Bill Killefer
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1909-1921)
Bill Killefer was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1909 to 1921 for the St. Louis Browns, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Chicago Cubs, a span of 13 seasons. In 1,035 career games, he hit .238 with 751 hits, 4 home runs, and 240 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
- 5'10" / 170 lb
- Died
- 7/3/1960 in Elsmere, DE, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1909-09-13
- Last Game
- 1921-10-01
Full name: William Killefer
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,035 | 3,150 | 237 | 751 | 86 | 21 | 4 | 240 | 39 | 113 | 159 | .238 | .273 | .283 | .555 | -7,503 |
Career AVG .238 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — 8.1% below league average.
Career OBP .273 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — 15.8% below league average.
Career SLG .283 vs. league average .344 across their career seasons — 17.7% below league average.
Career OPS .555 vs. league average .667 across their career seasons — 16.8% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 | SLA | AL | 11 | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .138 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1910 | SLA | AL | 74 | 193 | 14 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 31 | .124 | .249 (-50%) | .317 (-42%) | .326 (-52%) | .644 (-47%) | -1333.1 |
| 1911 | PHI | NL | 6 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .188 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1912 | PHI | NL | 85 | 268 | 18 | 60 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 14 | .224 | .268 (-17%) | .335 (-28%) | .358 (-22%) | .694 (-25%) | -1095.2 |
| 1913 | PHI | NL | 120 | 360 | 25 | 88 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 4 | 17 | .244 | .259 (-6%) | .325 (-22%) | .345 (-13%) | .670 (-17%) | -1036.7 |
| 1914 | PHI | NL | 98 | 299 | 27 | 70 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 3 | 8 | 17 | .234 | .255 (-8%) | .322 (-19%) | .339 (-19%) | .661 (-19%) | -884.6 |
| 1915 | PHI | NL | 105 | 320 | 26 | 76 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 5 | 18 | 14 | .237 | .250 (-5%) | .318 (-10%) | .332 (-16%) | .651 (-13%) | -623.6 |
| 1916 | PHI | NL | 97 | 286 | 22 | 62 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 27 | 2 | 8 | 14 | .217 | .248 (-13%) | .314 (-22%) | .326 (-10%) | .640 (-16%) | -724.5 |
| 1917 | PHI | NL | 125 | 409 | 28 | 112 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 4 | 15 | 21 | .274 | .248 (+10%) | .312 (-2%) | .323 (-6%) | .635 (-4%) | -262.9 |
| 1918 | CHN | NL | 104 | 331 | 30 | 77 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 5 | 17 | 10 | .233 | .255 (-9%) | .318 (-13%) | .326 (-14%) | .645 (-14%) | -687.8 |
| 1919 | CHN | NL | 103 | 315 | 17 | 90 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 5 | 15 | 8 | .286 | .262 (+9%) | .322 (avg) | .347 (-5%) | .670 (-3%) | -134.8 |
| 1920 | CHN | NL | 62 | 191 | 16 | 42 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 8 | 5 | .220 | .271 (-19%) | .331 (-16%) | .363 (-26%) | .694 (-21%) | -604.5 |
| 1921 | CHN | NL | 45 | 133 | 11 | 43 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 4 | .323 | .286 (+13%) | .344 (+4%) | .395 (-16%) | .739 (-7%) | -115.2 |
| Career · 13 seasons | 1,035 | 3,150 | 237 | 751 | 86 | 21 | 4 | 240 | 39 | 113 | 159 | .238 | — | — | — | — | -7,503 | ||
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.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1036 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 540 | 1608 | 120 | 410 | 2 | 130 | .255 |
| Away | 496 | 1543 | 118 | 341 | 2 | 117 | .221 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921-10-01 | CHC | CIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1921-09-25 | CHC | BSN | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921-09-20 | CHC | NY1 | W | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1921-09-18 | CHC | BRO | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921-09-15 | CHC | PHI | L | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921-09-13 | CHC | PHI | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921-09-07 | CHC | CIN | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921-09-06 | CHC | STL | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1921-09-03 | CHC | CIN | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921-08-29 | CHC | NY1 | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 1005 | 72 | 4830 | 1319 | 148 | 129 |
