Tom Needham
Born: 4/17/1879 in Ireland
Died: 12/14/1926 in Steubenville, OH, USA
MLB Debut: 1904-05-12 | Final Game: 1914-07-08
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Thomas Joseph Needham
Biography
Tom Needham, born in 1879, was a professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1904 to 1914. Primarily playing as a position player, Needham appeared in 523 games throughout his time in Major League Baseball. He recorded a total of 311 hits, including 8 home runs, and drove in 117 runs, showcasing his ability to contribute offensively despite finishing his career with a batting average of .209. Known for his speed on the base paths, he successfully stole 20 bases, highlighting his agility and competitive spirit during the early 20th century.
Playing in an era characterized by the rise of formalized baseball strategies and the transition from the deadball era, Needham's contributions came at a time when the game was evolving. Though his statistics may not reflect the prolific offensive production seen in later generations, his presence on the field for a decade marked him as a determined player in a competitive landscape. Needham's legacy is remembered as part of the fabric of early baseball history, contributing to the development of the game as it gained popularity across the United States.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 523 | 1491 | 113 | 311 | 50 | 10 | 8 | 117 | 20 | 109 | 187 | 0.209 | 0.274 | 0.272 | 0.546 | -2776.2 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1904 | BSN | NL | 84 | 269 | 18 | 70 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 3 | 11 | 32 | 0.260 | 204.3 |
| 1905 | BSN | NL | 83 | 271 | 21 | 59 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 3 | 24 | 36 | 0.218 | -401.4 |
| 1906 | BSN | NL | 83 | 285 | 11 | 54 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 13 | 25 | 0.189 | -1164.0 |
| 1907 | BSN | NL | 86 | 260 | 19 | 51 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 4 | 18 | 29 | 0.196 | -686.5 |
| 1908 | NY1 | NL | 54 | 91 | 8 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 11 | 0.209 | 61.1 |
| 1909 | CHC | NL | 13 | 28 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.143 | 0.0 |
| 1910 | CHC | NL | 31 | 76 | 9 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 0.184 | -177.1 |
| 1911 | CHC | NL | 27 | 62 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 14 | 0.194 | -187.2 |
| 1912 | CHC | NL | 33 | 90 | 12 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 0.178 | -425.5 |
| 1913 | CHC | NL | 20 | 42 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0.238 | 0.0 |
| 1914 | CHC | NL | 9 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0.118 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | WS | CHN | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 7 | 5 | 48 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2B | 5 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 3B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| C | 465 | 342 | 1841 | 661 | 97 | 43 |
| OF | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1904 | BSN | C | 77 | 75 | 326 | 140 | 27 | 8 |
| 1904 | BSN | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1905 | BSN | C | 77 | 76 | 292 | 134 | 23 | 6 |
| 1905 | BSN | 1B | 2 | 2 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1905 | BSN | OF | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1906 | BSN | C | 76 | 70 | 317 | 114 | 17 | 9 |
| 1906 | BSN | 1B | 2 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1906 | BSN | 2B | 5 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| 1906 | BSN | 3B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1906 | BSN | OF | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1907 | BSN | C | 78 | 75 | 281 | 101 | 13 | 9 |
| 1907 | BSN | 1B | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1908 | NY1 | C | 47 | 18 | 168 | 30 | 5 | 2 |
| 1909 | CHN | C | 7 | 6 | 43 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1910 | CHN | C | 27 | 22 | 131 | 31 | 3 | 0 |
| 1910 | CHN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1911 | CHN | C | 23 | 0 | 94 | 32 | 2 | 2 |
| 1912 | CHN | C | 32 | 0 | 116 | 39 | 1 | 3 |
| 1913 | CHN | C | 14 | 0 | 51 | 24 | 3 | 4 |
| 1913 | CHN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1914 | CHN | C | 7 | 0 | 22 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 463 |
| First Base | 7 |
| Second Base | 5 |
| Third Base | 1 |
| Left Field | 1 |
| Center Field | 5 |
| Right Field | 1 |