Jim McDonald, baseball player, 1884-1885

Jim McDonald

Born: 8/6/1860 in San Francisco, CA, USA

Died: 9/14/1914 in San Francisco, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1884-06-20 | Final Game: 1885-10-10

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: James Augustus McDonald

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Biography

Jim McDonald, born in 1860, played professional baseball during the mid-1880s. His career spanned from 1884 to October 10, 1885, a time when the game was beginning to evolve from its early roots, transitioning from the rough-and-tumble style of the 19th century into a more organized format. As a position player, McDonald participated in 45 games, where he recorded a total of 24 hits, resulting in a batting average of .145. His contributions to the teams he played for, although modest in terms of statistical output, came during an era marked by the establishment of baseball as America's pastime. Despite finishing his career without any home runs or RBIs, McDonald's role in the game is reflective of the broader context of baseball's development during this period. The mid-1880s were characterized by a focus on speed and defense, and while McDonald did not register any stolen bases, his tenure in the league contributed to the overall tapestry of early professional baseball. His experience provides insight into the lives of players from the era, highlighting the challenges and dynamics of professional sports during a formative time in baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
45 165 11 24 3 0 0 0 0 2 4 0.145 0.156 0.164 0.319 -883.7

Career AVG .145 vs. league average .244 across their career seasons — 40.3% below league average.

Career OBP .156 vs. league average .282 across their career seasons — 44.8% below league average.

Career SLG .164 vs. league average .326 across their career seasons — 49.9% below league average.

Career OPS 0.319 vs. league average 0.609 across their career seasons — 47.5% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1884 WSU UA 2 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.167 — — — — 0.0
1884 PT1 AA 38 145 11 23 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.159 .243 (-35%) .278 (-39%) .327 (-45%) .606 (-42%) 0.0
1885 BFN NL 5 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 1 0 1 2 1 0
3B 22 0 21 37 15 2
C 1 0 5 2 3 0
OF 17 0 27 1 5 0
SS 4 0 2 12 2 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1884 WSU C 1 0 5 2 3 0
1884 WSU OF 1 0 1 0 1 0
1884 PT1 2B 1 0 1 2 1 0
1884 PT1 3B 22 0 21 37 15 2
1884 PT1 OF 15 0 22 1 4 0
1885 BFN OF 1 0 4 0 0 0
1885 BFN SS 4 0 2 12 2 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 1
Second Base 1
Third Base 22
Shortstop 4
Left Field 1
Center Field 13
Right Field 3