Dude Esterbrook
Third Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1880-1891)
Dude Esterbrook was a third baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1880 to 1891 for 7 teams, including the Buffalo Bisons, a span of 12 seasons. In 701 career games, he hit .261 with 741 hits, 6 home runs, and 210 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
- 5'11" / 167 lb
- Died
- 4/30/1901 in Middletown, NY, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1880-05-01
- Last Game
- 1891-07-22
Full name: Thomas John Esterbrook
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 701 | 2,837 | 387 | 741 | 120 | 34 | 6 | 210 | 55 | 70 | 141 | .261 | .284 | .334 | .618 | -442 |
Career AVG .261 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .284 vs. league average .308 across their career seasons — 7.7% below league average.
Career SLG .334 vs. league average .340 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .618 vs. league average .648 across their career seasons — near 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | BFN | NL | 64 | 253 | 20 | 61 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 15 | .241 | .244 (-1%) | .267 (-10%) | .319 (-7%) | .586 (-8%) | -295.7 |
| 1882 | CL2 | NL | 45 | 179 | 13 | 44 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 5 | 12 | .246 | .248 (-1%) | .275 (-3%) | .329 (-9%) | .605 (-6%) | -146.7 |
| 1883 | NY4 | AA | 97 | 407 | 55 | 103 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | .253 | .257 (-2%) | .285 (-2%) | .345 (-10%) | .631 (-7%) | -345.6 |
| 1884 | NY4 | AA | 112 | 477 | 110 | 150 | 29 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | .314 | .243 (+29%) | .278 (+24%) | .327 (+31%) | .606 (+27%) | 2112.1 |
| 1885 | NY1 | NL | 88 | 359 | 48 | 92 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 44 | 0 | 4 | 28 | .256 | .244 (+5%) | .287 (-8%) | .325 (+5%) | .613 (-1%) | -172.1 |
| 1886 | NY1 | NL | 123 | 473 | 62 | 125 | 20 | 6 | 3 | 43 | 13 | 8 | 43 | .264 | .246 (+7%) | .302 (-9%) | .331 (+6%) | .634 (-1%) | -231.1 |
| 1887 | NY4 | AA | 26 | 101 | 11 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 2 | .168 | .270 (-38%) | .331 (-33%) | .373 (-52%) | .705 (-43%) | -667.2 |
| 1888 | IN3 | NL | 64 | 246 | 21 | 54 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 11 | 2 | 20 | .220 | .238 (-8%) | .290 (-20%) | .319 (-21%) | .610 (-21%) | -722.0 |
| 1888 | LS2 | AA | 23 | 93 | 9 | 21 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 10 | .226 | .238 (-5%) | .290 (-9%) | .319 (-9%) | .610 (-9%) | -722.0 |
| 1889 | LS2 | AA | 11 | 44 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 2 | .318 | — | — | — | — | 113.4 |
| 1890 | NY1 | NL | 45 | 197 | 29 | 57 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 12 | 10 | 8 | .289 | .260 (+11%) | .336 (-1%) | .351 (+6%) | .687 (+2%) | 31.6 |
| 1891 | BRO | NL | 3 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .375 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 12 seasons | 701 | 2,837 | 387 | 741 | 120 | 34 | 6 | 210 | 55 | 70 | 141 | .261 | — | — | — | — | -1,045 | ||
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 | 194 | 0 | 1894 | 67 | 73 | 92 |
| 2B | 12 | 0 | 24 | 23 | 10 | 2 |
| 3B | 419 | 0 | 500 | 761 | 165 | 42 |
| C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 75 | 0 | 140 | 24 | 25 | 7 |
| SS | 7 | 0 | 11 | 16 | 14 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | BFN | 1B | 47 | 0 | 463 | 17 | 31 | 20 |
| 1880 | BFN | 2B | 6 | 0 | 10 | 13 | 5 | 0 |
| 1880 | BFN | C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1880 | BFN | OF | 15 | 0 | 19 | 6 | 7 | 1 |
| 1880 | BFN | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1882 | CL2 | 1B | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1882 | CL2 | OF | 45 | 0 | 102 | 15 | 14 | 6 |
| 1883 | NY4 | 3B | 97 | 0 | 110 | 173 | 42 | 8 |
| 1884 | NY4 | 3B | 112 | 0 | 126 | 208 | 43 | 11 |
| 1885 | NY1 | 3B | 84 | 0 | 111 | 159 | 35 | 14 |
| 1885 | NY1 | OF | 4 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1886 | NY1 | 3B | 123 | 0 | 148 | 219 | 43 | 9 |
| 1887 | NY4 | 1B | 9 | 0 | 73 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 1887 | NY4 | 2B | 5 | 0 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 2 |
| 1887 | NY4 | OF | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1887 | NY4 | SS | 5 | 0 | 9 | 14 | 11 | 0 |
| 1888 | IN3 | 1B | 61 | 0 | 628 | 20 | 16 | 32 |
| 1888 | IN3 | 3B | 3 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1888 | LS2 | 1B | 23 | 0 | 218 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| 1889 | LS2 | 1B | 8 | 0 | 77 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
| 1889 | LS2 | OF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1889 | LS2 | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1890 | NY1 | 1B | 45 | 0 | 430 | 13 | 7 | 24 |
| 1891 | BRO | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1891 | BRO | OF | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 1 |
| First Base | 194 |
| Second Base | 12 |
| Third Base | 419 |
| Shortstop | 7 |
| Left Field | 40 |
| Center Field | 24 |
| Right Field | 12 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Dude Esterbrook (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Dude Esterbrook: the record in brief
Dude Esterbrook's major league career runs from a debut on May 1, 1880 to a final game on July 22, 1891. Club by club, the record runs the Buffalo Bisons (1880), the Cleveland Blues (1882), the New York Metropolitans (1883 through 1887), the New York Giants (1885 to 1890), the Indianapolis Hoosiers (1888), the Louisville Colonels (1888 to 1889), and the Brooklyn Grooms (1891). The bio lists Esterbrook as a third baseman who batted and threw right-handed. The recorded size is 5'11" and 167 pounds. The birth record reads June 9, 1857, in Staten Island, NY, USA. The bio records the death on April 30, 1901, in Middletown, NY, USA. Esterbrook's full given name, per the bio, is Thomas John Esterbrook.
Across 701 games at the plate, Esterbrook's career line reads 741 hits in 2,837 at bats for a .261 average, adding 6 home runs, 210 runs batted in, and 55 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .284 clip and slugging .334, Esterbrook finished with a .618 OPS. Esterbrook hit .261 while the league hit .253 over the same span, a figure close to average.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dude Esterbrook
- What years did Dude Esterbrook play?
- Dude Esterbrook played in Major League Baseball from 1880 to 1891.
- Was Dude Esterbrook a pitcher?
- No. Dude Esterbrook was a position player (Third Baseman).
- How many home runs did Dude Esterbrook hit?
- Dude Esterbrook hit 6 career home runs with 741 hits.
- What was Dude Esterbrook's career batting average?
- Dude Esterbrook batted .261 over his career, with 741 hits in 2,837 at bats.
- How many RBI did Dude Esterbrook have?
- Dude Esterbrook drove in 210 runs in his career.
- Is Dude Esterbrook in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Dude Esterbrook has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.