Willis Cole
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1909-1910)
Willis Cole was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1909 to 1910 for the Chicago White Sox, a span of 2 seasons. In 68 career games, he hit .216 with 53 hits and 18 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'8" / 170 lb
- Died
- 10/11/1965 in Madison, WI, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1909-08-22
- Last Game
- 1910-06-13
Full name: Willis Russell Cole
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 68 | 245 | 23 | 53 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 20 | 35 | .216 | .281 | .286 | .567 | -348 |
Career AVG .216 vs. league average .247 across their career seasons — 12.4% below league average.
Career OBP .281 vs. league average .312 across their career seasons — 10.0% below league average.
Career SLG .286 vs. league average .320 across their career seasons — 10.6% below league average.
Career OPS .567 vs. league average .632 across their career seasons — 10.3% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 | CHA | AL | 46 | 165 | 17 | 39 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 3 | 16 | 19 | .236 | .244 (-3%) | .306 (avg) | .312 (+1%) | .618 (+1%) | 14.9 |
| 1910 | CHA | AL | 22 | 80 | 6 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 16 | .175 | .249 (-30%) | .317 (-30%) | .326 (-31%) | .644 (-30%) | -363.3 |
| Career · 2 seasons | 68 | 245 | 23 | 53 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 20 | 35 | .216 | — | — | — | — | -348 | ||
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 (69 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 26 | 83 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 8 | .205 |
| Away | 43 | 162 | 18 | 36 | 0 | 13 | .222 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910-06-13 | CHW | MIN | W | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1910-06-12 | CHW | MIN | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1910-05-28 | CHW | DET | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1910-05-27 | CHW | NYY | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1910-05-26 | CHW | NYY | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1910-05-25 | CHW | NYY | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1910-05-24 | CHW | NYY | L | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1910-05-23 | CHW | BOS | W | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 1910-05-20 | CHW | BOS | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1910-05-19 | CHW | BOS | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 1 |
| Center Field | 68 |
Willis Cole: the record in brief
According to the bio, Willis Cole debuted on August 22, 1909 and played a final game on June 13, 1910. All of the seasons listed were played for the Chicago White Sox. Cole, born on January 6, 1882, in Milton Junction, WI, USA, is listed as an outfielder and both batted and threw right-handed. Size on record: 5 feet, 8 inches and 170 pounds. The bio records the death on October 11, 1965, in Madison, WI, USA. Cole's full given name, per the bio, is Willis Russell Cole.
In 68 games and 245 at bats, Cole batted .216 with 53 hits, along with 18 RBI. Cole's career OPS of .567 combines a .281 on-base mark with .286 slugging. Measured against the leagues Cole played in, the .216 career average compares with a .247 league average over the same seasons, 12.4% below the league. 1909 produced Cole's most hits, 39 of them for the Chicago White Sox. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .236 in 1909, did not top the league's .244.
Frequently Asked Questions about Willis Cole
- What years did Willis Cole play?
- Willis Cole played in Major League Baseball from 1909 to 1910.
- Was Willis Cole a pitcher?
- No. Willis Cole was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Willis Cole hit?
- Willis Cole hit 0 career home runs with 53 hits.
- What teams did Willis Cole play for?
- Willis Cole played for one team, the Chicago White Sox (1909–1910).
- What were Willis Cole's career stats?
- In 68 games, Willis Cole had 53 hits, 18 RBI, 23 runs, and 3 stolen bases, with a .216 batting average.
- What position did Willis Cole play?
- Willis Cole played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Willis Cole and how much did he weigh?
- Willis Cole was listed at 5 feet 8 inches and 170 pounds.
- What was Willis Cole's career batting average?
- Willis Cole batted .216 over his career, with 53 hits in 245 at bats.
- How many RBI did Willis Cole have?
- Willis Cole drove in 18 runs in his career.
- Is Willis Cole in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Willis Cole has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.