Rudy Kemmler
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1879-1889)
Rudy Kemmler was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1879 to 1889 for 7 teams, including the Providence Grays, a span of 11 seasons. In 236 career games, he hit .193 with 166 hits and 11 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
- Catcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 206 lb
- Born
- 1860 in Chicago, IL, USA
- Died
- 6/20/1909 in Chicago, IL, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1879-07-26
- Last Game
- 1889-08-11
Full name: Rudolph Kemmler
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 236 | 860 | 80 | 166 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 42 | 5 | .193 | .232 | .228 | .460 | -2,586 |
Career AVG .193 vs. league average .251 across their career seasons β 23.1% below league average.
Career OBP .232 vs. league average .294 across their career seasons β 21.0% below league average.
Career SLG .228 vs. league average .336 across their career seasons β 32.1% below league average.
Career OPS .460 vs. league average .630 across their career seasons β 26.9% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1879 | PRO | NL | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .143 | β | β | β | β | 0.0 |
| 1881 | CL2 | NL | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | β | β | β | β | 0.0 |
| 1882 | CN2 | AA | 3 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .091 | β | β | β | β | 0.0 |
| 1882 | PT1 | AA | 24 | 97 | 8 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .237 | .248 (-4%) | .275 (-11%) | .329 (-16%) | .605 (-14%) | 0.0 |
| 1883 | CL5 | AA | 84 | 318 | 27 | 66 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | .208 | .257 (-19%) | .285 (-17%) | .345 (-31%) | .631 (-24%) | -1016.9 |
| 1884 | CL5 | AA | 61 | 211 | 28 | 42 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | .199 | .243 (-18%) | .278 (-10%) | .327 (-26%) | .606 (-19%) | -479.8 |
| 1885 | PT1 | AA | 18 | 64 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .203 | .244 (-17%) | .287 (-17%) | .325 (-18%) | .613 (-18%) | -157.4 |
| 1886 | SL4 | AA | 35 | 123 | 13 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | .138 | .246 (-44%) | .302 (-35%) | .331 (-53%) | .634 (-45%) | -756.7 |
| 1889 | CL6 | AA | 8 | 26 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | .115 | β | β | β | β | 0.0 |
| Career · 9 seasons | 236 | 860 | 80 | 166 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 42 | 5 | .193 | — | — | — | — | -2,411 | ||
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 5 | 0 | 45 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| C | 227 | 0 | 1085 | 331 | 169 | 19 |
| OF | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1879 | PRO | C | 2 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| 1881 | CL2 | C | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1882 | CN2 | C | 3 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1882 | CN2 | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1882 | PT1 | C | 23 | 0 | 123 | 37 | 15 | 1 |
| 1882 | PT1 | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1883 | CL5 | C | 82 | 0 | 388 | 97 | 71 | 10 |
| 1883 | CL5 | OF | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 1884 | CL5 | 1B | 2 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1884 | CL5 | C | 58 | 0 | 268 | 77 | 36 | 3 |
| 1884 | CL5 | OF | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1885 | PT1 | C | 18 | 0 | 86 | 28 | 17 | 0 |
| 1886 | SL4 | 1B | 3 | 0 | 23 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 1886 | SL4 | C | 32 | 0 | 159 | 63 | 21 | 3 |
| 1889 | CL6 | C | 8 | 0 | 35 | 18 | 4 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 227 |
| First Base | 5 |
| Left Field | 1 |
| Center Field | 2 |
| Right Field | 2 |
Rudy Kemmler: the record in brief
According to the bio, Rudy Kemmler debuted on July 26, 1879 and played a final game on August 11, 1889. Club by club, the record runs the Providence Grays (1879), the Cleveland Blues (1881), the Cincinnati Red Stockings (1882), the Pittsburg Alleghenys (1882 through 1885), the Columbus Buckeyes (1883 to 1884), the St. Louis Browns (1886), and the Columbus Solons (1889). The bio lists Kemmler as a catcher who both batted and threw right-handed. The recorded size is 5'11" and 206 pounds. The birth record reads in 1860, in Chicago, IL, USA. Kemmler's death is recorded on June 20, 1909, in Chicago, IL, USA. On the record, Rudy Kemmler was born Rudolph Kemmler.
The batting record for Kemmler: 236 games, 166 hits in 860 at bats, and a .193 average; the totals also include 11 runs batted in. Kemmler's career OPS of .460 combines a .232 on-base mark with .228 slugging. Kemmler's .193 average ran 23.1% below the .251 that the league posted over the same seasons. In OPS terms, Kemmler's .460 stands 26.9% below the league's .630. Kemmler collected a career-high 66 hits in 1883.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rudy Kemmler
- What years did Rudy Kemmler play?
- Rudy Kemmler played in Major League Baseball from 1879 to 1889.
- Was Rudy Kemmler a pitcher?
- No. Rudy Kemmler was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Rudy Kemmler hit?
- Rudy Kemmler hit 0 career home runs with 166 hits.
- What teams did Rudy Kemmler play for?
- Rudy Kemmler played for 7 teams: the Providence Grays (1879), the Cleveland Blues (1881), the Cincinnati Red Stockings (1882), the Pittsburg Alleghenys (1882, 1885), the Columbus Buckeyes (1883β1884), the St. Louis Browns (1886), and the Columbus Solons (1889).
- What were Rudy Kemmler's career stats?
- In 236 games, Rudy Kemmler had 166 hits, 11 RBI, and 80 runs, with a .193 batting average.
- What position did Rudy Kemmler play?
- Rudy Kemmler played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Rudy Kemmler and how much did he weigh?
- Rudy Kemmler was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 206 pounds.
- What was Rudy Kemmler's career batting average?
- Rudy Kemmler batted .193 over his career, with 166 hits in 860 at bats.
- How many RBI did Rudy Kemmler have?
- Rudy Kemmler drove in 11 runs in his career.
- Is Rudy Kemmler in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Rudy Kemmler has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.