What years did Bobby Mathews play?

Bobby Mathews played in Major League Baseball from 1871 to 1887.

Was Bobby Mathews a pitcher?

Yes. Bobby Mathews pitched in the major leagues, recording 297 wins and 1528 strikeouts.

How many home runs did Bobby Mathews hit?

Bobby Mathews hit 1 career home runs with 504 hits.

What was Bobby Mathews's career batting average?

Bobby Mathews batted .203 over his career, with 504 hits in 2,486 at bats.

How many RBI did Bobby Mathews have?

Bobby Mathews drove in 164 runs in his career.

What was Bobby Mathews's career ERA?

Bobby Mathews finished with a 2.86 career ERA, going 297-248 with 1,528 strikeouts.

Bobby Mathews

Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1871-1887)

Bobby Mathews was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1871 to 1887 for 8 teams, including the Fort Wayne Kekiongas, a span of 17 seasons. Across 578 career appearances, he went 297-248 with a 2.86 ERA and 1,528 strikeouts. He also batted .203 with 1 home runs. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 25038.6.

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 October 12, 2026

W–L 297–248

ERA 2.86

WHIP 1.24

SO 1,528

Pitcher PIV 25038.6

Position: Pitcher
Bats / Throws: R / R
Height / Weight: 5'5" / 140 lb
Born: 11/21/1851 in Baltimore, MD, USA
Died: 4/17/1898 in Baltimore, MD, USA
MLB Debut: 1871-05-04
Last Game: 1887-10-10

Full name: Robert T. Mathews

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Career Pitching Statistics

Bobby Mathews — Career Pitching Statistics
W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
297	248	578	568	525	20	3	4956.0	5,601	1,573	70	532	1,528	2.86	25038.6

Career ERA 2.86 vs. league average 3.16 across their career seasons — 9.6% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Pitching Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Bobby Mathews Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1871	FW1		6	11	19	19	19	1	0	169.0	261	97	21	17	5.17	4.22 (-22%)	368.2
1872	BL1		25	18	49	47	39	0	0	406.0	480	144	52	57	3.19	3.66 (+13%)	286.0
1873	NY2		29	23	52	52	47	2	0	443.0	489	127	62	79	2.58	3.40 (+24%)	1050.1
1874	NY2		42	22	65	65	62	4	0	578.0	652	122	41	101	1.90	2.19 (+13%)	3187.7
1875	NY2		29	38	70	70	69	3	0	625.2	711	173	20	75	2.49	2.23 (-12%)	850.5
1876	NY3	NL	21	34	56	56	55	2	0	516.0	693	164	24	37	2.86	2.31 (-24%)	-1632.7
1877	CN1	NL	3	12	15	15	13	0	0	129.1	208	58	17	9	4.04	2.81 (-44%)	-926.8
1879	PRO	NL	12	6	27	25	15	1	1	189.0	194	48	26	90	2.29	2.50 (+8%)	107.0
1881	PRO	NL	4	8	14	14	10	1	0	102.1	121	36	21	28	3.17	2.77 (-14%)	-599.4
1881	BSN	NL	1	0	5	1	1	0	2	23.0	22	6	11	5	2.35	2.77 (+15%)	-524.3
1882	BSN	NL	19	15	34	32	31	0	0	285.0	278	91	22	153	2.87	2.80 (-3%)	4971.0
1883	PH4	AA	30	13	44	44	41	1	0	381.0	396	104	31	203	2.46	3.22 (+24%)	4255.9
1884	PH4	AA	30	18	49	49	48	3	0	430.2	401	159	49	286	3.32	3.11 (-7%)	5174.1
1885	PH4	AA	30	17	48	48	46	2	0	422.1	394	114	57	286	2.43	3.03 (+20%)	10066.2
1886	PH4	AA	13	9	24	24	22	0	0	197.2	226	87	53	93	3.96	3.37 (-18%)	56.3
1887	PH4	AA	3	4	7	7	7	0	0	58.0	75	43	25	9	6.67	4.17 (-60%)	-1651.2
Career · 16 seasons			297	248	578	568	525	20	3	4,956.0	5,601	1,573	532	1,528	2.86	—	25,039

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

Bobby Mathews — Career Batting Statistics
G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
623	2,486	318	504	48	9	1	164	10	73	62	.203	.225	.230	.456	-8,543

Career AVG .203 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — 20.9% below league average.

