Charlie Ganzel
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1884-1897)
Charlie Ganzel was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1884 to 1897 for 4 teams, including the St. Paul White Caps, a span of 14 seasons. In 787 career games, he hit .259 with 774 hits, 10 home runs, and 412 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
- 6'0" / 161 lb
- Died
- 4/7/1914 in Quincy, MA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1884-09-27
- Last Game
- 1897-09-21
Full name: Charles William Ganzel
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 787 | 2,987 | 421 | 774 | 91 | 45 | 10 | 412 | 60 | 162 | 124 | .259 | .301 | .330 | .631 | -4,564 |
Career AVG .259 vs. league average .264 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .301 vs. league average .327 across their career seasons — 7.8% below league average.
Career SLG .330 vs. league average .356 across their career seasons — 7.5% below league average.
Career OPS .631 vs. league average .683 across their career seasons — 7.6% 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 | SPU | UA | 7 | 23 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .217 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1885 | PHI | NL | 34 | 125 | 15 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 13 | .168 | .244 (-31%) | .287 (-33%) | .325 (-36%) | .613 (-34%) | -591.3 |
| 1886 | PHI | NL | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1886 | DTN | NL | 57 | 213 | 28 | 58 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 31 | 5 | 7 | 22 | .272 | .246 (+10%) | .302 (-2%) | .331 (+2%) | .634 (avg) | 0.0 |
| 1887 | DTN | NL | 57 | 227 | 40 | 59 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 8 | 2 | .260 | .270 (-4%) | .331 (-13%) | .373 (-12%) | .705 (-12%) | -476.9 |
| 1888 | DTN | NL | 95 | 386 | 45 | 96 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 46 | 12 | 14 | 15 | .249 | .238 (+4%) | .290 (-5%) | .319 (-1%) | .610 (-3%) | -219.3 |
| 1889 | BSN | NL | 73 | 275 | 30 | 73 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 43 | 13 | 15 | 11 | .265 | .263 (+1%) | .334 (-8%) | .357 (-10%) | .691 (-9%) | -398.2 |
| 1890 | BSN | NL | 38 | 163 | 21 | 44 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 5 | 6 | .270 | .260 (+4%) | .336 (-11%) | .351 (avg) | .687 (-6%) | -196.7 |
| 1891 | BSN | NL | 70 | 263 | 33 | 68 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 29 | 7 | 12 | 13 | .259 | .254 (+2%) | .331 (-8%) | .343 (+10%) | .675 (+1%) | -80.2 |
| 1892 | BSN | NL | 54 | 198 | 25 | 53 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 7 | 18 | 12 | .268 | .244 (+9%) | .316 (+5%) | .327 (+5%) | .644 (+5%) | 142.2 |
| 1893 | BSN | NL | 73 | 281 | 50 | 75 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 48 | 6 | 22 | 9 | .267 | .279 (-5%) | .356 (-9%) | .379 (-14%) | .735 (-11%) | -531.9 |
| 1894 | BSN | NL | 70 | 266 | 51 | 74 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 56 | 1 | 19 | 6 | .278 | .309 (-10%) | .379 (-14%) | .435 (-12%) | .814 (-13%) | -649.1 |
| 1895 | BSN | NL | 81 | 280 | 38 | 73 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 52 | 1 | 25 | 6 | .261 | .296 (-12%) | .361 (-10%) | .399 (-21%) | .761 (-16%) | -746.8 |
| 1896 | BSN | NL | 47 | 179 | 28 | 47 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 2 | 9 | 5 | .263 | .290 (-10%) | .354 (-14%) | .387 (-25%) | .741 (-20%) | -558.6 |
| 1897 | BSN | NL | 30 | 105 | 15 | 28 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 3 | .267 | .291 (-9%) | .354 (-15%) | .387 (-7%) | .741 (-11%) | -216.9 |
| Career · 15 seasons | 787 | 2,987 | 421 | 774 | 91 | 45 | 10 | 412 | 60 | 162 | 124 | .259 | — | — | — | — | -4,524 | ||
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.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 40 | 0 | 380 | 22 | 9 | 29 |
| 2B | 51 | 0 | 114 | 171 | 31 | 11 |
| 3B | 11 | 0 | 14 | 24 | 10 | 1 |
| C | 579 | 0 | 2626 | 646 | 229 | 72 |
| OF | 100 | 0 | 126 | 15 | 11 | 2 |
| SS | 18 | 0 | 23 | 50 | 15 | 4 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1884 | SPU | C | 6 | 0 | 36 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 1884 | SPU | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1885 | PHI | C | 33 | 0 | 175 | 39 | 27 | 3 |
| 1885 | PHI | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1886 | PHI | C | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 1886 | DTN | 1B | 5 | 0 | 47 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 1886 | DTN | C | 45 | 0 | 274 | 63 | 33 | 9 |
| 1886 | DTN | OF | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1887 | DTN | 1B | 2 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 1887 | DTN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 1887 | DTN | C | 51 | 0 | 275 | 71 | 33 | 5 |
| 1887 | DTN | OF | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1888 | DTN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1888 | DTN | 2B | 49 | 0 | 110 | 168 | 31 | 11 |
| 1888 | DTN | 3B | 9 | 0 | 12 | 21 | 7 | 1 |
| 1888 | DTN | C | 28 | 0 | 156 | 41 | 9 | 11 |
