Willard Mains
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1888-1896)
Willard Mains was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1888 to 1896 for 4 teams, including the Chicago Cubs, a span of 9 seasons. Across 42 career appearances, he went 16-17 with a 3.53 ERA and 96 strikeouts.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 190 lb
- Died
- 5/23/1923 in Bridgton, ME, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1888-08-03
- Last Game
- 1896-06-02
Full name: Willard Eben Mains
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | CHN | NL | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11.0 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4.91 | 2.95 (-67%) | -175.4 |
| 1891 | CN3 | AA | 12 | 12 | 30 | 23 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 204.0 | 196 | 61 | 107 | 76 | 2.69 | 3.52 (+24%) | -1011.9 |
| 1891 | ML3 | AA | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 10.80 | 3.52 (-207%) | -725.6 |
| 1896 | BSN | NL | 3 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 42.2 | 43 | 26 | 31 | 13 | 5.48 | 4.36 (-26%) | -1013.2 |
| Career · 4 seasons | 16 | 17 | 42 | 32 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 267.2 | 261 | 105 | 154 | 96 | 3.53 | — | -2,926 | ||
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 Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 124 | 17 | 32 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 14 | .258 | .292 | .347 | .639 | -109 |
Career AVG .258 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .292 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — 9.6% below league average.
Career SLG .347 vs. league average .347 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .639 vs. league average .670 across their career seasons — near 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | CHN | NL | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .143 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1891 | CN3 | AA | 31 | 90 | 14 | 22 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 8 | .244 | .254 (-4%) | .331 (-14%) | .343 (+4%) | .675 (-5%) | -109.4 |
| 1891 | ML3 | AA | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .600 | — | — | — | — | -109.4 |
| 1896 | BSN | NL | 10 | 22 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .273 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 4 seasons | 45 | 124 | 17 | 32 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 14 | .258 | — | — | — | — | -219 | ||
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 Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 42 |
| Left Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 1 |
Willard Mains: the record in brief
Between the debut on August 3, 1888 and the final game on June 2, 1896, Willard Mains built the record summarized on this page. The season rows list, in order, the Chicago White Stockings (1888), the Cincinnati Kelly's Killers (1891), the Milwaukee Brewers (1891), and the Boston Beaneaters (1896). Mains, a pitcher by primary position, hit left-handed while throwing right-handed. Mains is listed at 6 feet, 2 inches and 190 pounds. Mains was born on July 7, 1868, in North Windham, ME, USA. Mains died on May 23, 1923, in Bridgton, ME, USA. Willard Mains was the playing name; the full given name is Willard Eben.
Mains went 16-17 with a 3.53 ERA in 42 games, 32 of them starts. The same table counts 96 strikeouts and 24 complete games. Mains's 3.53 ERA was close to the 3.53 league figure for those seasons. Mains won 12 games in 1891, the most of any season listed. 1891 was Mains's sharpest full season, a 2.69 ERA against the league's 3.52.
Frequently Asked Questions about Willard Mains
- What years did Willard Mains play?
- Willard Mains played in Major League Baseball from 1888 to 1896.
- Was Willard Mains a pitcher?
- Yes. Willard Mains pitched in the major leagues, recording 16 wins and 96 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Willard Mains hit?
- Willard Mains hit 1 career home run with 32 hits.
- What teams did Willard Mains play for?
- Willard Mains played for 4 teams: the Chicago White Stockings (1888), the Cincinnati Kelly's Killers (1891), the Milwaukee Brewers (1891), and the Boston Beaneaters (1896).
- What were Willard Mains's career stats?
- In 42 games, Willard Mains went 16-17 with a 3.53 ERA, 96 strikeouts, 267.2 innings pitched, and 1 saves.
- What position did Willard Mains play?
- Willard Mains played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Willard Mains and how much did he weigh?
- Willard Mains was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 190 pounds.
- What was Willard Mains's career ERA?
- Willard Mains finished with a 3.53 career ERA, going 16-17 with 96 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Willard Mains have?
- Willard Mains recorded 96 career strikeouts.
- Is Willard Mains in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Willard Mains has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.