Frank Kitson
Born: 9/11/1869 in Watson, MI, USA
Died: 4/13/1930 in Allegan, MI, USA
MLB Debut: 1898-05-19 | Final Game: 1907-07-22
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 165 lbs
Full name: Frank R. Kitson
Biography
Frank Kitson was a prominent pitcher in Major League Baseball during the early 20th century, playing from 1898 to 1907. Born in 1869, Kitson made his debut in an era marked by the transition from the deadball era to a more offense-oriented style of play. Over the course of his career, he compiled a record of 129 wins and 118 losses, showcasing his durability and competitiveness on the mound. With a career earned run average (ERA) of 3.17, Kitson demonstrated his ability to effectively manage opposing hitters, contributing to his team's successes during his tenure.
Kitson recorded a total of 736 strikeouts, illustrating his proficiency in overpowering batters with his pitching skills. Additionally, he notched 7 saves, further highlighting his versatility as a pitcher who could be relied upon in crucial moments of games. Throughout his career, Kitson established himself as a significant figure in the league, leaving a lasting impact on the game during a formative period in baseball history. His contributions to the sport are remembered as part of the rich tapestry of early baseball.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 129 | 118 | 304 | 250 | 211 | 19 | 7 | 2221.7 | 2333 | 782 | 52 | 488 | 736 | 3.17 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 | BLN | NL | 8 | 5 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 119.3 | 123 | 43 | 35 | 32 | 3.24 | 892.8 |
| 1899 | BLN | NL | 22 | 16 | 40 | 37 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 326.7 | 327 | 101 | 65 | 75 | 2.78 | 3718.7 |
| 1900 | BRO | NL | 15 | 13 | 40 | 30 | 21 | 2 | 4 | 253.3 | 283 | 118 | 56 | 55 | 4.19 | -563.1 |
| 1901 | BRO | NL | 19 | 11 | 38 | 32 | 26 | 5 | 2 | 280.7 | 312 | 93 | 67 | 127 | 2.98 | 1693.3 |
| 1902 | BRO | NL | 19 | 13 | 32 | 31 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 268.7 | 258 | 83 | 49 | 114 | 2.78 | 3808.7 |
| 1903 | DET | AL | 15 | 16 | 31 | 28 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 257.7 | 277 | 74 | 38 | 102 | 2.58 | 1684.3 |
| 1904 | DET | AL | 9 | 13 | 26 | 24 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 199.7 | 211 | 68 | 38 | 69 | 3.07 | -1038.6 |
| 1905 | DET | AL | 12 | 14 | 33 | 27 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 225.7 | 230 | 87 | 57 | 78 | 3.47 | -517.1 |
| 1906 | WSN | AL | 6 | 14 | 30 | 21 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 197.0 | 196 | 80 | 57 | 59 | 3.65 | - |
| 1907 | NYY | AL | 4 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 61.0 | 75 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 3.10 | - |
| 1907 | WSN | AL | 0 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 32.0 | 41 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 3.94 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 352 | 979 | 119 | 235 | 28 | 17 | 4 | 95 | 14 | 38 | 155 | 0.240 | 0.273 | 0.316 | 0.589 | -1991.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 | BLN | NL | 31 | 86 | 13 | 27 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0.314 | 131.7 |
| 1899 | BLN | NL | 45 | 134 | 12 | 27 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 13 | 0.201 | -703.9 |
| 1900 | BRO | NL | 43 | 109 | 20 | 32 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 0.294 | -59.2 |
| 1901 | BRO | NL | 47 | 133 | 22 | 35 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 0.263 | -173.2 |
| 1902 | BRO | NL | 40 | 117 | 10 | 32 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 0.274 | 16.1 |
| 1903 | DET | AL | 36 | 116 | 12 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 31 | 0.181 | -698.2 |
| 1904 | DET | AL | 27 | 72 | 9 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 0.208 | -221.3 |
| 1905 | DET | AL | 33 | 87 | 8 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 0.184 | -448.1 |
| 1906 | WSN | AL | 33 | 90 | 9 | 22 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 0.244 | 165.1 |
| 1907 | NYY | AL | 12 | 25 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.280 | 0.0 |
| 1907 | WSN | AL | 5 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.100 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 19 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| P | 304 | 79 | 77 | 548 | 38 | 7 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 | BLN | P | 17 | 0 | 4 | 32 | 5 | 0 |
| 1898 | BLN | OF | 11 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1899 | BLN | P | 40 | 0 | 12 | 68 | 2 | 1 |
| 1900 | BRO | P | 40 | 0 | 12 | 39 | 5 | 0 |
| 1900 | BRO | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1901 | BRO | P | 38 | 0 | 13 | 56 | 4 | 2 |
| 1901 | BRO | 1B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1901 | BRO | OF | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1902 | BRO | P | 32 | 0 | 7 | 70 | 3 | 1 |
| 1903 | DET | P | 31 | 0 | 9 | 69 | 3 | 0 |
| 1903 | DET | OF | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1904 | DET | P | 26 | 24 | 6 | 68 | 4 | 2 |
| 1905 | DET | P | 33 | 27 | 5 | 65 | 7 | 0 |
| 1906 | WS1 | P | 30 | 21 | 5 | 62 | 3 | 1 |
| 1907 | NYA | P | 12 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| 1907 | WS1 | P | 5 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 304 |
| First Base | 1 |
| Left Field | 3 |
| Center Field | 4 |
| Right Field | 12 |