George Keefe
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1886-1891)
George Keefe was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1886 to 1891 for the Washington Nationals, the Buffalo Bisons, and the Washington Statesmen, a span of 6 seasons. Across 78 career appearances, he went 20-48 with a 5.05 ERA and 213 strikeouts. He also batted .172 with 0 home runs.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 5'9" / 168 lb
- Died
- 8/24/1935 in Washington, DC, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1886-07-30
- Last Game
- 1891-04-28
Full name: George Washington Keefe
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 | WS8 | NL | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 31.1 | 28 | 18 | 15 | 5 | 5.17 | 3.37 (-53%) | -664.4 |
| 1887 | WS8 | NL | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8.0 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 9.00 | — | 0.0 |
| 1888 | WS8 | NL | 6 | 7 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 114.0 | 87 | 36 | 43 | 52 | 2.84 | 2.95 (+4%) | -543.3 |
| 1889 | WS8 | NL | 8 | 18 | 30 | 27 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 230.0 | 266 | 131 | 143 | 90 | 5.13 | 3.93 (-30%) | -3145.0 |
| 1890 | BFP | PL | 6 | 16 | 25 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 196.0 | 280 | 142 | 138 | 55 | 6.52 | 3.88 (-68%) | -6810.2 |
| 1891 | WS9 | AA | 0 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 37.0 | 44 | 11 | 17 | 11 | 2.68 | 3.52 (+24%) | 123.9 |
| Career · 6 seasons | 20 | 48 | 78 | 71 | 68 | 1 | 1 | 616.1 | 721 | 346 | 360 | 213 | 5.05 | — | -11,039 | ||
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.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | 250 | 26 | 43 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 26 | 61 | .172 | .253 | .204 | .457 | -796 |
Career AVG .172 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — 32.8% below league average.
Career OBP .253 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — 21.7% below league average.
Career SLG .204 vs. league average .347 across their career seasons — 41.2% below league average.
Career OPS .457 vs. league average .670 across their career seasons — 31.8% below 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 | WS8 | NL | 4 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1887 | WS8 | NL | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1888 | WS8 | NL | 13 | 42 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 10 | .214 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1889 | WS8 | NL | 30 | 98 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 29 | .163 | .263 (-38%) | .334 (-32%) | .357 (-43%) | .691 (-38%) | -577.6 |
| 1890 | BFP | PL | 25 | 79 | 15 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 14 | .203 | .260 (-22%) | .336 (-4%) | .351 (-39%) | .687 (-22%) | -218.7 |
| 1891 | WS9 | AA | 5 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | .143 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 6 seasons | 78 | 250 | 26 | 43 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 26 | 61 | .172 | — | — | — | — | -796 | ||
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.
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 78 |
| Right Field | 1 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
George Keefe (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
George Keefe: the record in brief
According to the bio, George Keefe debuted on July 30, 1886 and played a final game on April 28, 1891. Keefe played for the Washington Nationals (1886 to 1889), the Buffalo Bisons (1890), and the Washington Statesmen (1891). Keefe is listed as a pitcher at 168 pounds on a 5-foot-9 frame. Keefe batted and threw left-handed, per the bio block. The recorded birth is January 7, 1867, in Washington, DC, USA. The bio records the death on August 24, 1935, in Washington, DC, USA. Keefe's full given name, per the bio, is George Washington Keefe.
Keefe's career pitching line is 20 wins, 48 losses and a 5.05 ERA over 78 appearances. The totals include 213 strikeouts and 68 complete games. Against a 3.65 league ERA for the same seasons, the 5.05 mark was 38.3% worse. 1889 brought Keefe a season-high 8 wins. Among the heaviest workloads, the lowest ERA was 5.13 in 1889, when the league's was 3.93.
Frequently Asked Questions about George Keefe
- What years did George Keefe play?
- George Keefe played in Major League Baseball from 1886 to 1891.
- Was George Keefe a pitcher?
- Yes. George Keefe pitched in the major leagues, recording 20 wins and 213 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did George Keefe hit?
- George Keefe hit 0 career home runs with 43 hits.
- What teams did George Keefe play for?
- George Keefe played for 3 teams: the Washington Nationals (1886–1889), the Buffalo Bisons (1890), and the Washington Statesmen (1891).
- What were George Keefe's career stats?
- In 78 games, George Keefe went 20-48 with a 5.05 ERA, 213 strikeouts, 616.1 innings pitched, and 1 saves. At the plate he had 43 hits and 0 home runs.
- What position did George Keefe play?
- George Keefe played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was George Keefe and how much did he weigh?
- George Keefe was listed at 5 feet 9 inches and 168 pounds.
- What was George Keefe's career ERA?
- George Keefe finished with a 5.05 career ERA, going 20-48 with 213 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did George Keefe have?
- George Keefe recorded 213 career strikeouts.
- Is George Keefe in the Hall of Fame?
- No. George Keefe has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.