Billy Alvord
Third Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1885-1893)
Billy Alvord was a third baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1885 to 1893 for 5 teams, including the St. Louis Maroons, a span of 9 seasons. In 265 career games, he hit .253 with 270 hits, 3 home runs, and 109 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Third Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 187 lb
- Died
- 4/7/1927 in St. Petersburg, FL, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1885-04-30
- Last Game
- 1893-07-08
Full name: William Crawford Alvord
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 265 | 1,069 | 129 | 270 | 31 | 30 | 3 | 109 | 27 | 44 | 83 | .253 | .283 | .346 | .629 | -1,634 |
Career AVG .253 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .283 vs. league average .330 across their career seasons — 14.4% below league average.
Career SLG .346 vs. league average .351 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .629 vs. league average .681 across their career seasons — 7.7% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | SL5 | NL | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1889 | KC2 | AA | 50 | 186 | 23 | 43 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 10 | 35 | .231 | .263 (-12%) | .334 (-19%) | .357 (+4%) | .691 (-7%) | -322.6 |
| 1890 | TL2 | AA | 116 | 495 | 69 | 135 | 13 | 16 | 2 | 52 | 21 | 22 | 0 | .273 | .260 (+5%) | .336 (-10%) | .351 (+7%) | .687 (-1%) | -325.8 |
| 1891 | CL4 | NL | 13 | 59 | 7 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .288 | .254 (+13%) | .331 (-10%) | .343 (+28%) | .675 (+10%) | 44.9 |
| 1891 | WS9 | AA | 81 | 312 | 28 | 73 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 3 | 11 | 38 | .234 | .254 (-8%) | .331 (-22%) | .343 (-19%) | .675 (-20%) | 44.9 |
| 1893 | CL4 | NL | 3 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .167 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 6 seasons | 265 | 1,069 | 129 | 270 | 31 | 30 | 3 | 109 | 27 | 44 | 83 | .253 | — | — | — | — | -559 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 8 |
| Third Base | 249 |
| Shortstop | 8 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Billy Alvord (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Billy Alvord: the record in brief
Billy Alvord's major league career runs from a debut on April 30, 1885 to a final game on July 8, 1893. By club, Alvord's seasons break down as the St. Louis Maroons (1885), the Kansas City Cowboys (1889), the Toledo Maumees (1890), the Cleveland Spiders (1891 to 1893), and the Washington Statesmen (1891). Listed as a third baseman, Alvord batted and threw right-handed. The recorded size is 5 feet, 10 inches and 187 pounds. The birth record reads August 10, 1863, in St. Louis, MO, USA. Alvord's death is recorded on April 7, 1927, in St. Petersburg, FL, USA. The bio lists the given name William Crawford.
Across 265 games at the plate, Alvord's career line reads 270 hits in 1,069 at bats for a .253 average, adding 3 home runs, 109 runs batted in, and 27 stolen bases. On-base and slugging figures of .283 and .346 give Alvord a career OPS of .629. Against a .260 league average for those years, Alvord's .253 average was near the norm. The OPS comparison is .629 to a league .681, 7.7% below average. The hits column peaks at 135, in 1890.
Frequently Asked Questions about Billy Alvord
- What years did Billy Alvord play?
- Billy Alvord played in Major League Baseball from 1885 to 1893.
- Was Billy Alvord a pitcher?
- No. Billy Alvord was a position player (Third Baseman).
- How many home runs did Billy Alvord hit?
- Billy Alvord hit 3 career home runs with 270 hits.
- What teams did Billy Alvord play for?
- Billy Alvord played for 5 teams: the St. Louis Maroons (1885), the Kansas City Cowboys (1889), the Toledo Maumees (1890), the Cleveland Spiders (1891, 1893), and the Washington Statesmen (1891).
- What were Billy Alvord's career stats?
- In 265 games, Billy Alvord had 270 hits, 3 home runs, 109 RBI, 129 runs, and 27 stolen bases, with a .253 batting average.
- What position did Billy Alvord play?
- Billy Alvord played primarily as a third baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Billy Alvord and how much did he weigh?
- Billy Alvord was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 187 pounds.
- How many home runs did Billy Alvord hit each season?
- Billy Alvord's home runs by season: 0 in 1885, 0 in 1889, 2 in 1890, 1 in 1891, and 0 in 1893. His most in one season was 2, in 1890.
- What was Billy Alvord's career batting average?
- Billy Alvord batted .253 over his career, with 270 hits in 1,069 at bats.
- How many RBI did Billy Alvord have?
- Billy Alvord drove in 109 runs in his career.
- Is Billy Alvord in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Billy Alvord has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.