Dick Butler
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1897-1899)
Dick Butler was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1897 to 1899 for the Louisville Colonels and the Washington Nationals, a span of 3 seasons. In 22 career games, he hit .230 with 17 hits and 3 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
- Catcher
- Born
- 1869 in Brooklyn, NY, USA
- Died
- 7/16/1917 in New York, NY, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1897-06-16
- Last Game
- 1899-06-28
Full name: Richard Henry Butler
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | 74 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | .230 | .250 | .257 | .507 | 0 |
Career AVG .230 vs. league average .287 across their career seasons — 19.9% below league average.
Career OBP .250 vs. league average .349 across their career seasons — 28.3% below league average.
Career SLG .257 vs. league average .376 across their career seasons — 31.8% below league average.
Career OPS .507 vs. league average .725 across their career seasons — 30.1% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1897 | LS3 | NL | 10 | 38 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .184 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1899 | WAS | NL | 12 | 36 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .278 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 2 seasons | 22 | 74 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | .230 | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
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 (12 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 4 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .375 |
| Away | 8 | 28 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1899-06-28 | WSN | CIN | L | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1899-06-26 | WSN | LS3 | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899-06-25 | WSN | LS3 | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1899-06-25 | WSN | LS3 | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899-06-23 | WSN | LS3 | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899-06-22 | WSN | STL | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1899-06-21 | WSN | STL | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1899-06-19 | WSN | STL | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1899-06-14 | WSN | BLN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1899-06-13 | WSN | PHI | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 21 |
Dick Butler: the record in brief
Between the debut on June 16, 1897 and the final game on June 28, 1899, Dick Butler built the record summarized on this page. The season rows list, in order, the Louisville Colonels (1897) and the Washington Senators (1899). Butler is listed as a catcher. The recorded birth is in 1869, in Brooklyn, NY, USA. Butler died on July 16, 1917, in New York, NY, USA. The given name on file is Richard Henry Butler.
In 22 games and 74 at bats, Butler batted .230 with 17 hits, along with 3 runs batted in. On-base and slugging figures of .250 and .257 give Butler a career OPS of .507. Measured against the leagues Butler played in, the .230 career average compares with a .287 league average over the same seasons, 19.9% below the league. In OPS terms, Butler's .507 stands 30.1% below the league's .725. Butler collected a career-high 10 hits in 1899. The best average in the busiest seasons was .278, in 1899.
Every defensive appearance on record for Butler, 21 games, came at catcher. Fielding behind the plate produced 44 putouts and 25 assists against 12 errors.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dick Butler
- What years did Dick Butler play?
- Dick Butler played in Major League Baseball from 1897 to 1899.
- Was Dick Butler a pitcher?
- No. Dick Butler was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Dick Butler hit?
- Dick Butler hit 0 career home runs with 17 hits.
- What teams did Dick Butler play for?
- Dick Butler played for 2 teams: the Louisville Colonels (1897) and the Washington Senators (1899).
- What were Dick Butler's career stats?
- In 22 games, Dick Butler had 17 hits, 3 RBI, 7 runs, and 2 stolen bases, with a .230 batting average.
- What position did Dick Butler play?
- Dick Butler played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- What was Dick Butler's career batting average?
- Dick Butler batted .230 over his career, with 17 hits in 74 at bats.
- How many RBI did Dick Butler have?
- Dick Butler drove in 3 runs in his career.
- Is Dick Butler in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Dick Butler has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.