| 1888 | DTN | OF | 5 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 1888 | DTN | SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| 1889 | BSN | 1B | 7 | 0 | 66 | 9 | 2 | 6 |
| 1889 | BSN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1889 | BSN | C | 39 | 0 | 188 | 55 | 19 | 9 |
| 1889 | BSN | OF | 26 | 0 | 27 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| 1889 | BSN | SS | 6 | 0 | 10 | 17 | 6 | 2 |
| 1890 | BSN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1890 | BSN | C | 22 | 0 | 131 | 27 | 7 | 4 |
| 1890 | BSN | OF | 15 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1890 | BSN | SS | 3 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
| 1891 | BSN | C | 59 | 0 | 288 | 59 | 16 | 3 |
| 1891 | BSN | OF | 13 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1892 | BSN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1892 | BSN | C | 51 | 0 | 202 | 50 | 18 | 1 |
| 1892 | BSN | OF | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1893 | BSN | 1B | 10 | 0 | 115 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| 1893 | BSN | C | 40 | 0 | 117 | 43 | 8 | 6 |
| 1893 | BSN | OF | 23 | 0 | 46 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 1894 | BSN | 1B | 7 | 0 | 65 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 1894 | BSN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1894 | BSN | C | 59 | 0 | 184 | 52 | 27 | 6 |
| 1894 | BSN | OF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1894 | BSN | SS | 2 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 1895 | BSN | 1B | 2 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1895 | BSN | C | 77 | 0 | 353 | 65 | 16 | 10 |
| 1895 | BSN | SS | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 1896 | BSN | 1B | 3 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| 1896 | BSN | C | 41 | 0 | 139 | 47 | 2 | 4 |
| 1896 | BSN | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 1897 | BSN | 1B | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1897 | BSN | C | 27 | 0 | 103 | 26 | 8 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 579 |
| First Base | 40 |
| Second Base | 51 |
| Third Base | 11 |
| Shortstop | 18 |
| Left Field | 25 |
| Center Field | 5 |
| Right Field | 71 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Charlie Ganzel (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Charlie Ganzel: the record in brief
Charlie Ganzel's major league career runs from a debut on September 27, 1884 to a final game on September 21, 1897. The season rows list, in order, the St. Paul White Caps (1884), the Philadelphia Quakers (1885 through 1886), the Detroit Wolverines (1886 to 1888), and the Boston Beaneaters (1889 through 1897). Ganzel, born on June 18, 1862, in Waterford, WI, USA, is listed as a catcher and both batted and threw right-handed. Size on record: 6'0" and 161 pounds. Ganzel died on April 7, 1914, in Quincy, MA, USA. The given name on file is Charles William Ganzel.
Across 787 games at the plate, Ganzel's career line reads 774 hits in 2,987 at bats for a .259 average, plus 10 home runs, 412 RBI, and 60 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .301 clip and slugging .330, Ganzel finished with a .631 OPS. The .259 career average is close to the .264 the league hit across the same seasons. The hits column peaks at 96, in 1888. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .278 in 1894, did not top the league's .309.
Frequently Asked Questions about Charlie Ganzel
- What years did Charlie Ganzel play?
- Charlie Ganzel played in Major League Baseball from 1884 to 1897.
- Was Charlie Ganzel a pitcher?
- No. Charlie Ganzel was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Charlie Ganzel hit?
- Charlie Ganzel hit 10 career home runs with 774 hits.
- What teams did Charlie Ganzel play for?
- Charlie Ganzel played for 4 teams: the St. Paul White Caps (1884), the Philadelphia Quakers (1885–1886), the Detroit Wolverines (1886–1888), and the Boston Beaneaters (1889–1897).
- What were Charlie Ganzel's career stats?
- In 787 games, Charlie Ganzel had 774 hits, 10 home runs, 412 RBI, 421 runs, and 60 stolen bases, with a .259 batting average.
- What position did Charlie Ganzel play?
- Charlie Ganzel played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Charlie Ganzel and how much did he weigh?
- Charlie Ganzel was listed at 6 feet and 161 pounds.
- How many home runs did Charlie Ganzel hit each season?
- Charlie Ganzel's home runs by season: 0 in 1884, 0 in 1885, 1 in 1886, 0 in 1887, 1 in 1888, 1 in 1889, 0 in 1890, 1 in 1891, 0 in 1892, 1 in 1893, 3 in 1894, 1 in 1895, 1 in 1896, and 0 in 1897. His most in one season was 3, in 1894.
- What was Charlie Ganzel's career batting average?
- Charlie Ganzel batted .259 over his career, with 774 hits in 2,987 at bats.
- How many RBI did Charlie Ganzel have?
- Charlie Ganzel drove in 412 runs in his career.
- Is Charlie Ganzel in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Charlie Ganzel has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.