Jim Burns
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1888-1891)
Jim Burns was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1888 to 1891 for the Kansas City Cowboys and the Washington Statesmen, a span of 4 seasons. In 169 career games, he hit .305 with 222 hits, 5 home runs, and 111 RBI. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 863.
- 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 / —
- Height / Weight
- 5'7" / 168 lb
- Died
- 2/17/1909 in Chicago, IL, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1888-09-25
- Last Game
- 1891-05-22
Full name: James Milton Burns
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 169 | 727 | 131 | 222 | 29 | 11 | 5 | 111 | 64 | 27 | 81 | .305 | .341 | .396 | .737 | 863 |
Career AVG .305 vs. league average .252 across their career seasons — +21.1% above league average.
Career OBP .341 vs. league average .319 across their career seasons — +6.7% above league average.
Career SLG .396 vs. league average .340 across their career seasons — +16.4% above league average.
Career OPS .737 vs. league average .660 across their career seasons — +11.7% above 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | KC2 | AA | 15 | 66 | 13 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 3 | .303 | .238 (+27%) | .290 (+18%) | .319 (-5%) | .610 (+6%) | 77.7 |
| 1889 | KC2 | AA | 134 | 579 | 103 | 176 | 23 | 11 | 5 | 97 | 56 | 20 | 68 | .304 | .263 (+15%) | .334 (avg) | .357 (+14%) | .691 (+7%) | 603.4 |
| 1891 | WS9 | AA | 20 | 82 | 15 | 26 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 10 | .317 | .254 (+25%) | .331 (+14%) | .343 (+14%) | .675 (+14%) | 182.0 |
| Career · 3 seasons | 169 | 727 | 131 | 222 | 29 | 11 | 5 | 111 | 64 | 27 | 81 | .305 | — | — | — | — | 863 | ||
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 |
|---|---|
| Third Base | 1 |
| Shortstop | 1 |
| Left Field | 15 |
| Center Field | 139 |
| Right Field | 16 |
Jim Burns: the record in brief
The profile opens with Jim Burns's first major league game on September 25, 1888; the last one listed came on May 22, 1891. Burns played for the Kansas City Cowboys (1888 to 1889) and the Washington Statesmen (1891). Burns played primarily as an outfielder. Burns was listed at 168 pounds on a 5-foot-7 frame. The bio records the death on February 17, 1909, in Chicago, IL, USA. Burns's full given name, per the bio, is James Milton Burns.
In 169 games and 727 at bats, Burns batted .305 with 222 hits, along with 5 home runs, 111 RBI, and 64 stolen bases. Burns's career OPS of .737 combines a .341 on-base mark with .396 slugging. The league as a whole hit .252 across Burns's seasons, which puts the .305 career mark 21.1% above average. 1889 produced Burns's most hits, 176 of them for the Kansas City Cowboys. 1889 brought a season-best 56 stolen bases. The Lg AVG column puts Burns's 1889 at .304 against .263, the widest margin among the busiest seasons at 15%.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jim Burns
- What years did Jim Burns play?
- Jim Burns played in Major League Baseball from 1888 to 1891.
- Was Jim Burns a pitcher?
- No. Jim Burns was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Jim Burns hit?
- Jim Burns hit 5 career home runs with 222 hits.
- What teams did Jim Burns play for?
- Jim Burns played for 2 teams: the Kansas City Cowboys (1888–1889) and the Washington Statesmen (1891).
- What were Jim Burns's career stats?
- In 169 games, Jim Burns had 222 hits, 5 home runs, 111 RBI, 131 runs, and 64 stolen bases, with a .305 batting average.
- What position did Jim Burns play?
- Jim Burns played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Jim Burns and how much did he weigh?
- Jim Burns was listed at 5 feet 7 inches and 168 pounds.
- How many home runs did Jim Burns hit each season?
- Jim Burns's home runs by season: 0 in 1888, 5 in 1889, and 0 in 1891. His most in one season was 5, in 1889.
- What was Jim Burns's career batting average?
- Jim Burns batted .305 over his career, with 222 hits in 727 at bats.
- How many RBI did Jim Burns have?
- Jim Burns drove in 111 runs in his career.
- Is Jim Burns in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jim Burns has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.