Career OBP .225 vs. league average .292 across their career seasons — 22.7% below league average.

Career SLG .230 vs. league average .338 across their career seasons — 31.8% below league average.

Career OPS .456 vs. league average .629 across their career seasons — 27.6% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Career Arc

Click a stat to plot it across every season.

Bobby Mathews Stats, Bio & Career Records
Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1871	FW1		19	89	15	24	3	1	0	10	2	2	0	.270	.286 (-6%)	.311 (-8%)	.383 (-15%)	.695 (-12%)	-156.3
1872	BL1		50	222	36	50	2	0	0	22	3	3	2	.225	.285 (-21%)	.296 (-21%)	.347 (-33%)	.644 (-27%)	-813.9
1873	NY2		52	223	40	43	3	3	0	14	1	10	3	.193	.290 (-34%)	.304 (-25%)	.357 (-35%)	.661 (-30%)	-955.8
1874	NY2		65	298	46	72	6	1	0	30	2	3	4	.242	.273 (-12%)	.282 (-12%)	.333 (-19%)	.615 (-16%)	-608.9
1875	NY2		70	264	23	48	6	2	0	15	1	2	5	.182	.253 (-28%)	.260 (-28%)	.309 (-29%)	.570 (-29%)	-934.4
1876	NY3	NL	56	218	19	40	4	1	0	9	0	3	2	.183	.265 (-31%)	.277 (-30%)	.320 (-34%)	.598 (-32%)	-908.6
1877	CN1	NL	15	59	5	10	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	.169	.271 (-37%)	.289 (-37%)	.337 (-50%)	.626 (-44%)	-343.6
1879	PRO	NL	43	173	25	35	2	0	1	10	0	7	12	.202	.255 (-21%)	.270 (-14%)	.328 (-30%)	.599 (-22%)	-462.0
1881	PRO	NL	16	57	6	11	1	0	0	4	0	5	6	.193	.260 (-26%)	.290 (-11%)	.338 (-38%)	.628 (-25%)	-176.3
1881	BSN	NL	19	71	2	12	2	0	0	4	0	0	5	.169	.260 (-35%)	.290 (-42%)	.338 (-42%)	.628 (-42%)	-176.3
1882	BSN	NL	45	169	17	38	6	0	0	13	0	8	18	.225	.248 (-9%)	.275 (-6%)	.329 (-21%)	.605 (-14%)	-280.8
1883	PH4	AA	45	167	15	31	2	0	0	11	0	5	0	.186	.257 (-28%)	.285 (-27%)	.345 (-43%)	.631 (-36%)	-789.5
1884	PH4	AA	49	184	26	34	5	1	0	0	0	7	0	.185	.243 (-24%)	.278 (-23%)	.327 (-32%)	.606 (-28%)	-675.0
1885	PH4	AA	48	179	22	30	3	0	0	12	0	10	0	.168	.244 (-31%)	.287 (-26%)	.325 (-43%)	.613 (-35%)	-832.3
1886	PH4	AA	24	88	16	21	3	0	0	10	1	3	0	.239	.246 (-3%)	.302 (-13%)	.331 (-18%)	.634 (-15%)	-195.7
1887	PH4	AA	7	25	5	5	0	0	0	0	0	4	3	.200	—	—	—	—	0.0
Career · 16 seasons			623	2,486	318	504	48	9	1	164	10	73	62	.203	—	—	—	—	-8,309