| OF | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 | SLA | C | 11 | 10 | 36 | 21 | 6 | 2 |
| 1910 | SLA | C | 73 | 62 | 311 | 124 | 29 | 16 |
| 1911 | PHI | C | 6 | 0 | 29 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| 1912 | PHI | C | 85 | 0 | 407 | 134 | 15 | 17 |
| 1913 | PHI | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1913 | PHI | C | 118 | 0 | 570 | 166 | 9 | 16 |
| 1914 | PHI | C | 90 | 0 | 464 | 154 | 14 | 11 |
| 1915 | PHI | C | 104 | 0 | 539 | 126 | 19 | 6 |
| 1916 | PHI | C | 91 | 0 | 443 | 89 | 8 | 15 |
| 1917 | PHI | C | 120 | 0 | 615 | 138 | 12 | 14 |
| 1917 | PHI | OF | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1918 | CHN | C | 104 | 0 | 487 | 110 | 11 | 12 |
| 1919 | CHN | C | 100 | 0 | 478 | 124 | 8 | 7 |
| 1920 | CHN | C | 61 | 0 | 304 | 80 | 9 | 6 |
| 1921 | CHN | C | 42 | 0 | 147 | 43 | 7 | 6 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 1004 |
| First Base | 2 |
| Left Field | 1 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1918 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | C |
| 1917 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | C |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Edward's University | Austin | TX | 1908 |
| Sacred Heart College | Watertown | WI | 1907 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Bill Killefer (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Bill Killefer: the record in brief
Bill Killefer played a first major league game on September 13, 1909 and a last one on October 1, 1921. The team column moves through the St. Louis Browns (1909 to 1910), the Philadelphia Phillies (1911 through 1917), and the Chicago Cubs (1918 through 1921). Listed as a catcher, Killefer batted and threw right-handed. The recorded size is 5'10" and 170 pounds. The birth record reads October 10, 1887, in Bloomingdale, MI, USA. The bio records the death on July 3, 1960, in Elsmere, DE, USA. On the record, Bill Killefer was born William Killefer.
The batting record for Killefer: 1,035 games, 751 hits in 3,150 at bats, and a .238 average, along with 4 homers, 240 runs batted in, and 39 stolen bases. Killefer got on base at a .273 rate and slugged .283 (.555 OPS). Killefer's .238 average ran 8.1% below the .259 that the league posted over the same seasons. By OPS the gap is 16.8% below league average (.555 against .667). The highest hit total in a season was 112, in 1917. The RBI column peaks at 31 in 1917.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bill Killefer
- What years did Bill Killefer play?
- Bill Killefer played in Major League Baseball from 1909 to 1921.
- Was Bill Killefer a pitcher?
- No. Bill Killefer was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did Bill Killefer hit?
- Bill Killefer hit 4 career home runs with 751 hits.
- What teams did Bill Killefer play for?
- Bill Killefer played for 3 teams: the St. Louis Browns (1909–1910), the Philadelphia Phillies (1911–1917), and the Chicago Cubs (1918–1921).
- What were Bill Killefer's career stats?
- In 1,035 games, Bill Killefer had 751 hits, 4 home runs, 240 RBI, 237 runs, and 39 stolen bases, with a .238 batting average.
- What position did Bill Killefer play?
- Bill Killefer played primarily as a catcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Bill Killefer and how much did he weigh?
- Bill Killefer was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 170 pounds.
- How many home runs did Bill Killefer hit each season?
- Bill Killefer's home runs by season: 0 in 1909, 0 in 1910, 0 in 1911, 1 in 1912, 0 in 1913, 0 in 1914, 0 in 1915, 3 in 1916, 0 in 1917, 0 in 1918, 0 in 1919, 0 in 1920, and 0 in 1921. His most in one season was 3, in 1916.
- What was Bill Killefer's career batting average?
- Bill Killefer batted .238 over his career, with 751 hits in 3,150 at bats.
- How many RBI did Bill Killefer have?
- Bill Killefer drove in 240 runs in his career.
- Is Bill Killefer in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Bill Killefer has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.