Buttons Briggs
Born: 7/8/1875 in Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
Died: 2/18/1911 in Cleveland, OH, USA
MLB Debut: 1896-04-23 | Final Game: 1905-09-25
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Herbert Theodore Briggs
Biography
Buttons Briggs was a professional baseball pitcher who played from 1896 until 1905. Born in 1875, he made his mark during a transitional period in baseball, moving from the tail end of the deadball era into a time when the game began to embrace more offensive strategies. Over the course of his career, Briggs compiled a win-loss record of 44-47 and maintained an earned run average (ERA) of 3.41, indicating his effectiveness on the mound during a time when scoring was often low and pitching dominated the game.
Briggs was known for his competitive spirit and ability to strike out batters, finishing his career with 338 strikeouts. Though he recorded only 4 saves, his contributions to his teams were significant and often reflected in high-pressure situations. As a member of the early 20th-century baseball landscape, he navigated the challenges of a rapidly changing sport and left a legacy that captured the spirit of a game in evolution. His career spanned nearly a decade, and while he may not be as widely recognized as some of his contemporaries, his role as a pitcher during this formative era of baseball remains an important part of the sport's history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 47 | 106 | 97 | 84 | 8 | 4 | 855.7 | 879 | 324 | 16 | 332 | 338 | 3.41 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 | CHC | NL | 12 | 8 | 26 | 21 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 194.0 | 202 | 93 | 108 | 84 | 4.31 | - |
| 1897 | CHC | NL | 4 | 17 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 186.7 | 246 | 109 | 85 | 60 | 5.26 | - |
| 1898 | CHC | NL | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 30.0 | 38 | 19 | 10 | 14 | 5.70 | - |
| 1904 | CHC | NL | 19 | 11 | 34 | 30 | 28 | 3 | 3 | 277.0 | 252 | 63 | 77 | 112 | 2.05 | - |
| 1905 | CHC | NL | 8 | 8 | 20 | 20 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 168.0 | 141 | 40 | 52 | 68 | 2.14 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 106 | 324 | 19 | 48 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 19 | 66 | 0.148 | 0.195 | 0.182 | 0.377 | -2420.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 | CHC | NL | 26 | 78 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0.128 | -675.3 |
| 1897 | CHC | NL | 22 | 81 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 0.160 | -692.0 |
| 1898 | CHC | NL | 4 | 14 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.429 | 0.0 |
| 1904 | CHC | NL | 34 | 94 | 6 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 26 | 0.170 | -442.7 |
| 1905 | CHC | NL | 20 | 57 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 0.053 | -610.5 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 106 | 50 | 42 | 160 | 9 | 2 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 | CHN | P | 26 | 0 | 6 | 29 | 4 | 0 |
| 1897 | CHN | P | 22 | 0 | 8 | 35 | 1 | 0 |
| 1898 | CHN | P | 4 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 1904 | CHN | P | 34 | 30 | 16 | 54 | 0 | 2 |
| 1905 | CHN | P | 20 | 20 | 11 | 36 | 2 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 106 |