Bill Holbert
Born: 3/14/1855 in Baltimore, MD, USA
Died: 3/20/1935 in Laurel, MD, USA
MLB Debut: 1876-09-05 | Final Game: 1888-07-12
Bats: R | Throws: RWeight: 197 lbs
Full name: William Henry Holbert
Biography
Bill Holbert, born in 1855, was a professional baseball player who played as a position player from 1876 until his retirement on July 12, 1888. Holbert's career unfolded during the early years of organized baseball, a period marked by the transition from the underhand pitching of the deadball era to a more modern style of play. Over the course of his career, he participated in 623 games, amassing 486 hits and a batting average of .208. Although he did not record any home runs, he contributed 144 runs batted in and showcased his speed on the basepaths with 16 stolen bases.
Holbert's playing style reflected the characteristics of his era, where contact hitting and base running were often prioritized over power hitting. Despite having a modest batting average, his ability to contribute in other facets of the game made him a valuable player during his time. Holbert's career spanned the formative years of Major League Baseball, and while he may not have been a household name, his contributions helped lay the groundwork for the evolution of the game.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 623 | 2335 | 182 | 486 | 41 | 7 | 0 | 144 | 16 | 58 | 122 | 0.208 | 0.228 | 0.232 | 0.460 | -9010.9 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1876 | LS1 | NL | 12 | 43 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.256 | 0.0 |
| 1878 | ML2 | NL | 45 | 173 | 10 | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 0.185 | -821.5 |
| 1879 | SR1 | NL | 59 | 229 | 11 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 0.201 | -1048.6 |
| 1879 | TRN | NL | 4 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.267 | -1048.6 |
| 1880 | TRN | NL | 60 | 212 | 18 | 40 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 18 | 0.189 | -707.3 |
| 1881 | TRN | NL | 46 | 180 | 16 | 49 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 0.272 | -217.1 |
| 1882 | TRN | NL | 71 | 251 | 24 | 46 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 11 | 22 | 0.183 | -1112.4 |
| 1883 | NY4 | AA | 73 | 299 | 26 | 71 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.237 | -884.9 |
| 1884 | NY4 | AA | 65 | 255 | 28 | 53 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0.208 | -877.7 |
| 1885 | NY4 | AA | 56 | 202 | 13 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0.173 | -1080.5 |
| 1886 | NY4 | AA | 48 | 171 | 8 | 35 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0.205 | -658.7 |
| 1887 | NY4 | AA | 69 | 255 | 20 | 58 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 12 | 7 | 23 | 0.227 | -1261.4 |
| 1888 | BR3 | AA | 15 | 50 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0.120 | -340.8 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 8 | 0 | 72 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3B | 17 | 0 | 25 | 39 | 23 | 3 |
| C | 538 | 0 | 2840 | 1013 | 393 | 73 |
| OF | 69 | 0 | 91 | 28 | 18 | 4 |
| SS | 4 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 3 | 2 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1876 | LS1 | C | 12 | 0 | 62 | 24 | 16 | 3 |
| 1878 | ML2 | C | 21 | 0 | 72 | 28 | 14 | 1 |
| 1878 | ML2 | OF | 30 | 0 | 35 | 19 | 12 | 1 |
| 1879 | SR1 | C | 56 | 0 | 277 | 64 | 39 | 4 |
| 1879 | SR1 | OF | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1879 | TRN | C | 4 | 0 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 1 |
| 1880 | TRN | C | 58 | 0 | 261 | 107 | 36 | 6 |
| 1880 | TRN | OF | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1881 | TRN | C | 43 | 0 | 201 | 69 | 24 | 10 |
| 1881 | TRN | OF | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1882 | TRN | C | 58 | 0 | 247 | 124 | 45 | 13 |
| 1882 | TRN | 3B | 12 | 0 | 19 | 28 | 13 | 1 |
| 1882 | TRN | OF | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1883 | NY4 | C | 68 | 0 | 527 | 138 | 58 | 8 |
| 1883 | NY4 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1883 | NY4 | OF | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1884 | NY4 | C | 59 | 0 | 374 | 142 | 45 | 7 |
| 1884 | NY4 | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1884 | NY4 | OF | 5 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1885 | NY4 | C | 39 | 0 | 227 | 80 | 34 | 3 |
| 1885 | NY4 | 3B | 5 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 2 |
| 1885 | NY4 | OF | 13 | 0 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 1886 | NY4 | C | 45 | 0 | 265 | 100 | 31 | 6 |
| 1886 | NY4 | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 1886 | NY4 | OF | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1887 | NY4 | C | 60 | 0 | 237 | 102 | 40 | 9 |
| 1887 | NY4 | 1B | 8 | 0 | 72 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| 1887 | NY4 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1887 | NY4 | SS | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1888 | BR3 | C | 15 | 0 | 74 | 26 | 8 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 538 |
| First Base | 8 |
| Second Base | 2 |
| Third Base | 17 |
| Shortstop | 4 |
| Left Field | 12 |
| Center Field | 19 |
| Right Field | 38 |