Billy Hamilton
Outfielder · Career Stats, Hall of Fame Bio & Records (1888-1901)
Billy Hamilton was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1888 to 1901 for the Kansas City Cowboys, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Boston Braves, a span of 14 seasons. In 1,594 career games, he hit .344 with 2,164 hits, 40 home runs, and 742 RBI. Billy Hamilton was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 38,004.
- 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 5'6" / 165 lb
- Died
- 12/15/1940 in Worcester, MA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1888-07-31
- Last Game
- 1901-09-16
- Hall of Fame
- Inducted 1961 (Veterans)
Full name: William Robert Hamilton
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,594 | 6,283 | 1,697 | 2,164 | 242 | 95 | 40 | 742 | 914 | 1,189 | 362 | .344 | .455 | .432 | .888 | 38,004 |
Career AVG .344 vs. league average .271 across their career seasons — +27.0% above league average.
Career OBP .455 vs. league average .338 across their career seasons — +34.6% above league average.
Career SLG .432 vs. league average .363 across their career seasons — +19.0% above league average.
Career OPS .888 vs. league average .701 across their career seasons — +26.5% above 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | KC2 | AA | 35 | 129 | 21 | 34 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 19 | 4 | 13 | .264 | .238 (+10%) | .290 (+5%) | .319 (+12%) | .610 (+9%) | 142.0 |
| 1889 | KC2 | AA | 137 | 534 | 144 | 161 | 17 | 12 | 3 | 77 | 111 | 87 | 41 | .301 | .263 (+14%) | .334 (+24%) | .357 (+10%) | .691 (+17%) | 2241.8 |
| 1890 | PHI | NL | 123 | 496 | 133 | 161 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 49 | 102 | 83 | 37 | .325 | .260 (+25%) | .336 (+28%) | .351 (+14%) | .687 (+21%) | 2426.9 |
| 1891 | PHI | NL | 133 | 527 | 141 | 179 | 23 | 7 | 2 | 60 | 111 | 102 | 28 | .340 | .254 (+34%) | .331 (+37%) | .343 (+23%) | .675 (+29%) | 3640.4 |
| 1892 | PHI | NL | 139 | 554 | 132 | 183 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 53 | 57 | 81 | 29 | .330 | .244 (+35%) | .316 (+33%) | .327 (+25%) | .644 (+29%) | 3463.9 |
| 1893 | PHI | NL | 82 | 355 | 110 | 135 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 44 | 43 | 63 | 7 | .380 | .279 (+36%) | .356 (+37%) | .379 (+38%) | .735 (+38%) | 2928.8 |
| 1894 | PHI | NL | 132 | 558 | 198 | 225 | 25 | 15 | 4 | 90 | 100 | 128 | 19 | .403 | .309 (+30%) | .379 (+37%) | .435 (+20%) | .814 (+28%) | 4457.7 |
| 1895 | PHI | NL | 123 | 517 | 166 | 201 | 22 | 6 | 7 | 74 | 97 | 96 | 30 | .389 | .296 (+31%) | .361 (+36%) | .399 (+24%) | .761 (+29%) | 3850.6 |
| 1896 | BSN | NL | 131 | 524 | 153 | 192 | 24 | 10 | 3 | 55 | 83 | 110 | 29 | .366 | .290 (+26%) | .354 (+35%) | .387 (+21%) | .741 (+27%) | 3679.6 |
| 1897 | BSN | NL | 127 | 507 | 152 | 174 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 61 | 66 | 105 | 30 | .343 | .291 (+18%) | .354 (+30%) | .387 (+7%) | .741 (+18%) | 2614.2 |
| 1898 | BSN | NL | 110 | 417 | 110 | 154 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 50 | 54 | 87 | 30 | .369 | .270 (+36%) | .333 (+44%) | .347 (+31%) | .680 (+37%) | 3493.2 |
| 1899 | BSN | NL | 84 | 297 | 63 | 92 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 33 | 19 | 72 | 16 | .310 | .282 (+10%) | .343 (+30%) | .366 (-5%) | .710 (+12%) | 1149.0 |
| 1900 | BSN | NL | 136 | 520 | 103 | 173 | 20 | 5 | 1 | 47 | 32 | 107 | 22 | .333 | .279 (+19%) | .338 (+33%) | .366 (+8%) | .705 (+20%) | 2819.6 |
| 1901 | BSN | NL | 102 | 348 | 71 | 100 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 38 | 20 | 64 | 31 | .287 | .271 (+6%) | .326 (+24%) | .359 (-1%) | .686 (+11%) | 1096.0 |
| Career · 14 seasons | 1,594 | 6,283 | 1,697 | 2,164 | 242 | 95 | 40 | 742 | 914 | 1,189 | 362 | .344 | — | — | — | — | 38,004 | ||
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 (432 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 240 | 838 | 205 | 288 | 7 | 110 | .344 |
