Hugh Nicol
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1881-1890)
Hugh Nicol was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1881 to 1890 for 4 teams, including the Chicago Cubs, a span of 10 seasons. In 888 career games, he hit .235 with 813 hits, 5 home runs, and 272 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'4" / 145 lb
- Died
- 6/27/1921 in Lafayette, IN, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1881-05-03
- Last Game
- 1890-08-02
Full name: Hugh N. Nicol
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 888 | 3,465 | 631 | 813 | 91 | 29 | 5 | 272 | 383 | 337 | 158 | .235 | .307 | .282 | .589 | -2,953 |
Career AVG .235 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — 7.3% below league average.
Career OBP .307 vs. league average .306 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .282 vs. league average .341 across their career seasons — 17.2% below league average.
Career OPS .589 vs. league average .646 across their career seasons — 8.9% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1881 | CHN | NL | 26 | 108 | 13 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 12 | .204 | .260 (-22%) | .290 (-20%) | .338 (-34%) | .628 (-28%) | -394.9 |
| 1882 | CHN | NL | 47 | 186 | 19 | 37 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 7 | 29 | .199 | .248 (-20%) | .275 (-17%) | .329 (-17%) | .605 (-17%) | -422.6 |
| 1883 | SL4 | AA | 94 | 368 | 73 | 105 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 18 | 0 | .285 | .257 (+11%) | .285 (+11%) | .345 (-2%) | .631 (+4%) | 331.9 |
| 1884 | SL4 | AA | 110 | 442 | 79 | 116 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | .262 | .243 (+8%) | .278 (+8%) | .327 (-3%) | .606 (+2%) | 236.3 |
| 1885 | SL4 | AA | 112 | 425 | 59 | 88 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 34 | 0 | .207 | .244 (-15%) | .287 (-6%) | .325 (-27%) | .613 (-17%) | -851.4 |
| 1886 | SL4 | AA | 67 | 253 | 44 | 52 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 38 | 26 | 0 | .206 | .246 (-17%) | .302 (-8%) | .331 (-24%) | .634 (-16%) | -520.9 |
| 1887 | CN2 | AA | 125 | 475 | 122 | 102 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 34 | 138 | 86 | 47 | .215 | .270 (-21%) | .331 (+3%) | .373 (-28%) | .705 (-14%) | -697.7 |
| 1888 | CN2 | AA | 135 | 548 | 112 | 131 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 103 | 67 | 23 | .239 | .238 (avg) | .290 (+13%) | .319 (-16%) | .610 (-2%) | 281.8 |
| 1889 | CN2 | AA | 122 | 474 | 82 | 121 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 58 | 80 | 54 | 35 | .255 | .263 (-3%) | .334 (+1%) | .357 (-12%) | .691 (-5%) | -299.3 |
| 1890 | CIN | NL | 50 | 186 | 28 | 39 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 19 | 24 | 19 | 12 | .210 | .260 (-19%) | .336 (-16%) | .351 (-27%) | .687 (-21%) | -616.0 |
| Career · 10 seasons | 888 | 3,465 | 631 | 813 | 91 | 29 | 5 | 272 | 383 | 337 | 158 | .235 | — | — | — | — | -2,953 | ||
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 58 | 0 | 153 | 155 | 37 | 26 |
| 3B | 5 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 823 | 0 | 1290 | 226 | 146 | 22 |
| SS | 22 | 0 | 16 | 40 | 22 | 1 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1881 | CHN | OF | 26 | 0 | 44 | 11 | 4 | 1 |
| 1881 | CHN | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1882 | CHN | OF | 47 | 0 | 59 | 27 | 11 | 1 |
| 1882 | CHN | SS | 8 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 1 |
| 1883 | SL4 | 2B | 11 | 0 | 29 | 32 | 12 | 3 |
| 1883 | SL4 | OF | 84 | 0 | 133 | 31 | 15 | 4 |
| 1884 | SL4 | 2B | 23 | 0 | 61 | 75 | 17 | 12 |
| 1884 | SL4 | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1884 | SL4 | OF | 87 | 0 | 144 | 48 | 28 | 3 |
