Shoeless Joe Jackson
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1908-1920)
Shoeless Joe Jackson was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1908 to 1920 for the Philadelphia Athletics, the Cleveland Guardians, and the Chicago White Sox, a span of 13 seasons. In 1,332 career games, he hit .356 with 1,772 hits, 54 home runs, and 785 RBI. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 38,698.
- 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 / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 200 lb
- Died
- 12/5/1951 in Greenville, SC, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1908-08-25
- Last Game
- 1920-09-27
Full name: Joseph Walker Jackson
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,332 | 4,981 | 873 | 1,772 | 307 | 168 | 54 | 785 | 202 | 519 | 233 | .356 | .423 | .517 | .940 | 38,698 |
Career AVG .356 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — +39.2% above league average.
Career OBP .423 vs. league average .320 across their career seasons — +32.0% above league average.
Career SLG .517 vs. league average .336 across their career seasons — +53.8% above league average.
Career OPS .940 vs. league average .657 across their career seasons — +43.2% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | PHA | AL | 5 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .130 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1909 | PHA | AL | 5 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .176 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1910 | CLE | AL | 20 | 75 | 15 | 29 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 8 | .387 | .249 (+55%) | .317 (+40%) | .326 (+79%) | .644 (+60%) | 650.2 |
| 1911 | CLE | AL | 147 | 571 | 126 | 233 | 45 | 19 | 7 | 83 | 41 | 56 | 42 | .408 | .266 (+53%) | .336 (+39%) | .356 (+65%) | .693 (+53%) | 5956.1 |
| 1912 | CLE | AL | 154 | 572 | 121 | 226 | 44 | 26 | 3 | 90 | 35 | 54 | 19 | .395 | .268 (+47%) | .335 (+36%) | .358 (+61%) | .694 (+49%) | 5564.1 |
| 1913 | CLE | AL | 148 | 528 | 109 | 197 | 39 | 17 | 7 | 71 | 26 | 80 | 26 | .373 | .259 (+44%) | .325 (+41%) | .345 (+59%) | .670 (+51%) | 5430.6 |
| 1914 | CLE | AL | 122 | 453 | 61 | 153 | 22 | 13 | 3 | 53 | 22 | 41 | 34 | .338 | .255 (+32%) | .322 (+24%) | .339 (+37%) | .661 (+30%) | 2523.2 |
| 1915 | CLE | AL | 83 | 303 | 42 | 99 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 45 | 10 | 28 | 11 | .327 | .250 (+30%) | .318 (+22%) | .332 (+41%) | .651 (+32%) | 1598.9 |
| 1915 | CHA | AL | 45 | 158 | 21 | 43 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 36 | 6 | 24 | 12 | .272 | .250 (+9%) | .318 (+19%) | .332 (+20%) | .651 (+19%) | 1598.9 |
| 1916 | CHA | AL | 155 | 592 | 91 | 202 | 40 | 21 | 3 | 78 | 24 | 46 | 25 | .341 | .248 (+37%) | .314 (+25%) | .326 (+52%) | .640 (+39%) | 4009.2 |
| 1917 | CHA | AL | 146 | 538 | 91 | 162 | 20 | 17 | 5 | 75 | 13 | 57 | 25 | .301 | .248 (+21%) | .312 (+20%) | .323 (+33%) | .635 (+27%) | 2663.7 |
| 1918 | CHA | AL | 17 | 65 | 9 | 23 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 3 | 8 | 1 | .354 | .255 (+39%) | .318 (+33%) | .326 (+51%) | .645 (+42%) | 415.9 |
| 1919 | CHA | AL | 139 | 516 | 79 | 181 | 31 | 14 | 7 | 96 | 9 | 60 | 10 | .351 | .262 (+34%) | .322 (+31%) | .347 (+45%) | .670 (+38%) | 3913.6 |
| 1920 | CHA | AL | 146 | 570 | 105 | 218 | 42 | 20 | 12 | 121 | 9 | 56 | 14 | .382 | .271 (+41%) | .331 (+34%) | .363 (+62%) | .694 (+49%) | 5418.0 |
| Career · 14 seasons | 1,332 | 4,981 | 873 | 1,772 | 307 | 168 | 54 | 785 | 202 | 519 | 233 | .356 | — | — | — | — | 39,742 | ||
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 (1332 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 676 | 2482 | 448 | 910 | 18 | 420 | .367 |
| Away | 656 | 2498 | 426 | 861 | 36 | 386 | .345 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920-09-27 | CHW | DET | W | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920-09-26 | CHW | DET | W | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1920-09-25 | CHW | CLE | W | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920-09-24 | CHW | CLE | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920-09-23 | CHW | CLE | W | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1920-09-21 | CHW | PHA | W | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920-09-20 | CHW | PHA | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1920-09-19 | CHW | PHA | W | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1920-09-18 | CHW | NYY | W | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1920-09-17 | CHW | NYY | W | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 30 | 0 | 284 | 15 | 7 | 12 |
