Tom Gillen, baseball player, 1884-1886

Tom Gillen

Born: 5/18/1862 in Philadelphia, PA, USA

Died: 1/26/1889 in Philadelphia, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1884-04-18 | Final Game: 1886-09-15

Height: 5'8" | Weight: 160 lbs

Full name: Thomas J. Gillen

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Biography

Tom Gillen was a professional baseball player born in 1862, who made his mark in the late 19th century, a period characterized by the early development of the sport. Gillen played in Major League Baseball from 1884 to 1886, participating in a total of 31 games as a position player. Over the course of his brief career, he recorded 22 hits, contributing to a batting average of .175. While he did not hit any home runs and tallied only four runs batted in, his role in the game during its formative years reflected the challenges players faced as the sport was still evolving. Although Gillen's statistical achievements may not place him among the game's legends, his participation in the early days of professional baseball situates him within a significant historical context. The 1880s were a time of great change, as the sport transitioned from local clubs to a more organized league structure. Players like Gillen paved the way for future generations, helping to establish the fanfare and competitive spirit that would define Major League Baseball in the years to come. Despite a short-lived career, Tom Gillen's involvement in this pivotal era remains a part of baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
31 126 7 22 2 0 0 4 0 1 1 0.175 0.181 0.190 0.372 -734.2

Career AVG .175 vs. league average .245 across their career seasons — 28.6% below league average.

Career OBP .181 vs. league average .289 across their career seasons — 37.2% below league average.

Career SLG .190 vs. league average .329 across their career seasons — 42.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.372 vs. league average 0.618 across their career seasons — 39.8% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

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 PHU UA 29 116 5 18 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.155 .243 (-36%) .278 (-42%) .327 (-47%) .606 (-45%) -734.2
1886 DTN NL 2 10 2 4 0 0 0 4 0 0 1 0.400 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
C 29 0 157 64 26 1
OF 3 0 2 0 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1884 PHU C 27 0 152 61 25 1
1884 PHU OF 3 0 2 0 0 0
1886 DTN C 2 0 5 3 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 29
Left Field 1