| 1884 | SL4 | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1885 | SL4 | 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1885 | SL4 | OF | 111 | 0 | 213 | 33 | 31 | 2 |
| 1886 | SL4 | 2B | 4 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 1886 | SL4 | OF | 57 | 0 | 86 | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| 1886 | SL4 | SS | 8 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 9 | 0 |
| 1887 | CN2 | OF | 125 | 0 | 194 | 20 | 19 | 1 |
| 1888 | CN2 | 2B | 12 | 0 | 29 | 27 | 2 | 6 |
| 1888 | CN2 | OF | 125 | 0 | 187 | 15 | 9 | 3 |
| 1888 | CN2 | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1889 | CN2 | 2B | 7 | 0 | 24 | 15 | 2 | 3 |
| 1889 | CN2 | 3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1889 | CN2 | OF | 115 | 0 | 168 | 22 | 17 | 4 |
| 1890 | CIN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1890 | CIN | OF | 46 | 0 | 62 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
| 1890 | CIN | SS | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 58 |
| Third Base | 5 |
| Shortstop | 22 |
| Left Field | 3 |
| Center Field | 20 |
| Right Field | 802 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Hugh Nicol (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Hugh Nicol: the record in brief
May 3, 1881 and August 2, 1890 bracket Hugh Nicol's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. By club, Nicol's seasons break down as the Chicago White Stockings (1881 to 1882), the St. Louis Browns (1883 to 1886), the Cincinnati Red Stockings (1887 through 1889), and the Cincinnati Reds (1890). Nicol is listed as an outfielder at 145 pounds on a 5-foot-4 frame. Nicol batted and threw right-handed, per the bio block. The recorded birth is January 1, 1858, in Campsie, Stirling, Scotland. Nicol died on June 27, 1921, in Lafayette, IN, USA. Hugh Nicol was the playing name; the full given name is Hugh N.
The batting record for Nicol: 888 games, 813 hits in 3,465 at bats, and a .235 average, adding 5 homers, 272 runs batted in, and 383 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .307 clip and slugging .282, Nicol finished with a .589 OPS. Nicol's .235 average ran 7.3% below the .253 that the league posted over the same seasons. The highest hit total in a season was 131, in 1888. On the bases, the high point was 138 steals in 1887.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hugh Nicol
- What years did Hugh Nicol play?
- Hugh Nicol played in Major League Baseball from 1881 to 1890.
- Was Hugh Nicol a pitcher?
- No. Hugh Nicol was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Hugh Nicol hit?
- Hugh Nicol hit 5 career home runs with 813 hits.
- What teams did Hugh Nicol play for?
- Hugh Nicol played for 3 teams: the Chicago White Stockings (1881–1882), the St. Louis Browns (1883–1886), and the Cincinnati Reds (1887–1890).
- What were Hugh Nicol's career stats?
- In 888 games, Hugh Nicol had 813 hits, 5 home runs, 272 RBI, 631 runs, and 383 stolen bases, with a .235 batting average.
- What position did Hugh Nicol play?
- Hugh Nicol played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Hugh Nicol and how much did he weigh?
- Hugh Nicol was listed at 5 feet 4 inches and 145 pounds.
- How many home runs did Hugh Nicol hit each season?
- Hugh Nicol's home runs by season: 0 in 1881, 1 in 1882, 0 in 1883, 0 in 1884, 0 in 1885, 0 in 1886, 1 in 1887, 1 in 1888, 2 in 1889, and 0 in 1890. His most in one season was 2, in 1889.
- What was Hugh Nicol's career batting average?
- Hugh Nicol batted .235 over his career, with 813 hits in 3,465 at bats.
- How many RBI did Hugh Nicol have?
- Hugh Nicol drove in 272 runs in his career.
- Is Hugh Nicol in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Hugh Nicol has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.