| OF | 1289 | 29 | 2362 | 183 | 100 | 36 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | PHA | OF | 5 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1909 | PHA | OF | 4 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1910 | CLE | OF | 20 | 20 | 40 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1911 | CLE | OF | 147 | 0 | 242 | 32 | 12 | 8 |
| 1912 | CLE | OF | 150 | 0 | 273 | 30 | 16 | 2 |
| 1913 | CLE | OF | 148 | 0 | 211 | 28 | 18 | 5 |
| 1914 | CLE | OF | 119 | 0 | 195 | 13 | 7 | 4 |
| 1915 | CLE | 1B | 30 | 0 | 284 | 15 | 7 | 12 |
| 1915 | CLE | OF | 50 | 0 | 68 | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| 1915 | CHA | OF | 45 | 0 | 84 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| 1916 | CHA | OF | 155 | 0 | 290 | 17 | 8 | 5 |
| 1917 | CHA | OF | 145 | 0 | 341 | 18 | 6 | 4 |
| 1918 | CHA | OF | 17 | 0 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1919 | CHA | OF | 139 | 0 | 252 | 15 | 9 | 4 |
| 1920 | CHA | OF | 145 | 0 | 314 | 14 | 12 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 30 |
| Left Field | 565 |
| Center Field | 167 |
| Right Field | 570 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1919 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | OF |
| 1916 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | OF |
| 1914 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | OF |
| 1913 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | OF |
| 1912 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | OF |
| 1911 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | RF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1914 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 15.0 | 64 | 0 |
| 1913 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 2nd | 43.0 | 64 | 0 |
| 1912 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 9th | 16.0 | 64 | 0 |
| 1911 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 4th | 28.0 | 64 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Shoeless Joe Jackson (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Shoeless Joe Jackson
See Shoeless Joe Jackson in Another Era
Shoeless Joe Jackson: the record in brief
The profile opens with Shoeless Joe Jackson's first major league game on August 25, 1908; the last one listed came on September 27, 1920. By club, Jackson's seasons break down as the Philadelphia Athletics (1908 to 1909), the Cleveland Naps (1910 to 1914), the Cleveland Indians (1915), and the Chicago White Sox (1915 to 1920). At 6'1" and 200 pounds, Jackson is listed as an outfielder. Jackson threw right-handed and batted left-handed, per the bio block. The recorded birth is July 16, 1887, in Pickens County, SC, USA. Jackson died on December 5, 1951, in Greenville, SC, USA. The given name on file is Joseph Walker Jackson.
Across 1,332 games at the plate, Jackson's career line reads 1,772 hits in 4,981 at bats for a .356 average, along with 54 homers, 785 runs batted in, and 202 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .423 clip and slugging .517, Jackson finished with a .940 OPS. Over the seasons Jackson played, league hitters batted .256; the .356 career figure is 39.2% above that.
Frequently Asked Questions about Shoeless Joe Jackson
- What years did Shoeless Joe Jackson play?
- Shoeless Joe Jackson played in Major League Baseball from 1908 to 1920.
- Was Shoeless Joe Jackson a pitcher?
- No. Shoeless Joe Jackson was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Shoeless Joe Jackson hit?
- Shoeless Joe Jackson hit 54 career home runs with 1772 hits.
- What was Shoeless Joe Jackson's career batting average?
- Shoeless Joe Jackson batted .356 over his career, with 1,772 hits in 4,981 at bats.
- How many RBI did Shoeless Joe Jackson have?
- Shoeless Joe Jackson drove in 785 runs in his career.
- Is Shoeless Joe Jackson in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Shoeless Joe Jackson has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.