Willie Mitchell
Born: 12/1/1889 in Pleasant Grove, MS, USA
Died: 11/23/1973 in Sardis, MS, USA
MLB Debut: 1909-09-22 | Final Game: 1919-05-31
Bats: R | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 176 lbs
Full name: William Mitchell
Biography
Willie Mitchell was a professional baseball pitcher who played from 1909 until 1919. Born in 1889, he carved out a notable career in Major League Baseball during an era characterized by the transition from the deadball era to the more offensive-minded game of the 1920s. Mitchell was known for his competitive spirit and effective pitching style, which earned him a career record of 84 wins and 92 losses. Over the course of his career, he posted a commendable earned run average (ERA) of 2.88 and struck out a total of 921 batters, showcasing his ability to dominate opposing hitters.
Throughout his time in the league, Mitchell played for several teams, most notably the Cleveland Indians and the Detroit Tigers. His contributions on the mound included four saves, marking him as one of the early relievers in a game that was still evolving in its strategic use of pitchers. Despite finishing with a losing record, Mitchell's skill set and performance made him a respected figure among his peers during a transformative period in baseball history. His legacy as a pitcher remains remembered by those who appreciate the foundational players of the sport.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84 | 92 | 276 | 190 | 93 | 16 | 4 | 1632.0 | 1464 | 522 | 14 | 605 | 921 | 2.88 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 | CLE | AL | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 23.0 | 18 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 1.57 | -472.8 |
| 1910 | CLE | AL | 12 | 8 | 35 | 18 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 183.7 | 155 | 53 | 55 | 102 | 2.60 | 1344.1 |
| 1911 | CLE | AL | 7 | 14 | 30 | 22 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 177.3 | 190 | 74 | 60 | 78 | 3.76 | 780.5 |
| 1912 | CLE | AL | 5 | 8 | 29 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 163.7 | 149 | 51 | 56 | 94 | 2.80 | 2172.1 |
| 1913 | CLE | AL | 14 | 8 | 35 | 22 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 217.0 | 153 | 46 | 88 | 141 | 1.91 | 2399.2 |
| 1914 | CLE | AL | 12 | 17 | 39 | 32 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 257.0 | 228 | 91 | 124 | 179 | 3.19 | 1247.8 |
| 1915 | CLE | AL | 11 | 14 | 36 | 30 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 236.0 | 210 | 74 | 84 | 149 | 2.82 | 3781.4 |
| 1916 | CLE | AL | 2 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 43.7 | 55 | 25 | 19 | 24 | 5.15 | -110.8 |
| 1916 | DET | AL | 7 | 5 | 23 | 17 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 127.7 | 119 | 47 | 48 | 60 | 3.31 | -13.0 |
| 1917 | DET | AL | 12 | 8 | 30 | 22 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 185.3 | 172 | 45 | 46 | 80 | 2.19 | 911.7 |
| 1918 | DET | AL | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 9.00 | 0.0 |
| 1919 | DET | AL | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.7 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 5.27 | -1081.8 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 279 | 530 | 29 | 69 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 29 | 106 | 0.130 | 0.180 | 0.140 | 0.319 | -4144.9 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 | CLE | AL | 3 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.286 | 0.0 |
| 1910 | CLE | AL | 35 | 63 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0.159 | -477.7 |
| 1911 | CLE | AL | 32 | 64 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.109 | -683.7 |
| 1912 | CLE | AL | 29 | 53 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.113 | -505.9 |
| 1913 | CLE | AL | 35 | 70 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 0.143 | -545.0 |
| 1914 | CLE | AL | 39 | 81 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 22 | 0.086 | -761.3 |
| 1915 | CLE | AL | 36 | 79 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 0.127 | -654.1 |
| 1916 | CLE | AL | 12 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1916 | DET | AL | 23 | 36 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1917 | DET | AL | 31 | 59 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0.119 | -517.2 |
| 1918 | DET | AL | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1919 | DET | AL | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| P | 276 | 21 | 63 | 344 | 43 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 | CLE | P | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 1910 | CLE | P | 35 | 18 | 9 | 46 | 4 | 1 |
| 1911 | CLE | P | 30 | 0 | 9 | 47 | 6 | 0 |
| 1912 | CLE | P | 29 | 0 | 8 | 30 | 6 | 0 |
| 1913 | CLE | P | 35 | 0 | 10 | 44 | 4 | 3 |
| 1914 | CLE | P | 39 | 0 | 4 | 46 | 6 | 1 |
| 1915 | CLE | P | 36 | 0 | 3 | 48 | 8 | 1 |
| 1916 | CLE | P | 12 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| 1916 | DET | P | 23 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 1 |
| 1917 | DET | P | 30 | 0 | 11 | 40 | 4 | 2 |
| 1917 | DET | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1918 | DET | P | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1919 | DET | P | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 276 |
| Center Field | 1 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi State | MS | 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909 |