Al Mays
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1885-1890)
Al Mays was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1885 to 1890 for 4 teams, including the Louisville Colonels, a span of 6 seasons. Across 150 career appearances, he went 53-89 with a 3.91 ERA and 469 strikeouts. He also batted .160 with 3 home runs.
- 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
- R / R
- Died
- 5/7/1905 in Parkersburg, WV, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1885-05-10
- Last Game
- 1890-05-02
Full name: Albert C. Mays
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | LS2 | AA | 6 | 11 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 150.0 | 129 | 46 | 43 | 61 | 2.76 | 3.03 (+9%) | -1183.0 |
| 1886 | NY4 | AA | 11 | 27 | 41 | 40 | 39 | 1 | 0 | 350.0 | 330 | 132 | 140 | 163 | 3.39 | 3.37 (-1%) | -3322.1 |
| 1887 | NY4 | AA | 17 | 34 | 52 | 52 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 441.1 | 551 | 232 | 136 | 124 | 4.73 | 4.17 (-13%) | 892.4 |
| 1888 | BR3 | AA | 9 | 9 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 160.2 | 150 | 50 | 32 | 67 | 2.80 | 2.95 (+5%) | 1302.1 |
| 1889 | CL6 | AA | 10 | 7 | 21 | 19 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 140.0 | 167 | 75 | 56 | 52 | 4.82 | 3.93 (-23%) | 45.8 |
| 1890 | CL6 | AA | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.0 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 8.00 | 3.88 (-106%) | 0.0 |
| Career · 6 seasons | 53 | 89 | 150 | 147 | 137 | 3 | 0 | 1,251.0 | 1,341 | 543 | 415 | 469 | 3.91 | — | -2,265 | ||
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160 | 537 | 50 | 86 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 46 | 12 | 33 | 49 | .160 | .214 | .242 | .456 | -2,534 |
Career AVG .160 vs. league average .255 across their career seasons — 37.1% below league average.
Career OBP .214 vs. league average .317 across their career seasons — 32.4% below league average.
Career SLG .242 vs. league average .344 across their career seasons — 29.7% below league average.
Career OPS .456 vs. league average .661 across their career seasons — 31.0% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | LS2 | AA | 17 | 61 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .213 | .244 (-13%) | .287 (-17%) | .325 (-19%) | .613 (-18%) | -157.4 |
| 1886 | NY4 | AA | 41 | 135 | 11 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 0 | .119 | .246 (-52%) | .302 (-48%) | .331 (-46%) | .634 (-47%) | -917.0 |
| 1887 | NY4 | AA | 62 | 221 | 23 | 45 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 23 | 7 | 10 | 25 | .204 | .270 (-25%) | .331 (-27%) | .373 (-10%) | .705 (-18%) | -713.8 |
| 1888 | BR3 | AA | 18 | 63 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 14 | .079 | .238 (-67%) | .290 (-45%) | .319 (-60%) | .610 (-53%) | -453.2 |
| 1889 | CL6 | AA | 21 | 54 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 10 | .130 | .263 (-51%) | .334 (-17%) | .357 (-59%) | .691 (-39%) | -292.6 |
| 1890 | CL6 | AA | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 6 seasons | 160 | 537 | 50 | 86 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 46 | 12 | 33 | 49 | .160 | — | — | — | — | -2,534 | ||
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 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 14 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| P | 150 | 0 | 47 | 282 | 46 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | LS2 | P | 17 | 0 | 5 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| 1886 | NY4 | P | 41 | 0 | 9 | 61 | 11 | 3 |
| 1887 | NY4 | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1887 | NY4 | OF | 11 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 1887 | NY4 | P | 52 | 0 | 21 | 121 | 24 | 4 |
| 1888 | BR3 | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1888 | BR3 | P | 18 | 0 | 7 | 45 | 6 | 2 |
| 1889 | CL6 | OF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1889 | CL6 | P | 21 | 0 | 5 | 32 | 4 | 1 |
| 1890 | CL6 | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 150 |
| First Base | 1 |
| Left Field | 6 |
| Center Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 7 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Al Mays (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Al Mays: the record in brief
Al Mays's major league career runs from a debut on May 10, 1885 to a final game on May 2, 1890. The team column moves through the Louisville Colonels (1885), the New York Metropolitans (1886 to 1887), the Brooklyn Bridegrooms (1888), and the Columbus Solons (1889 through 1890). Mays played primarily as a pitcher and batted and threw right-handed. Mays was born on May 17, 1865, in Canal Dover, OH, USA. Mays's death is recorded on May 7, 1905, in Parkersburg, WV, USA. Al Mays was the playing name; the full given name is Albert C.
Across 150 games (147 starts), Mays recorded 53 wins against 89 losses with a 3.91 ERA. The totals include 469 strikeouts and 137 complete games. Against a 3.59 league ERA for the same seasons, the 3.91 mark was 8.8% worse. The best win total was 17, in 1887. The strikeout high was 163 in 1886. In 1886, one of the busiest seasons, Mays posted a 3.39 ERA; the league figure that year was 3.37.
Frequently Asked Questions about Al Mays
- What years did Al Mays play?
- Al Mays played in Major League Baseball from 1885 to 1890.
- Was Al Mays a pitcher?
- Yes. Al Mays pitched in the major leagues, recording 53 wins and 469 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Al Mays hit?
- Al Mays hit 3 career home runs with 86 hits.
- What teams did Al Mays play for?
- Al Mays played for 4 teams: the Louisville Colonels (1885), the New York Metropolitans (1886–1887), the Brooklyn Bridegrooms (1888), and the Columbus Solons (1889–1890).
- What were Al Mays's career stats?
- In 150 games, Al Mays went 53-89 with a 3.91 ERA, 469 strikeouts, and 1,251.0 innings pitched. At the plate he had 86 hits and 3 home runs.
- What position did Al Mays play?
- Al Mays played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- What was Al Mays's career ERA?
- Al Mays finished with a 3.91 career ERA, going 53-89 with 469 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Al Mays have?
- Al Mays recorded 469 career strikeouts.
- Is Al Mays in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Al Mays has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.