Jim Duncan
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1899)
Jim Duncan was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball in 1899 for the Washington Nationals and the Cleveland Spiders. In 46 career games, he hit .230 with 35 hits, 2 home runs, and 14 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
- Catcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'8" / 140 lb
- Died
- 10/16/1901 in Foxburg, PA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1899-07-18
- Last Game
- 1899-10-15
Full name: James William Duncan
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | 152 | 14 | 35 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 6 | .230 | .269 | .336 | .604 | -404 |
Career AVG .230 vs. league average .282 across their career seasons — 18.5% below league average.
Career OBP .269 vs. league average .343 across their career seasons — 21.7% below league average.
Career SLG .336 vs. league average .367 across their career seasons — 8.5% below league average.
Career OPS .604 vs. league average .710 across their career seasons — 14.9% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1899 | WAS | NL | 15 | 47 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | .234 | — | — | — | — | -143.4 |
| 1899 | CL4 | NL | 31 | 105 | 9 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 3 | .229 | .282 (-19%) | .343 (-25%) | .366 (-1%) | .710 (-13%) | -143.4 |
| Career · 2 seasons | 46 | 152 | 14 | 35 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 6 | .230 | — | — | — | — | -287 | ||
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 (46 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 12 | 40 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 3 | .225 |
| Away | 34 | 112 | 10 | 26 | 2 | 11 | .232 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1899-10-15 | CL4 | CIN | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1899-10-15 | CL4 | CIN | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899-10-14 | CL4 | CIN | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899-10-12 | CL4 | CIN | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899-10-07 | CL4 | PIT | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899-10-01 | CL4 | STL | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899-09-30 | CL4 | STL | L | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1899-09-26 | CL4 | STL | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899-09-24 | CL4 | LS3 | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899-09-23 | CL4 | PIT | L | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 28 |
| First Base | 17 |
Jim Duncan: the record in brief
The profile opens with Jim Duncan's first major league game on July 18, 1899; the last one listed came on October 15, 1899. Club by club, the record runs the Washington Senators (1899) and the Cleveland Spiders (1899). The bio lists Duncan as a catcher who both batted and threw right-handed. Duncan is listed at 5 feet, 8 inches and 140 pounds. The birth record reads July 1, 1871, in Saltsburg, PA, USA. Duncan died on October 16, 1901, in Foxburg, PA, USA. The bio lists the given name James William.
Across 46 games at the plate, Duncan's career line reads 35 hits in 152 at bats for a .230 average, plus 2 home runs and 14 runs batted in. On-base and slugging figures of .269 and .336 give Duncan a career OPS of .604. Over the seasons Duncan played, league hitters batted .282; the .230 career figure is 18.5% below that. No season topped the 24 hits of 1899. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .229 in 1899, did not top the league's .282.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jim Duncan
- Was Jim Duncan a pitcher?
- No. Jim Duncan was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Jim Duncan hit?
- Jim Duncan hit 2 career home runs with 35 hits.
- What teams did Jim Duncan play for?
- Jim Duncan played for 2 teams: the Washington Senators (1899) and the Cleveland Spiders (1899).
- What were Jim Duncan's career stats?
- In 46 games, Jim Duncan had 35 hits, 2 home runs, 14 RBI, 14 runs, and 1 stolen bases, with a .230 batting average.
- What position did Jim Duncan play?
- Jim Duncan played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Jim Duncan and how much did he weigh?
- Jim Duncan was listed at 5 feet 8 inches and 140 pounds.
- What was Jim Duncan's career batting average?
- Jim Duncan batted .230 over his career, with 35 hits in 152 at bats.
- How many RBI did Jim Duncan have?
- Jim Duncan drove in 14 runs in his career.
- Is Jim Duncan in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jim Duncan has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.