| Away | 192 | 748 | 142 | 231 | 1 | 58 | .309 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901-09-16 | BSN | NY1 | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1901-09-16 | BSN | NY1 | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1901-09-14 | BSN | NY1 | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1901-09-13 | BSN | CHC | W | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1901-09-13 | BSN | CHC | W | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1901-09-11 | BSN | CHC | L | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1901-09-10 | BSN | CIN | W | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1901-09-09 | BSN | CIN | W | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1901-09-07 | BSN | CIN | W | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1901-09-07 | BSN | CIN | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 1587 | 0 | 3453 | 182 | 289 | 55 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | KC2 | OF | 35 | 0 | 45 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 1889 | KC2 | OF | 137 | 0 | 202 | 20 | 37 | 6 |
| 1890 | PHI | OF | 123 | 0 | 232 | 23 | 34 | 4 |
| 1891 | PHI | OF | 133 | 0 | 287 | 17 | 31 | 7 |
| 1892 | PHI | OF | 139 | 0 | 291 | 26 | 28 | 7 |
| 1893 | PHI | OF | 82 | 0 | 228 | 8 | 16 | 6 |
| 1894 | PHI | OF | 132 | 0 | 370 | 15 | 15 | 4 |
| 1895 | PHI | OF | 123 | 0 | 313 | 11 | 31 | 5 |
| 1896 | BSN | OF | 131 | 0 | 276 | 8 | 20 | 2 |
| 1897 | BSN | OF | 126 | 0 | 296 | 10 | 12 | 0 |
| 1898 | BSN | OF | 110 | 0 | 189 | 8 | 21 | 2 |
| 1899 | BSN | OF | 81 | 0 | 166 | 11 | 9 | 2 |
| 1900 | BSN | OF | 136 | 0 | 326 | 14 | 19 | 6 |
| 1901 | BSN | OF | 99 | 0 | 232 | 7 | 14 | 4 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 434 |
| Center Field | 989 |
| Right Field | 164 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Billy Hamilton (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Billy Hamilton
Billy Hamilton: the record in brief
According to the bio, Billy Hamilton debuted on July 31, 1888 and played a final game on September 16, 1901. By club, Hamilton's seasons break down as the Kansas City Cowboys (1888 to 1889), the Philadelphia Phillies (1890 to 1895), and the Boston Beaneaters (1896 through 1901). Hamilton played primarily as an outfielder and batted and threw left-handed. Born on February 15, 1866, in Newark, NJ, USA, Hamilton was listed at 5-foot-6 and 165 pounds. The bio records the death on December 15, 1940, in Worcester, MA, USA. On the record, Billy Hamilton was born William Robert Hamilton.
Hamilton collected 2,164 hits in 6,283 at bats across 1,594 games, good for a .344 batting average, plus 40 home runs, 742 runs batted in, and 914 stolen bases. On-base and slugging figures of .455 and .432 give Hamilton a career OPS of .888. Over the seasons Hamilton played, league hitters batted .271; the .344 career figure is 27.0% above that.
Frequently Asked Questions about Billy Hamilton
- What years did Billy Hamilton play?
- Billy Hamilton played in Major League Baseball from 1888 to 1901.
- Was Billy Hamilton a pitcher?
- No. Billy Hamilton was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Billy Hamilton hit?
- Billy Hamilton hit 40 career home runs with 2,164 hits.
- Is Billy Hamilton in the Hall of Fame?
- Yes. Billy Hamilton was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961.
- What teams did Billy Hamilton play for?
- Billy Hamilton played for 3 teams: the Kansas City Cowboys (1888–1889), the Philadelphia Phillies (1890–1895), and the Boston Beaneaters (1896–1901).
- What were Billy Hamilton's career stats?
- In 1,594 games, Billy Hamilton had 2,164 hits, 40 home runs, 742 RBI, 1,697 runs, and 914 stolen bases, with a .344 batting average.
- What position did Billy Hamilton play?
- Billy Hamilton played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Billy Hamilton and how much did he weigh?
- Billy Hamilton was listed at 5 feet 6 inches and 165 pounds.
- How many home runs did Billy Hamilton hit each season?
- Billy Hamilton's home runs by season: 0 in 1888, 3 in 1889, 2 in 1890, 2 in 1891, 3 in 1892, 5 in 1893, 4 in 1894, 7 in 1895, 3 in 1896, 3 in 1897, 3 in 1898, 1 in 1899, 1 in 1900, and 3 in 1901. His most in one season was 7, in 1895.
- What was Billy Hamilton's career batting average?
- Billy Hamilton batted .344 over his career, with 2,164 hits in 6,283 at bats.
- How many RBI did Billy Hamilton have?
- Billy Hamilton drove in 742 runs in his career.