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

Bobby Mathews — Career Fielding Totals by Position
Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
3B	9	1	5	6	10	1
OF	80	2	54	8	21	1
P	578	130	236	791	220	22
SS	2	0	1	1	4	0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Bobby Mathews — Season-by-Season Fielding
Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1871	FW1	P	19	19	19	23	8	2
1872	BL1	3B	3	1	1	3	6	0
1872	BL1	OF	8	2	1	0	0	0
1872	BL1	P	49	46	20	51	20	2
1873	NY2	OF	5	0	2	0	1	0
1873	NY2	P	52	0	27	58	24	1
1874	NY2	3B	1	0	1	1	0	1
1874	NY2	OF	1	0	0	0	0	0
1874	NY2	P	65	65	29	101	38	2
1875	NY2	OF	1	0	0	0	0	0
1875	NY2	P	70	0	44	106	29	4
1876	NY3	OF	1	0	0	0	0	0
1876	NY3	P	56	0	41	78	28	0
1877	CN1	OF	1	0	0	0	0	0
1877	CN1	P	15	0	7	18	4	0
1877	CN1	SS	1	0	1	1	3	0
1879	PRO	3B	5	0	3	2	4	0
1879	PRO	OF	21	0	17	5	7	1
1879	PRO	P	27	0	4	39	2	0
1881	PRO	OF	5	0	3	0	1	0
1881	PRO	P	14	0	1	16	4	2
1881	BSN	OF	18	0	24	3	6	0
1881	BSN	P	5	0	2	2	0	0
1882	BSN	OF	13	0	6	0	5	0
1882	BSN	P	34	0	5	34	6	1
1882	BSN	SS	1	0	0	0	1	0
1883	PH4	OF	3	0	0	0	0	0
1883	PH4	P	44	0	15	68	12	2
1884	PH4	OF	1	0	0	0	0	0
1884	PH4	P	49	0	8	78	25	1
1885	PH4	OF	1	0	1	0	0	0
1885	PH4	P	48	0	7	67	10	1
1886	PH4	OF	1	0	0	0	1	0
1886	PH4	P	24	0	5	38	8	3
1887	PH4	P	7	0	2	14	2	1

Career Games by Position

Position Diamond

Circle size = games played at each position.

Bobby Mathews Stats, Bio & Career Records
Position	Games
Pitcher	577
Third Base	9
Shortstop	2
Left Field	5
Center Field	10
Right Field	66

Most Similar Players

Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.

Career Spans

Bobby Mathews (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.

Bobby Mathews: the record in brief

According to the bio, Bobby Mathews debuted on May 4, 1871 and played a final game on October 10, 1887. Mathews played for the Fort Wayne Kekiongas (1871), the Baltimore Canaries (1872), the New York Mutuals (1873 through 1876), the Cincinnati Reds (1877), the Providence Grays (1879 through 1881), the Boston Red Caps (1881 to 1882), and the Philadelphia Athletics (1883 through 1887). Born on November 21, 1851, in Baltimore, MD, USA, Mathews is listed as a pitcher and threw and hit right-handed. Mathews's listed size is 5-foot-5 and 140 pounds. Mathews died on April 17, 1898, in Baltimore, MD, USA. Mathews's full given name, per the bio, is Robert T. Mathews.

Mathews's career pitching line is 297 wins, 248 losses and a 2.86 ERA over 578 appearances. Mathews had 1,528 strikeouts, 525 complete games, and 20 shutouts. The leagues Mathews pitched in allowed 3.16 earned runs per nine over those seasons, so the career ERA was 9.6% better than average.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bobby Mathews

What years did Bobby Mathews play?: Bobby Mathews played in Major League Baseball from 1871 to 1887.
Was Bobby Mathews a pitcher?: Yes. Bobby Mathews pitched in the major leagues, recording 297 wins and 1528 strikeouts.
How many home runs did Bobby Mathews hit?: Bobby Mathews hit 1 career home runs with 504 hits.
What was Bobby Mathews's career batting average?: Bobby Mathews batted .203 over his career, with 504 hits in 2,486 at bats.
How many RBI did Bobby Mathews have?: Bobby Mathews drove in 164 runs in his career.
What was Bobby Mathews's career ERA?: Bobby Mathews finished with a 2.86 career ERA, going 297-248 with 1,528 strikeouts.