Howdy Caton
Shortstop · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1917-1920)
Howdy Caton was a shortstop who played in Major League Baseball from 1917 to 1920 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, a span of 4 seasons. In 231 career games, he hit .226 with 184 hits and 53 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
- Shortstop
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'6" / 165 lb
- Died
- 1/8/1948 in Zanesville, OH, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1917-09-17
- Last Game
- 1920-09-06
Full name: James Howard Caton
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 231 | 814 | 85 | 184 | 18 | 16 | 0 | 53 | 18 | 83 | 52 | .226 | .301 | .287 | .588 | -1,405 |
Career AVG .226 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 13.1% below league average.
Career OBP .301 vs. league average .322 across their career seasons — 6.6% below league average.
Career SLG .287 vs. league average .341 across their career seasons — 15.8% below league average.
Career OPS .588 vs. league average .663 across their career seasons — 11.3% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1917 | PIT | NL | 14 | 57 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 7 | .211 | .248 (-15%) | .312 (-9%) | .323 (-8%) | .635 (-8%) | -72.2 |
| 1918 | PIT | NL | 80 | 303 | 37 | 71 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 12 | 32 | 16 | .234 | .255 (-8%) | .318 (-2%) | .326 (-9%) | .645 (-6%) | -222.8 |
| 1919 | PIT | NL | 39 | 102 | 13 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 10 | .176 | .262 (-33%) | .322 (-18%) | .347 (-35%) | .670 (-27%) | -401.6 |
| 1920 | PIT | NL | 98 | 352 | 29 | 83 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 27 | 4 | 33 | 19 | .236 | .271 (-13%) | .331 (-8%) | .363 (-19%) | .694 (-14%) | -708.2 |
| Career · 4 seasons | 231 | 814 | 85 | 184 | 18 | 16 | 0 | 53 | 18 | 83 | 52 | .226 | — | — | — | — | -1,405 | ||
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 (232 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 123 | 453 | 44 | 107 | 0 | 33 | .236 |
| Away | 109 | 361 | 41 | 78 | 0 | 25 | .216 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920-09-06 | PIT | CHC | L | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920-09-05 | PIT | CHC | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1920-09-04 | PIT | CHC | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1920-09-03 | PIT | CHC | L | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1920-09-02 | PIT | NY1 | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920-09-01 | PIT | NY1 | W | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920-08-15 | PIT | STL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920-08-15 | PIT | STL | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1920-08-14 | PIT | STL | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920-08-13 | PIT | STL | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Third Base | 15 |
| Shortstop | 206 |
| Center Field | 1 |
Howdy Caton: the record in brief
Between the debut on September 17, 1917 and the final game on September 6, 1920, Howdy Caton built the record summarized on this page. All of the seasons listed were played for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Caton, born on July 16, 1894, in Zanesville, OH, USA, is listed as a shortstop and threw and hit right-handed. The bio gives 5-foot-6 and 165 pounds. Caton died on January 8, 1948, in Zanesville, OH, USA. Caton's full given name, per the bio, is James Howard Caton.
Across 231 games at the plate, Caton's career line reads 184 hits in 814 at bats for a .226 average; the totals also include 53 runs batted in. On-base and slugging figures of .301 and .287 give Caton a career OPS of .588. Measured against the leagues Caton played in, the .226 career average compares with a .260 league average over the same seasons, 13.1% below the league. In OPS terms, Caton's .588 stands 11.3% below the league's .663. No season topped the 83 hits of 1920. Caton drove in a season-high 27 runs in 1920. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .236 in 1920, did not top the league's .271.
Frequently Asked Questions about Howdy Caton
- What years did Howdy Caton play?
- Howdy Caton played in Major League Baseball from 1917 to 1920.
- Was Howdy Caton a pitcher?
- No. Howdy Caton was a position player (Shortstop).
- How many home runs did Howdy Caton hit?
- Howdy Caton hit 0 career home runs with 184 hits.
- What was Howdy Caton's career batting average?
- Howdy Caton batted .226 over his career, with 184 hits in 814 at bats.
- How many RBI did Howdy Caton have?
- Howdy Caton drove in 53 runs in his career.
- Is Howdy Caton in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Howdy Caton has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.