Jim Bolger
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1950-1959)
Jim Bolger was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1950 to 1959 for 4 teams, including the Cincinnati Reds, a span of 10 seasons. In 312 career games, he hit .229 with 140 hits, 6 home runs, and 48 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 180 lb
- Died
- 4/9/2020 in Green Township, OH, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1950-06-24
- Last Game
- 1959-09-18
Full name: James Cyril Bolger
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 312 | 612 | 65 | 140 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 48 | 3 | 32 | 83 | .229 | .272 | .301 | .572 | -1,924 |
Career AVG .229 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 11.9% below league average.
Career OBP .272 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — 18.0% below league average.
Career SLG .301 vs. league average .393 across their career seasons — 23.4% below league average.
Career OPS .572 vs. league average .724 across their career seasons — 21.0% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | CIN | NL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1951 | CIN | NL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1954 | CIN | NL | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1955 | CHN | NL | 64 | 160 | 19 | 33 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 17 | .206 | .258 (-20%) | .332 (-23%) | .393 (-27%) | .726 (-25%) | -667.2 |
| 1957 | CHN | NL | 112 | 273 | 28 | 75 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 29 | 0 | 10 | 36 | .275 | .257 (+7%) | .323 (-6%) | .391 (-10%) | .715 (-8%) | -388.6 |
| 1958 | CHN | NL | 84 | 120 | 15 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 20 | .225 | .257 (-13%) | .324 (-12%) | .394 (-24%) | .719 (-19%) | -348.6 |
| 1959 | CLE | AL | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1959 | PHI | NL | 35 | 48 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | .083 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 8 seasons | 312 | 612 | 65 | 140 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 48 | 3 | 32 | 83 | .229 | — | — | — | — | -1,404 | ||
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.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (312 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 150 | 289 | 32 | 67 | 4 | 24 | .232 |
| Away | 162 | 324 | 34 | 74 | 2 | 24 | .228 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959-09-18 | PHI | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959-09-17 | PHI | CHC | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959-09-15 | PHI | STL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1959-09-10 | PHI | LAD | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959-09-05 | PHI | PIT | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959-08-24 | PHI | LAD | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959-08-21 | PHI | SFG | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959-08-20 | PHI | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959-08-15 | PHI | CIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959-08-12 | PHI | PIT | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Third Base | 3 |
| Left Field | 62 |
| Center Field | 88 |
| Right Field | 24 |
Jim Bolger: the record in brief
Between the debut on June 24, 1950 and the final game on September 18, 1959, Jim Bolger built the record summarized on this page. Club by club, the record runs the Cincinnati Reds (1950 to 1951), the Cincinnati Redlegs (1954), the Chicago Cubs (1955 through 1958), the Cleveland Indians (1959), and the Philadelphia Phillies (1959). At 6 feet, 2 inches and 180 pounds, Bolger is listed as an outfielder. The bio says Bolger threw and hit right-handed. The recorded birth is February 23, 1932, in Cincinnati, OH, USA. Bolger died on April 9, 2020, in Green Township, OH, USA. The bio lists the given name James Cyril.
Bolger collected 140 hits in 612 at bats across 312 games, good for a .229 batting average, plus 6 home runs and 48 RBI. Bolger got on base at a .272 rate and slugged .301 (.572 OPS). Bolger's .229 average ran 11.9% below the .260 that the league posted over the same seasons. The hits column peaks at 75, in 1957. In 1957, a season of regular play, Bolger hit .275 while the league hit .257.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jim Bolger
- What years did Jim Bolger play?
- Jim Bolger played in Major League Baseball from 1950 to 1959.
- Was Jim Bolger a pitcher?
- No. Jim Bolger was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Jim Bolger hit?
- Jim Bolger hit 6 career home runs with 140 hits.
- What teams did Jim Bolger play for?
- Jim Bolger played for 4 teams: the Cincinnati Redlegs (1950–1951, 1954), the Chicago Cubs (1955, 1957–1958), the Cleveland Indians (1959), and the Philadelphia Phillies (1959).
- What were Jim Bolger's career stats?
- In 312 games, Jim Bolger had 140 hits, 6 home runs, 48 RBI, 65 runs, and 3 stolen bases, with a .229 batting average.
- What position did Jim Bolger play?
- Jim Bolger played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Jim Bolger and how much did he weigh?
- Jim Bolger was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 180 pounds.
- How many home runs did Jim Bolger hit each season?
- Jim Bolger's home runs by season: 0 in 1950, 0 in 1954, 0 in 1955, 5 in 1957, 1 in 1958, and 0 in 1959. His most in one season was 5, in 1957.
- What was Jim Bolger's career batting average?
- Jim Bolger batted .229 over his career, with 140 hits in 612 at bats.
- How many RBI did Jim Bolger have?
- Jim Bolger drove in 48 runs in his career.
- Is Jim Bolger in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jim Bolger has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.