

As Manager

St. Louis Browns (1892)

Career highlights and awards

American Association ERA champion: 1885

[Old Sweater]

Third Team, Pitcher, John Clarkson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Clarkson

John Gibson Clarkson (July 1, 1861 – February 4, 1909) was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played from 1882 to 1894. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Clarkson played for the Worcester Ruby Legs (1882), Chicago White Stockings (1884–1887), Boston Beaneaters (1888–1892), and Cleveland Spiders (1892–1894).

He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963.

Career overview

Clarkson compiled a career 328-178 record, placing him twelfth on the MLB list of all-time wins. Clarkson pitched over 600 innings in a season twice and won a career-high 53 games in 1885. In MLB history, only Charles Radbourn has won more games in a single season (59 in 1884). In just five seasons from 1885 to 1889, Clarkson won 209 games.

Clarkson had a wide variety of curve balls and was considered to be a calculating, scientific pitcher who carefully analyzed every hitter's weaknesses. Hall of Fame hitter Sam Thompson said of Clarkson: “I faced him in scores of games and I can truthfully say that never in all that time did I get a pitch that came where I expected it or in the way in which I guessed it was coming.”[1]

At the time Clarkson retired from the game, he was the winningest pitcher in National League history.[1]

Aside from being a great pitcher, Clarkson was also a fair hitter. His 24 career home runs (in the deadball era) ranks 7th on the all-time MLB home run list for pitchers. He also had 232 career RBIs and 254 runs scored.

Total Baseball ranked Clarkson as the fourth best pitcher of all time behind Hall of Famers Cy Young, Christy Mathewson and Lefty Grove,[2] though Bill James ranks him much lower, at No. 42, in his The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.

After the 1893 season, Clarkson went on a hunting trip with his close friend Charlie Bennett, who had been his catcher from 1888 to 1890. Bennett got off the train in Wellsville, Kansas and when he tried to reboard, Bennett slipped and fell under the train’s wheels. Bennett lost both of his legs in the accident. Clarkson witnessed the incident, and it was said to have severely affected his already unstable nature.

In 1894, Clarkson pitched his final year in the major leagues, playing his last game on July 12, 1894 and finishing 8-10 in 18 starts for the Spiders.

Clarkson's election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963 was by the Veterans Committee.

Teams

Worcester Ruby Legs (1882)
Chicago White Stockings (1884-1887)
Boston Beaneaters (1888-1892)
Cleveland Spiders (1892-1894)

Career highlights and awards

National League pitching Triple Crown (1889)
Twelfth on all-time MLB wins list
NL ERA champion: 1889
NL wins champion: 1885, 1887, 1889
NL strikeout champion: 1885, 1887, 1889
Six 30-win seasons (1885–1889 and 1891)
53 wins in 1885 is second most in MLB history
Two seasons with 600 innings pitched (1885 and 1889)

HOF, Veterans Committee, 1963

This concludes the Bill James 1880-1889 All Decade Team.

1890-1899 All Decade Team is on deck.