Bill Keister
Born: 8/17/1871 in Baltimore, MD, USA
Died: 8/17/1924 in Baltimore, MD, USA
MLB Debut: 1896-05-20 | Final Game: 1903-08-25
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'5" | Weight: 168 lbs
Full name: William Hoffman Keister
Biography
Bill Keister was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in 1871, he made his debut on May 20, 1896, and played until August 25, 1903. Over the course of his career, Keister participated in 621 games, showcasing his exceptional batting ability with a career average of .312. He amassed 758 hits, including 18 home runs and driving in 400 runs, solidifying his reputation as a reliable offensive contributor. Additionally, he demonstrated notable speed on the bases, recording 131 stolen bases during his time in the league.
Keister played in an era that was transitioning from the deadball period into a more modern style of play, where players began to embrace both power and speed. His ability to combine consistent hitting with base-stealing prowess made him a valuable asset to his teams. Throughout his career, Keister exemplified the qualities of a versatile player, making significant contributions to the game during a transformative period in baseball history. His legacy is remembered for both his statistical achievements and his influence on the evolving game.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 621 | 2433 | 400 | 758 | 133 | 63 | 18 | 400 | 131 | 90 | 116 | 0.312 | 0.349 | 0.440 | 0.789 | 6168.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 | BLN | NL | 15 | 58 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 0.241 | -190.0 |
| 1898 | BSN | NL | 10 | 30 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 1899 | BLN | NL | 136 | 523 | 96 | 172 | 22 | 16 | 3 | 73 | 33 | 16 | 16 | 0.329 | 1421.1 |
| 1900 | STL | NL | 126 | 497 | 78 | 149 | 26 | 10 | 1 | 72 | 32 | 25 | 15 | 0.300 | 471.7 |
| 1901 | BLA | AL | 115 | 442 | 78 | 145 | 20 | 21 | 2 | 93 | 24 | 18 | 23 | 0.328 | 1741.8 |
| 1902 | WSN | AL | 119 | 483 | 82 | 145 | 33 | 9 | 9 | 90 | 27 | 14 | 22 | 0.300 | 1417.6 |
| 1903 | PHI | NL | 100 | 400 | 53 | 128 | 27 | 7 | 3 | 63 | 11 | 14 | 32 | 0.320 | 1305.8 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 214 | 0 | 411 | 576 | 67 | 48 |
| 3B | 23 | 0 | 24 | 50 | 17 | 2 |
| OF | 167 | 0 | 256 | 33 | 22 | 4 |
| SS | 215 | 0 | 420 | 640 | 159 | 58 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 | BLN | 2B | 8 | 0 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 1 |
| 1896 | BLN | 3B | 6 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 1 |
| 1898 | BSN | 2B | 4 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 1898 | BSN | SS | 4 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1898 | BSN | OF | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899 | BLN | 2B | 46 | 0 | 94 | 117 | 13 | 11 |
| 1899 | BLN | SS | 90 | 0 | 169 | 283 | 53 | 25 |
| 1899 | BLN | OF | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1900 | SLN | 2B | 116 | 0 | 206 | 315 | 41 | 26 |
| 1900 | SLN | 3B | 3 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 1900 | SLN | SS | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 | 8 | 1 |
| 1901 | BLA | SS | 112 | 0 | 231 | 322 | 97 | 30 |
| 1902 | WS1 | 2B | 40 | 0 | 97 | 121 | 11 | 9 |
| 1902 | WS1 | 3B | 14 | 0 | 14 | 28 | 10 | 1 |
| 1902 | WS1 | SS | 2 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| 1902 | WS1 | OF | 65 | 0 | 115 | 9 | 12 | 3 |
| 1903 | PHI | OF | 100 | 0 | 136 | 22 | 10 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 214 |
| Third Base | 23 |
| Shortstop | 215 |
| Left Field | 1 |
| Center Field | 12 |
| Right Field | 154 |