John Clarkson, baseball player, 1882-1894

John Clarkson

⭐ Hall of Fame 1963

Born: 7/1/1861 in Cambridge, MA, USA

Died: 2/4/1909 in Belmont, MA, USA

MLB Debut: 1882-05-02 | Final Game: 1894-07-12

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 155 lbs

Full name: John Gibson Clarkson

Biography

John Clarkson, born in 1861, was a prominent pitcher who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1882 to 1894. Renowned for his impressive skills on the mound, Clarkson finished his career with a record of 328 wins and 178 losses, boasting an earned run average (ERA) of 2.81. Over the course of his career, he recorded a total of 1,978 strikeouts and secured 5 saves, establishing himself as one of the premier pitchers of his era. Clarkson's contributions to the game were particularly significant during a time when baseball was transitioning into a more offense-driven sport, and his pitching prowess helped to shape the strategies of teams in the late 19th century. Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963, Clarkson's legacy endures as one of the early greats of the game. He was known for his durability and ability to pitch complete games, which was a hallmark of the era before the modern bullpen became prevalent. His accomplishments not only highlighted his individual talent but also reflected the competitive spirit of the league during his playing days. As one of the dominant pitchers of his time, Clarkson's influence is still felt in the way pitching is approached in the game today.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
328 178 531 518 485 37 5 4536.3 4295 1417 159 1191 1978 2.81 0

Season-by-Season Pitching

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
546 1974 254 432 73 26 24 232 31 81 382 0.219 0.250 0.319 0.569 -5403.6

Season-by-Season Batting

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
10 36 2 5 1 0 1 4 0 3 0.139

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1892 CS CL4 2 8 1 2 0 0 1 3 0 1 0.250
1886 WS CHN 4 15 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0.067
1885 WS CHN 4 13 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.154

Playoff Career Pitching

W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
2 5 8 8 0 64.0 64 19 18 52 2.67

Playoff Pitching by Year

Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1892 CS CL4 0 2 2 2 0 17.0 24 10 5 9 5.29
1886 WS CHN 2 2 4 4 0 31.0 25 7 12 28 2.03
1885 WS CHN 0 1 2 2 0 16.0 15 2 1 15 1.12

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 2 0 3 0 3 0
3B 4 0 0 3 2 0
OF 27 0 15 5 11 1
P 531 0 221 1143 162 44

Season-by-Season Fielding

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 531
First Base 2
Third Base 4
Left Field 4
Center Field 1
Right Field 20

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1889 Pitching Triple Crown