Sadie Houck
Shortstop · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1879-1887)
Sadie Houck was a shortstop who played in Major League Baseball from 1879 to 1887 for 7 teams, including the Boston Braves, a span of 9 seasons. In 641 career games, he hit .250 with 666 hits, 4 home runs, and 234 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
- Shortstop
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'7" / 151 lb
- Died
- 5/26/1919 in Washington, DC, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1879-05-01
- Last Game
- 1887-09-23
Full name: Sargent Perry Houck
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 641 | 2,659 | 406 | 666 | 106 | 58 | 4 | 234 | 31 | 48 | 77 | .250 | .269 | .338 | .608 | -194 |
Career AVG .250 vs. league average .252 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .269 vs. league average .294 across their career seasons — 8.3% below league average.
Career SLG .338 vs. league average .338 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .608 vs. league average .632 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1879 | BSN | NL | 80 | 356 | 69 | 95 | 24 | 9 | 2 | 49 | 0 | 4 | 11 | .267 | .255 (+4%) | .270 (+2%) | .328 (+22%) | .599 (+13%) | 582.2 |
| 1880 | BSN | NL | 12 | 47 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .149 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1880 | PRO | NL | 49 | 184 | 27 | 37 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 6 | .201 | .244 (-18%) | .267 (-20%) | .319 (+4%) | .586 (-7%) | 0.0 |
| 1881 | DTN | NL | 75 | 308 | 43 | 86 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 36 | 0 | 6 | 6 | .279 | .260 (+7%) | .290 (+1%) | .338 (+12%) | .628 (+7%) | 272.0 |
| 1883 | DTN | NL | 101 | 416 | 52 | 105 | 18 | 12 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 9 | 18 | .252 | .257 (-2%) | .285 (-6%) | .345 (+2%) | .631 (-2%) | -173.8 |
| 1884 | PH4 | AA | 108 | 472 | 93 | 140 | 19 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | .297 | .243 (+22%) | .278 (+14%) | .327 (+21%) | .606 (+18%) | 1280.9 |
| 1885 | PH4 | AA | 93 | 388 | 74 | 99 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 54 | 0 | 10 | 0 | .255 | .244 (+5%) | .287 (-1%) | .325 (+1%) | .613 (avg) | -28.0 |
| 1886 | BL2 | AA | 61 | 260 | 29 | 50 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 25 | 4 | 0 | .192 | .246 (-22%) | .302 (-28%) | .331 (-30%) | .634 (-30%) | -1101.5 |
| 1886 | WS8 | NL | 52 | 195 | 14 | 42 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 28 | .215 | .246 (-13%) | .302 (-26%) | .331 (-30%) | .634 (-28%) | -1101.5 |
| 1887 | NY4 | AA | 10 | 33 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | .152 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 10 seasons | 641 | 2,659 | 406 | 666 | 106 | 58 | 4 | 234 | 31 | 48 | 77 | .250 | — | — | — | — | -270 | ||
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 | 8 | 0 | 19 | 21 | 5 | 4 |
| OF | 109 | 0 | 171 | 28 | 41 | 2 |
| SS | 526 | 0 | 679 | 1748 | 386 | 165 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1879 | BSN | OF | 47 | 0 | 62 | 17 | 18 | 2 |
| 1879 | BSN | SS | 33 | 0 | 47 | 86 | 28 | 9 |
| 1880 | BSN | OF | 12 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 1880 | PRO | OF | 49 | 0 | 86 | 10 | 14 | 0 |
| 1881 | DTN | SS | 75 | 0 | 88 | 241 | 50 | 40 |
| 1883 | DTN | SS | 101 | 0 | 162 | 328 | 85 | 36 |
| 1884 | PH4 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1884 | PH4 | SS | 108 | 0 | 122 | 379 | 60 | 30 |
| 1885 | PH4 | SS | 93 | 0 | 121 | 362 | 77 | 34 |
| 1886 | BL2 | 2B | 5 | 0 | 13 | 18 | 4 | 2 |
| 1886 | BL2 | OF | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1886 | BL2 | SS | 55 | 0 | 73 | 152 | 40 | 4 |
| 1886 | WS8 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1886 | WS8 | SS | 51 | 0 | 58 | 159 | 36 | 9 |
| 1887 | NY4 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1887 | NY4 | SS | 10 | 0 | 8 | 41 | 10 | 3 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 8 |
| Shortstop | 526 |
| Left Field | 39 |
| Center Field | 20 |
| Right Field | 54 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Sadie Houck (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Sadie Houck: the record in brief
Sadie Houck's major league career runs from a debut on May 1, 1879 to a final game on September 23, 1887. The season rows list, in order, the Boston Red Caps (1879 to 1880), the Providence Grays (1880), the Detroit Wolverines (1881 to 1883), the Philadelphia Athletics (1884 through 1885), the Baltimore Orioles (1886), the Washington Nationals (1886), and the New York Metropolitans (1887). At 151 pounds on a 5-foot-7 frame, Houck is listed as a shortstop. Houck threw and hit right-handed, per the bio block. Houck was born on February 29, 1856, in Washington, DC, USA. Houck's death is recorded on May 26, 1919, in Washington, DC, USA. Houck's full given name, per the bio, is Sargent Perry Houck.
Across 641 games at the plate, Houck's career line reads 666 hits in 2,659 at bats for a .250 average; the totals also include 4 homers, 234 RBI, and 31 stolen bases. Houck's career OPS of .608 combines a .269 on-base mark with .338 slugging. The .250 career average is close to the .252 the league hit across the same seasons. Houck collected a career-high 140 hits in 1884.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sadie Houck
- What years did Sadie Houck play?
- Sadie Houck played in Major League Baseball from 1879 to 1887.
- Was Sadie Houck a pitcher?
- No. Sadie Houck was a position player (Shortstop).
- How many home runs did Sadie Houck hit?
- Sadie Houck hit 4 career home runs with 666 hits.
- What teams did Sadie Houck play for?
- Sadie Houck played for 7 teams: the Boston Red Caps (1879–1880), the Providence Grays (1880), the Detroit Wolverines (1881, 1883), the Philadelphia Athletics (1884–1885), the Baltimore Orioles (1886), the Washington Nationals (1886), and the New York Metropolitans (1887).
- What were Sadie Houck's career stats?
- In 641 games, Sadie Houck had 666 hits, 4 home runs, 234 RBI, 406 runs, and 31 stolen bases, with a .250 batting average.
- What position did Sadie Houck play?
- Sadie Houck played primarily as a shortstop, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Sadie Houck and how much did he weigh?
- Sadie Houck was listed at 5 feet 7 inches and 151 pounds.
- How many home runs did Sadie Houck hit each season?
- Sadie Houck's home runs by season: 2 in 1879, 1 in 1880, 1 in 1881, 0 in 1883, 0 in 1884, 0 in 1885, 0 in 1886, and 0 in 1887. His most in one season was 2, in 1879.
- What was Sadie Houck's career batting average?
- Sadie Houck batted .250 over his career, with 666 hits in 2,659 at bats.
- How many RBI did Sadie Houck have?
- Sadie Houck drove in 234 runs in his career.
- Is Sadie Houck in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Sadie Houck has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.