Ice Box Chamberlain
Born: 11/5/1867 in Buffalo, NY, USA
Died: 9/22/1929 in Baltimore, MD, USA
MLB Debut: 1886-09-13 | Final Game: 1896-05-13
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 168 lbs
Full name: Elton P. Chamberlain
Biography
Ice Box Chamberlain, born in 1867, was a prominent pitcher in Major League Baseball during the late 19th century. His career spanned from 1886 to May 13, 1896, a period characterized by the transition from the deadball era to the more offensive-minded approaches of the early 1900s. Chamberlain established himself as a formidable presence on the mound, finishing his career with a record of 157 wins and 120 losses. His earned run average (ERA) stood at 3.57, a respectable figure for a pitcher of his time, reflecting both his effectiveness and durability.
Throughout his career, Chamberlain was known for his competitive spirit and ability to rack up strikeouts, totaling 1,133 over his time in the league. He also contributed to his teams with a single save, showcasing his versatility in high-pressure situations. Chamberlain's impact on the game during a pivotal era of baseball history helped lay the groundwork for future generations of pitchers, as he navigated the evolving landscape of the sport and its growing emphasis on pitching strategy.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 157 | 120 | 321 | 301 | 264 | 16 | 1 | 2521.7 | 2446 | 999 | 63 | 1065 | 1133 | 3.57 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 | LS2 | AA | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 31.3 | 39 | 23 | 17 | 18 | 6.61 | -165.6 |
| 1887 | LS2 | AA | 18 | 16 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 309.0 | 340 | 130 | 117 | 118 | 3.79 | 423.3 |
| 1888 | LS2 | AA | 14 | 9 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 196.0 | 178 | 55 | 59 | 119 | 2.53 | 1909.0 |
| 1888 | SL4 | AA | 11 | 2 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 112.0 | 61 | 20 | 27 | 57 | 1.61 | 1092.0 |
| 1889 | SL4 | AA | 32 | 15 | 53 | 51 | 44 | 3 | 1 | 421.7 | 376 | 139 | 165 | 202 | 2.97 | 409.0 |
| 1890 | CL6 | AA | 12 | 6 | 25 | 21 | 19 | 6 | 0 | 175.0 | 128 | 43 | 70 | 114 | 2.21 | 3574.9 |
| 1890 | SL4 | AA | 3 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 35.0 | 47 | 23 | 26 | 14 | 5.91 | -734.7 |
| 1891 | PH4 | AA | 22 | 23 | 49 | 46 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 405.7 | 397 | 190 | 206 | 204 | 4.22 | 755.8 |
| 1892 | CIN | NL | 19 | 23 | 52 | 49 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 406.3 | 391 | 153 | 170 | 169 | 3.39 | 498.1 |
| 1893 | CIN | NL | 16 | 12 | 34 | 27 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 241.0 | 248 | 100 | 112 | 59 | 3.73 | 1042.4 |
| 1894 | CIN | NL | 10 | 9 | 23 | 22 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 177.7 | 220 | 114 | 91 | 57 | 5.77 | -1467.1 |
| 1896 | CL4 | NL | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11.0 | 21 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 7.36 | -57.1 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 332 | 1051 | 114 | 213 | 33 | 14 | 9 | 110 | 27 | 85 | 125 | 0.203 | 0.267 | 0.286 | 0.553 | -3192.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 | LS2 | AA | 6 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.158 | 0.0 |
| 1887 | LS2 | AA | 37 | 131 | 14 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 12 | 13 | 0.198 | -593.0 |
| 1888 | LS2 | AA | 26 | 94 | 11 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 0.191 | -226.1 |
| 1888 | SL4 | AA | 14 | 50 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0.100 | -226.1 |
| 1889 | SL4 | AA | 53 | 171 | 18 | 34 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 31 | 3 | 12 | 32 | 0.199 | -548.6 |
| 1890 | CL6 | AA | 25 | 65 | 8 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0.231 | -155.8 |
| 1890 | SL4 | AA | 5 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.133 | -155.8 |
| 1891 | PH4 | AA | 54 | 176 | 21 | 33 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 19 | 3 | 21 | 33 | 0.188 | -474.8 |
| 1892 | CIN | NL | 53 | 160 | 13 | 36 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 17 | 0.225 | -414.1 |
| 1893 | CIN | NL | 34 | 97 | 9 | 19 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 0.196 | -545.5 |
| 1894 | CIN | NL | 23 | 70 | 10 | 22 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 0.314 | 62.8 |
| 1896 | CL4 | NL | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | WS | SL4 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 44.0 | 52 | 26 | 16 | 13 | 5.32 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | WS | SL4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 44.0 | 52 | 26 | 16 | 13 | 5.32 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 16 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| P | 321 | 0 | 105 | 461 | 54 | 5 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 | LS2 | P | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 1886 | LS2 | OF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1887 | LS2 | P | 36 | 0 | 12 | 65 | 10 | 2 |
| 1887 | LS2 | OF | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1888 | LS2 | P | 24 | 0 | 9 | 45 | 3 | 0 |
| 1888 | LS2 | OF | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1888 | SL4 | P | 14 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 1888 | SL4 | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1889 | SL4 | P | 53 | 0 | 15 | 67 | 7 | 0 |
| 1889 | SL4 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1890 | CL6 | P | 25 | 0 | 6 | 25 | 4 | 0 |
| 1890 | SL4 | P | 5 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1891 | PH4 | P | 49 | 0 | 20 | 89 | 10 | 2 |
| 1891 | PH4 | OF | 6 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1892 | CIN | P | 52 | 0 | 16 | 67 | 9 | 0 |
| 1892 | CIN | OF | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1893 | CIN | P | 34 | 0 | 8 | 46 | 5 | 0 |
| 1894 | CIN | P | 23 | 0 | 6 | 28 | 3 | 1 |
| 1896 | CL4 | P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 321 |
| Second Base | 1 |
| Left Field | 3 |
| Center Field | 2 |
| Right Field | 11 |