Jim Keenan

Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1875-1891)

Jim Keenan was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1875 to 1891 for 6 teams, including the New Haven Elm Citys, a span of 17 seasons. In 527 career games, he hit .240 with 451 hits, 22 home runs, and 208 RBI. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 917.

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

AVG .240
HR 22
RBI 208
H 451
OPS .657
PIV 917
Position
Catcher
Bats / Throws
R / R
Height / Weight
5'10" / 186 lb
Born
2/10/1856 in New Haven, CT, USA
Died
9/21/1926 in Cincinnati, OH, USA
MLB Debut
1875-05-17
Last Game
1891-10-03

Full name: James W. Keenan

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Career Batting Statistics

Jim Keenan — Career Batting Statistics
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
527 1,881 254 451 60 36 22 208 41 177 179 .240 .312 .345 .657 917

Career AVG .240 vs. league average .252 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .312 vs. league average .308 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .345 vs. league average .339 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS .657 vs. league average .647 across their career seasons — near league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Jim Keenan Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1875 NH1 5 13 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .077 — — — — 0.0
1880 BFN NL 2 7 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 .143 — — — — 0.0
1882 PT1 AA 24 91 9 19 6 0 1 0 0 1 0 .209 .248 (-16%) .275 (-21%) .329 (-7%) .605 (-13%) -176.1
1884 IN2 AA 68 249 36 73 14 4 3 0 0 16 0 .293 .243 (+21%) .278 (+23%) .327 (+28%) .606 (+26%) 1009.3
1885 CN2 AA 36 132 16 35 2 2 1 15 0 8 0 .265 .244 (+9%) .287 (+7%) .325 (+3%) .613 (+4%) 97.1
1886 CN2 AA 44 148 31 40 4 3 3 24 0 18 0 .270 .246 (+10%) .302 (+18%) .331 (+20%) .634 (+19%) 491.4
1887 CN2 AA 47 174 19 44 4 1 0 17 7 11 17 .253 .270 (-7%) .331 (-9%) .373 (-23%) .705 (-17%) -429.3
1888 CN2 AA 85 313 38 73 9 8 1 40 9 22 51 .233 .238 (-2%) .290 (+1%) .319 (+1%) .610 (+1%) 52.1
1889 CN2 AA 87 300 52 86 10 11 6 60 18 48 35 .287 .263 (+9%) .334 (+18%) .357 (+27%) .691 (+23%) 1345.8
1890 CIN NL 54 202 21 28 4 2 3 19 5 19 36 .139 .260 (-47%) .336 (-36%) .351 (-37%) .687 (-36%) -1158.5
1891 CIN NL 75 252 30 51 7 5 4 33 2 33 39 .202 .254 (-20%) .331 (-9%) .343 (-8%) .675 (-8%) -314.3
Career · 11 seasons 527 1,881 254 451 60 36 22 208 41 177 179 .240 — — — — 917

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 Pitching Statistics

Jim Keenan — Career Pitching Statistics
W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
0 1 4 0 0 0 0 19.0 17 5 0 4 2 2.37 0.0

Career ERA 2.37 vs. league average 3.17 across their career seasons — 25.2% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Pitching Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Jim Keenan — Season-by-Season Pitching
Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1884 IN2 AA 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3.0 2 1 0 0 3.00 — 0.0
1885 CN2 AA 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 8.0 7 1 1 0 1.12 — 0.0
1886 CN2 AA 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 8.0 8 3 3 2 3.38 — 0.0
Career · 3 seasons 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 19.0 17 5 4 2 2.37 — 0

