Bill Craver
Second Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1871-1877)
Bill Craver was a second baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1871 to 1877 for 7 teams, including the Troy Haymakers, a span of 7 seasons. In 339 career games, he hit .290 with 455 hits, 2 home runs, and 228 RBI. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 2,151.
- 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
- Second Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'9" / 160 lb
- Born
- 1844 in Troy, NY, USA
- Died
- 6/17/1901 in Troy, NY, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1871-05-09
- Last Game
- 1877-10-05
Full name: William H. Craver
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 339 | 1,567 | 330 | 455 | 63 | 33 | 2 | 228 | 40 | 27 | 34 | .290 | .302 | .377 | .679 | 2,151 |
Career AVG .290 vs. league average .273 across their career seasons — +6.5% above league average.
Career OBP .302 vs. league average .285 across their career seasons — +6.1% above league average.
Career SLG .377 vs. league average .336 across their career seasons — +12.0% above league average.
Career OPS .679 vs. league average .621 across their career seasons — +9.3% above 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1871 | TRO | 27 | 118 | 26 | 38 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 6 | 3 | 0 | .322 | .286 (+12%) | .311 (+9%) | .383 (+6%) | .695 (+7%) | 140.4 | |
| 1872 | BL1 | 35 | 178 | 55 | 50 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 9 | 5 | 2 | .281 | .285 (-1%) | .296 (+1%) | .347 (-5%) | .644 (-2%) | -36.2 | |
| 1873 | BL1 | 41 | 197 | 45 | 57 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 5 | 2 | 3 | .289 | .290 (avg) | .304 (-3%) | .357 (+2%) | .661 (avg) | -19.1 | |
| 1874 | PH2 | 55 | 265 | 68 | 91 | 19 | 11 | 0 | 56 | 11 | 4 | 2 | .343 | .273 (+26%) | .282 (+25%) | .333 (+49%) | .615 (+38%) | 1412.1 | |
| 1875 | PH3 | 14 | 65 | 8 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | .277 | .253 (+9%) | .260 (+14%) | .309 (+29%) | .570 (+22%) | 177.1 | |
| 1875 | PH1 | 54 | 260 | 71 | 83 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 40 | 8 | 4 | 5 | .319 | .253 (+26%) | .260 (+26%) | .309 (+51%) | .570 (+40%) | 177.1 | |
| 1876 | NY3 | NL | 56 | 246 | 24 | 55 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 7 | .224 | .265 (-16%) | .277 (-17%) | .320 (-25%) | .598 (-21%) | -668.7 |
| 1877 | LS1 | NL | 57 | 238 | 33 | 63 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 5 | 11 | .265 | .271 (-2%) | .289 (-3%) | .337 (-10%) | .626 (-7%) | -210.8 |
| Career · 8 seasons | 339 | 1,567 | 330 | 455 | 63 | 33 | 2 | 228 | 40 | 27 | 34 | .290 | — | — | — | — | 972 | ||
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.
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 7 | 2 | 50 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| 2B | 173 | 73 | 472 | 434 | 186 | 73 |
| 3B | 7 | 2 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 0 |
| C | 70 | 31 | 326 | 76 | 71 | 8 |
| OF | 12 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| SS | 91 | 4 | 119 | 288 | 68 | 26 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1871 | TRO | 1B | 2 | 2 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1871 | TRO | 2B | 18 | 17 | 57 | 50 | 16 | 11 |
| 1871 | TRO | C | 3 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1871 | TRO | OF | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1871 | TRO | SS | 4 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 3 |
| 1872 | BL1 | 2B | 5 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 0 |
| 1872 | BL1 | 3B | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 1872 | BL1 | C | 27 | 26 | 166 | 25 | 27 | 4 |
| 1872 | BL1 | OF | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1873 | BL1 | 1B | 3 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1873 | BL1 | C | 22 | 0 | 77 | 21 | 7 | 2 |
| 1873 | BL1 | OF | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1873 | BL1 | SS | 15 | 0 | 24 | 45 | 18 | 5 |
| 1874 | PH2 | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1874 | PH2 | 2B | 54 | 53 | 175 | 138 | 75 | 27 |
| 1874 | PH2 | C | 5 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| 1875 | PH3 | 1B | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 1875 | PH3 | 3B | 4 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 0 |
| 1875 | PH3 | SS | 9 | 0 | 12 | 39 | 15 | 2 |
| 1875 | PH1 | 2B | 54 | 0 | 140 | 152 | 49 | 28 |
| 1875 | PH1 | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1875 | PH1 | C | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1876 | NY3 | 2B | 42 | 0 | 95 | 84 | 41 | 7 |
| 1876 | NY3 | C | 11 | 0 | 57 | 21 | 26 | 2 |
| 1876 | NY3 | SS | 6 | 0 | 6 | 17 | 5 | 1 |
| 1877 | LS1 | SS | 57 | 0 | 71 | 175 | 26 | 15 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 70 |
| First Base | 7 |
| Second Base | 172 |
| Third Base | 7 |
| Shortstop | 91 |
| Center Field | 7 |
| Right Field | 5 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Bill Craver (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Bill Craver: the record in brief
According to the bio, Bill Craver debuted on May 9, 1871 and played a final game on October 5, 1877. By club, Craver's seasons break down as the Troy Haymakers (1871), the Baltimore Canaries (1872 to 1873), the Philadelphia Whites (1874), the Philadelphia Centennials (1875), the Philadelphia Athletics (1875), the New York Mutuals (1876), and the Louisville Grays (1877). At 5'9" and 160 pounds, Craver is listed as a second baseman. The bio says Craver batted and threw right-handed. Craver was born in 1844, in Troy, NY, USA. Craver died on June 17, 1901, in Troy, NY, USA. Bill Craver was the playing name; the full given name is William H.
Craver finished with 455 hits from 1,567 at bats in 339 games, which works out to .290; the totals also include 2 homers, 228 RBI, and 40 stolen bases. On-base and slugging figures of .302 and .377 give Craver a career OPS of .679. Set against a .273 league average for the same years, Craver's .290 average sits 6.5% above it.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bill Craver
- What years did Bill Craver play?
- Bill Craver played in Major League Baseball from 1871 to 1877.
- Was Bill Craver a pitcher?
- No. Bill Craver was a position player (Second Baseman).
- How many home runs did Bill Craver hit?
- Bill Craver hit 2 career home runs with 455 hits.
- What teams did Bill Craver play for?
- Bill Craver played for 7 teams: the Troy Haymakers (1871), the Baltimore Canaries (1872–1873), the Philadelphia Whites (1874), the Philadelphia Centennials (1875), the Philadelphia Athletics (1875), the New York Mutuals (1876), and the Louisville Grays (1877).
- What were Bill Craver's career stats?
- In 339 games, Bill Craver had 455 hits, 2 home runs, 228 RBI, 330 runs, and 40 stolen bases, with a .290 batting average.
- What position did Bill Craver play?
- Bill Craver played primarily as a second baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Bill Craver and how much did he weigh?
- Bill Craver was listed at 5 feet 9 inches and 160 pounds.
- How many home runs did Bill Craver hit each season?
- Bill Craver's home runs by season: 0 in 1871, 0 in 1872, 0 in 1873, 0 in 1874, 2 in 1875, 0 in 1876, and 0 in 1877. His most in one season was 2, in 1875.
- What was Bill Craver's career batting average?
- Bill Craver batted .290 over his career, with 455 hits in 1,567 at bats.
- How many RBI did Bill Craver have?
- Bill Craver drove in 228 runs in his career.
- Is Bill Craver in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Bill Craver has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.