Jim Donnelly
Third Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1884-1898)
Jim Donnelly was a third baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1884 to 1898 for 10 teams, including the Indianapolis Hoosiers, a span of 15 seasons. In 654 career games, he hit .230 with 549 hits, 2 home runs, and 237 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
- Third Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 155 lb
- Died
- 3/5/1915 in New Haven, CT, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1884-08-11
- Last Game
- 1898-05-12
Full name: James B. Donnelly
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 654 | 2,388 | 322 | 549 | 56 | 28 | 2 | 237 | 173 | 169 | 154 | .230 | .285 | .279 | .565 | -5,288 |
Career AVG .230 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — 11.3% below league average.
Career OBP .285 vs. league average .320 across their career seasons — 10.8% below league average.
Career SLG .279 vs. league average .348 across their career seasons — 19.7% below league average.
Career OPS .565 vs. league average .668 across their career seasons — 15.5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1884 | IN2 | AA | 40 | 134 | 22 | 34 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | .254 | .243 (+4%) | .278 (+8%) | .327 (-9%) | .606 (-1%) | 19.0 |
| 1885 | DTN | NL | 56 | 211 | 24 | 49 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 10 | 29 | .232 | .244 (-5%) | .287 (-7%) | .325 (-10%) | .613 (-9%) | -248.2 |
| 1886 | KCN | NL | 113 | 438 | 51 | 88 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 16 | 36 | 57 | .201 | .246 (-18%) | .302 (-14%) | .331 (-28%) | .634 (-21%) | -1238.9 |
| 1887 | WS8 | NL | 117 | 425 | 51 | 85 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 46 | 42 | 16 | 26 | .200 | .270 (-26%) | .331 (-29%) | .373 (-31%) | .705 (-30%) | -2065.2 |
| 1888 | WS8 | NL | 122 | 428 | 43 | 86 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 44 | 20 | 16 | .201 | .238 (-16%) | .290 (-17%) | .319 (-25%) | .610 (-21%) | -1223.0 |
| 1889 | WS8 | NL | 4 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .154 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1890 | SL4 | AA | 11 | 42 | 11 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 0 | .333 | — | — | — | — | 149.9 |
| 1891 | CL6 | AA | 17 | 54 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 13 | 5 | .241 | .254 (-5%) | .331 (+17%) | .343 (-30%) | .675 (-7%) | 11.0 |
| 1896 | BLN | NL | 106 | 396 | 70 | 130 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 71 | 38 | 34 | 11 | .328 | .290 (+13%) | .354 (+9%) | .387 (+7%) | .741 (+8%) | 658.1 |
| 1897 | PIT | NL | 44 | 161 | 22 | 31 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 5 | .193 | .291 (-34%) | .354 (-24%) | .387 (-44%) | .741 (-34%) | -883.8 |
| 1897 | NY1 | NL | 23 | 85 | 19 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 5 | .188 | .291 (-35%) | .354 (-25%) | .387 (-42%) | .741 (-34%) | -883.8 |
| 1898 | SLN | NL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 12 seasons | 654 | 2,388 | 322 | 549 | 56 | 28 | 2 | 237 | 173 | 169 | 154 | .230 | — | — | — | — | -5,705 | ||
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 3B | 631 | 0 | 756 | 1288 | 318 | 83 |
| OF | 6 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| SS | 15 | 0 | 12 | 47 | 15 | 1 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1884 | IN2 | 2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 1884 | IN2 | 3B | 24 | 0 | 23 | 28 | 9 | 2 |
| 1884 | IN2 | OF | 6 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1884 | IN2 | SS | 8 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 9 | 0 |
| 1885 | DTN | 3B | 56 | 0 | 73 | 102 | 31 | 4 |
| 1886 | KCN | 3B | 113 | 0 | 153 | 245 | 73 | 13 |
| 1887 | WS8 | 3B | 115 | 0 | 136 | 275 | 63 | 21 |
| 1887 | WS8 | SS | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1888 | WS8 | 3B | 117 | 0 | 126 | 230 | 51 | 15 |
| 1888 | WS8 | SS | 5 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 5 | 1 |
| 1889 | WS8 | 3B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| 1890 | SL4 | 3B | 11 | 0 | 15 | 16 | 8 | 4 |
| 1891 | CL6 | 3B | 17 | 0 | 19 | 46 | 11 | 5 |
| 1896 | BLN | 3B | 106 | 0 | 140 | 217 | 47 | 15 |
| 1897 | PIT | 3B | 44 | 0 | 51 | 87 | 12 | 1 |
| 1897 | NY1 | 3B | 23 | 0 | 18 | 35 | 8 | 2 |
| 1898 | SLN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 2 |
| Third Base | 631 |
| Shortstop | 15 |
| Left Field | 2 |
| Center Field | 2 |
| Right Field | 2 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Jim Donnelly (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Jim Donnelly: the record in brief
Jim Donnelly's major league career runs from a debut on August 11, 1884 to a final game on May 12, 1898. Club by club, the record runs the Indianapolis Hoosiers (1884), the Detroit Wolverines (1885), the Kansas City Cowboys (1886), the Washington Nationals (1887 through 1889), the St. Louis Browns (1890 through 1898), the Columbus Solons (1891), the Baltimore Orioles (1896), and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1897), among other clubs in the table. Donnelly played primarily as a third baseman and both batted and threw right-handed. Born on July 19, 1865, in New Haven, CT, USA, Donnelly was listed at 155 pounds on a 5-foot-10 frame. The bio records the death on March 5, 1915, in New Haven, CT, USA. Donnelly's full given name, per the bio, is James B. Donnelly.
Across 654 games at the plate, Donnelly's career line reads 549 hits in 2,388 at bats for a .230 average, adding 2 home runs, 237 runs batted in, and 173 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .285 clip and slugging .279, Donnelly finished with a .565 OPS.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jim Donnelly
- What years did Jim Donnelly play?
- Jim Donnelly played in Major League Baseball from 1884 to 1898.
- Was Jim Donnelly a pitcher?
- No. Jim Donnelly was a position player (Third Baseman).
- How many home runs did Jim Donnelly hit?
- Jim Donnelly hit 2 career home runs with 549 hits.
- What teams did Jim Donnelly play for?
- Jim Donnelly played for 9 teams: the Indianapolis Hoosiers (1884), the Detroit Wolverines (1885), the Kansas City Cowboys (1886), the Washington Nationals (1887–1889), the St. Louis Browns (1890, 1898), the Columbus Solons (1891), the Baltimore Orioles (1896), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1897), and the New York Giants (1897).
- What were Jim Donnelly's career stats?
- In 654 games, Jim Donnelly had 549 hits, 2 home runs, 237 RBI, 322 runs, and 173 stolen bases, with a .230 batting average.
- What position did Jim Donnelly play?
- Jim Donnelly played primarily as a third baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Jim Donnelly and how much did he weigh?
- Jim Donnelly was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 155 pounds.
- How many home runs did Jim Donnelly hit each season?
- Jim Donnelly's home runs by season: 0 in 1884, 1 in 1885, 0 in 1886, 1 in 1887, 0 in 1888, 0 in 1889, 0 in 1890, 0 in 1891, 0 in 1896, 0 in 1897, and 0 in 1898. His most in one season was 1, in 1885 and 1887.
- What was Jim Donnelly's career batting average?
- Jim Donnelly batted .230 over his career, with 549 hits in 2,388 at bats.
- How many RBI did Jim Donnelly have?
- Jim Donnelly drove in 237 runs in his career.
- Is Jim Donnelly in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jim Donnelly has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.