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

Jim Keenan — Career Fielding Totals by Position
Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 105 0 1032 44 25 51
3B 10 0 13 8 14 1
C 406 0 2103 545 187 45
OF 13 0 9 2 3 1
P 4 0 1 3 0 0
SS 2 0 0 5 4 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Jim Keenan — Season-by-Season Fielding
Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1875 NH1 3B 2 0 2 0 9 0
1875 NH1 C 3 0 6 2 2 0
1875 NH1 OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
1880 BFN C 2 0 11 7 1 0
1882 PT1 C 22 0 142 21 17 3
1882 PT1 OF 2 0 2 0 0 0
1882 PT1 SS 1 0 0 1 2 0
1884 IN2 1B 6 0 62 4 2 1
1884 IN2 C 59 0 399 71 39 5
1884 IN2 OF 2 0 1 1 2 0
1884 IN2 P 1 0 0 0 0 0
1884 IN2 SS 1 0 0 4 2 0
1885 CN2 1B 4 0 26 0 3 1
1885 CN2 C 33 0 164 37 16 1
1885 CN2 P 1 0 1 1 0 0
1886 CN2 1B 4 0 38 1 1 2
1886 CN2 3B 5 0 6 5 2 1
1886 CN2 C 30 0 170 45 20 2
1886 CN2 OF 7 0 6 1 1 1
1886 CN2 P 2 0 0 2 0 0
1887 CN2 1B 11 0 91 1 1 7
1887 CN2 C 38 0 161 67 16 8
1888 CN2 1B 16 0 150 6 1 6
1888 CN2 C 69 0 356 114 27 7
1889 CN2 1B 21 0 183 7 4 14
1889 CN2 3B 1 0 1 1 2 0
1889 CN2 C 66 0 319 91 16 11
1890 CIN 1B 2 0 26 1 0 1
1890 CIN 3B 1 0 1 0 0 0
1890 CIN C 50 0 244 63 16 5
1890 CIN OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
1891 CIN 1B 41 0 456 24 13 19
1891 CIN 3B 1 0 3 2 1 0
1891 CIN C 34 0 131 27 17 3

Career Games by Position

Position Diamond

Circle size = games played at each position.

Jim Keenan Stats, Bio & Career Records
Position Games
Pitcher 4
Catcher 406
First Base 105
Third Base 10
Shortstop 2
Left Field 1
Center Field 1
Right Field 11

Most Similar Players

Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.

Career Spans

Jim Keenan (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.

  1. 98
    Jay Clarke
    .254 avg, 6 HR
  2. 95
    Dick Buckley
    .245 avg, 26 HR
  3. 94
    Al Evans
    .250 avg, 13 HR
  4. 93
    Mickey Livingston
    .238 avg, 19 HR
  5. 93
    Jake Early
    .241 avg, 32 HR
  6. 91
    Frank House
    .248 avg, 47 HR

Jim Keenan: the record in brief

The profile opens with Jim Keenan's first major league game on May 17, 1875; the last one listed came on October 3, 1891. The team column moves through the New Haven Elm Citys (1875), the Buffalo Bisons (1880), the Pittsburg Alleghenys (1882), the Indianapolis Hoosiers (1884), the Cincinnati Red Stockings (1885 through 1889), and the Cincinnati Reds (1890 through 1891). Keenan, born on February 10, 1856, in New Haven, CT, USA, is listed as a catcher and both batted and threw right-handed. Size on record: 5 feet, 10 inches and 186 pounds. The bio records the death on September 21, 1926, in Cincinnati, OH, USA. Jim Keenan was the playing name; the full given name is James W.

The batting record for Keenan: 527 games, 451 hits in 1,881 at bats, and a .240 average; the totals also include 22 home runs, 208 RBI, and 41 stolen bases. Keenan got on base at a .312 rate and slugged .345 (.657 OPS).

Frequently Asked Questions about Jim Keenan

What years did Jim Keenan play?
Jim Keenan played in Major League Baseball from 1875 to 1891.
Was Jim Keenan a pitcher?
No. Jim Keenan was a position player (Catcher), though he did pitch in 4 career games.
How many home runs did Jim Keenan hit?
Jim Keenan hit 22 career home runs with 451 hits.
What teams did Jim Keenan play for?
Jim Keenan played for 5 teams: the New Haven Elm Citys (1875), the Buffalo Bisons (1880), the Pittsburg Alleghenys (1882), the Indianapolis Hoosiers (1884), and the Cincinnati Reds (1885–1891).
What were Jim Keenan's career stats?
In 527 games, Jim Keenan had 451 hits, 22 home runs, 208 RBI, 254 runs, and 41 stolen bases, with a .240 batting average.
What position did Jim Keenan play?
Jim Keenan played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
How tall was Jim Keenan and how much did he weigh?
Jim Keenan was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 186 pounds.
How many home runs did Jim Keenan hit each season?
Jim Keenan's home runs by season: 0 in 1875, 0 in 1880, 1 in 1882, 3 in 1884, 1 in 1885, 3 in 1886, 0 in 1887, 1 in 1888, 6 in 1889, 3 in 1890, and 4 in 1891. His most in one season was 6, in 1889.
What was Jim Keenan's career batting average?
Jim Keenan batted .240 over his career, with 451 hits in 1,881 at bats.
How many RBI did Jim Keenan have?
Jim Keenan drove in 208 runs in his career.
What was Jim Keenan's career ERA?
Jim Keenan finished with a 2.37 career ERA, going 0-1 with 2 strikeouts.
Is Jim Keenan in the Hall of Fame?
No. Jim Keenan has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.