Tom Finley
Third Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records
Tom Finley was a third baseman who played in Major League Baseball for 7 teams, including the Washington Potomacs. In 242 career games, he hit .265 with 229 hits, 19 home runs, and 130 RBI. His totals include Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB recognized as major league in 2020.
- 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
- Died
- 9/5/1933 in Philadelphia, PA, USA
Full name: John Thomas Finley
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 242 | 863 | 138 | 229 | 50 | 5 | 19 | 130 | 28 | 84 | 9 | .265 | .333 | .401 | .734 | -158 |
Career AVG .265 vs. league average .280 across their career seasons — 5.1% below league average.
Career OBP .333 vs. league average .342 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .401 vs. league average .391 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .734 vs. league average .733 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | WP | ECL | 31 | 112 | 9 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 0 | .196 | .283 (-31%) | .345 (-33%) | .389 (-45%) | .734 (-39%) | -714.5 |
| 1925 | ACB | ECL | 15 | 54 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | .185 | .288 (-36%) | .349 (-31%) | .407 (-36%) | .756 (-34%) | -305.6 |
| 1925 | NLG | ECL | 33 | 124 | 15 | 31 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 11 | 0 | .250 | .288 (-13%) | .349 (-11%) | .407 (-13%) | .756 (-12%) | -305.6 |
| 1926 | NLG | ECL | 47 | 156 | 23 | 37 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 25 | 7 | 21 | 7 | .237 | .279 (-15%) | .345 (-5%) | .390 (-19%) | .735 (-13%) | -285.7 |
| 1927 | BRG | ECL | 33 | 126 | 16 | 40 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 2 | 11 | 0 | .317 | .282 (+13%) | .344 (+8%) | .392 (+23%) | .736 (+16%) | 339.4 |
| 1931 | HAR | IND | 13 | 41 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 0 | .171 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1932 | BBS | EWL | 59 | 211 | 42 | 70 | 22 | 2 | 7 | 43 | 6 | 18 | 1 | .332 | .275 (+21%) | .335 (+15%) | .391 (+42%) | .726 (+30%) | 1063.4 |
| 1933 | PS | IND | 11 | 39 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 1 | .308 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 8 seasons | 242 | 863 | 138 | 229 | 50 | 5 | 19 | 130 | 28 | 84 | 9 | .265 | — | — | — | — | -209 | ||
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 | 11 | 9 | 19 | 16 | 1 | 1 |
| 3B | 155 | 115 | 126 | 176 | 31 | 16 |
| OF | 12 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| SS | 69 | 61 | 93 | 128 | 24 | 11 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | WP | 2B | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1924 | WP | 3B | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 1924 | WP | SS | 27 | 27 | 46 | 56 | 10 | 3 |
| 1925 | ACB | 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1925 | ACB | 3B | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1925 | ACB | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1925 | NLG | 3B | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1925 | NLG | SS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1926 | NLG | 3B | 45 | 45 | 51 | 77 | 11 | 11 |
| 1926 | NLG | SS | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1927 | BRG | 3B | 20 | 20 | 25 | 32 | 2 | 0 |
| 1927 | BRG | SS | 13 | 13 | 19 | 20 | 9 | 1 |
| 1931 | HAR | 3B | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| 1931 | HAR | SS | 4 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| 1932 | BBS | 2B | 8 | 8 | 17 | 14 | 1 | 1 |
| 1932 | BBS | 3B | 29 | 29 | 26 | 44 | 9 | 4 |
| 1932 | BBS | OF | 11 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1932 | BBS | SS | 15 | 13 | 15 | 34 | 2 | 2 |
| 1933 | PS | 3B | 9 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 1 |
| 1933 | PS | SS | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 11 |
| Third Base | 155 |
| Shortstop | 69 |
| Left Field | 12 |
Tom Finley: the record in brief
The season rows for Tom Finley begin in 1924. The season rows list, in order, the Washington Potomacs (1924), the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants (1925), the New York Lincoln Giants (1925 to 1926), the Brooklyn Royal Giants (1927), the Harlem Stars (1931), the Baltimore Black Sox (1932), and the Philadelphia Stars (1933). Finley, a third baseman by primary position, both batted and threw right-handed. Finley was born on August 14, 1903, in St. Augustine, FL, USA. Finley died on September 5, 1933, in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Finley's full given name, per the bio, is John Thomas Finley.
Finley finished with 229 hits from 863 at bats in 242 games, which works out to .265, plus 19 homers, 130 RBI, and 28 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .333 clip and slugging .401, Finley finished with a .734 OPS. Over the seasons Finley played, league hitters batted .280; the .265 career figure is 5.1% below that. The highest hit total in a season was 70, in 1932. In 1932, a season of regular play, Finley hit .332 while the league hit .275.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tom Finley
- Was Tom Finley a pitcher?
- No. Tom Finley was a position player (Third Baseman).
- How many home runs did Tom Finley hit?
- Tom Finley hit 19 career home runs with 229 hits.
- What teams did Tom Finley play for?
- Tom Finley played for 7 teams: the Washington Potomacs (1924), the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants (1925), the New York Lincoln Giants (1925–1926), the Brooklyn Royal Giants (1927), the Harlem Stars (1931), the Baltimore Black Sox (1932), and the Philadelphia Stars (1933).
- What were Tom Finley's career stats?
- In 242 games, Tom Finley had 229 hits, 19 home runs, 130 RBI, 138 runs, and 28 stolen bases, with a .265 batting average.
- What position did Tom Finley play?
- Tom Finley played primarily as a third baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How many home runs did Tom Finley hit each season?
- Tom Finley's home runs by season: 0 in 1924, 2 in 1925, 2 in 1926, 4 in 1927, 1 in 1931, 7 in 1932, and 3 in 1933. His most in one season was 7, in 1932.
- What was Tom Finley's career batting average?
- Tom Finley batted .265 over his career, with 229 hits in 863 at bats.
- How many RBI did Tom Finley have?
- Tom Finley drove in 130 runs in his career.
- Is Tom Finley in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Tom Finley has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.