Bill Pierce
First Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records
Bill Pierce was a first baseman who played in Major League Baseball for 8 teams, including the Philadelphia Giants. In 333 career games, he hit .317 with 373 hits, 18 home runs, and 210 RBI. His totals include Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB recognized as major league in 2020. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 3,263.
- 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
- First Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 200 lb
- Died
- 8/7/1962 in Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Full name: William Henry Pierce
Negro Leagues (season totals). Additive Retrosheet-digitized totals for seasons not already in the logs above; they are not summed into the career line. No team/league breakdown is available, and coverage may be partial.
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 333 | 1,177 | 196 | 373 | 64 | 28 | 18 | 210 | 18 | 102 | 0 | .317 | .374 | .465 | .839 | 3,263 |
Career AVG .317 vs. league average .266 across their career seasons — +19.2% above league average.
Career OBP .374 vs. league average .330 across their career seasons — +13.5% above league average.
Career SLG .465 vs. league average .356 across their career seasons — +30.4% above league average.
Career OPS .839 vs. league average .686 across their career seasons — +22.3% above 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | PG | EAS | 17 | 56 | 3 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | .339 | .249 (+36%) | .317 (+33%) | .326 (+42%) | .644 (+37%) | 324.3 |
| 1911 | CAG | WES | 9 | 28 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .143 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1912 | CAG | WES | 46 | 167 | 34 | 52 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 31 | 0 | 12 | 0 | .311 | .268 (+16%) | .335 (+6%) | .358 (+35%) | .694 (+21%) | 516.6 |
| 1913 | CAG | WES | 28 | 100 | 19 | 31 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 0 | .310 | .259 (+19%) | .325 (+5%) | .345 (+13%) | .670 (+9%) | 121.4 |
| 1913 | MOH | EAS | 11 | 35 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | .343 | — | — | — | — | 121.4 |
| 1914 | NLS | EAS | 4 | 16 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .375 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1915 | NLS | EAS | 37 | 141 | 14 | 41 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 29 | 0 | 10 | 0 | .291 | .250 (+16%) | .318 (+6%) | .332 (+22%) | .651 (+14%) | 280.5 |
| 1916 | NLG | EAS | 20 | 69 | 11 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 0 | .319 | .248 (+28%) | .314 (+24%) | .326 (+24%) | .640 (+24%) | 260.8 |
| 1917 | NLG | EAS | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .286 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1918 | NLG | EAS | 5 | 15 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .467 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1919 | NLG | EAS | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .667 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1920 | AC | EAS | 33 | 109 | 16 | 34 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 11 | 0 | .312 | .271 (+15%) | .331 (+15%) | .363 (+19%) | .694 (+17%) | 309.4 |
| 1921 | NLG | EAS | 6 | 21 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .429 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1921 | AC | EAS | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1922 | BBS | IND | 10 | 37 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | .189 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1922 | NLG | IND | 10 | 39 | 9 | 17 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .436 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1923 | NLG | ECL | 29 | 83 | 14 | 25 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 0 | .301 | .282 (+6%) | .344 (-1%) | .390 (-4%) | .734 (-3%) | -41.3 |
| 1924 | DS | NNL | 63 | 248 | 45 | 83 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 52 | 3 | 26 | 0 | .335 | .283 (+18%) | .345 (+18%) | .389 (+49%) | .734 (+34%) | 1491.0 |
| Career · 18 seasons | 333 | 1,177 | 196 | 373 | 64 | 28 | 18 | 210 | 18 | 102 | 0 | .317 | — | — | — | — | 3,384 | ||
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | PG | EAS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 1 season | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | — | 0 | ||
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 | 198 | 118 | 2017 | 113 | 42 | 102 |
| 2B | 12 | 8 | 27 | 38 | 2 | 2 |
| 3B | 5 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 102 | 25 | 622 | 105 | 17 | 17 |
| OF | 24 | 4 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| SS | 4 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | PG | 1B | 9 | 0 | 71 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| 1910 | PG | C | 8 | 0 | 45 | 9 | 4 | 2 |
| 1910 | PG | OF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1910 | PG | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1911 | CAG | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1911 | CAG | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1911 | CAG | C | 7 | 0 | 53 | 11 | 3 | 2 |
| 1912 | CAG | 1B | 36 | 0 | 372 | 19 | 13 | 21 |
| 1912 | CAG | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1912 | CAG | C | 11 | 0 | 73 | 8 | 3 | 1 |
| 1912 | CAG | SS | 4 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 1913 | CAG | 1B | 21 | 0 | 222 | 14 | 5 | 11 |
| 1913 | CAG | C | 10 | 0 | 67 | 15 | 1 | 4 |
| 1913 | MOH | C | 11 | 0 | 81 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| 1914 | NLS | 1B | 4 | 0 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1915 | NLS | 2B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1915 | NLS | 3B | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1915 | NLS | C | 26 | 0 | 154 | 27 | 1 | 3 |
| 1915 | NLS | OF | 12 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1916 | NLG | 1B | 12 | 10 | 115 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 1916 | NLG | 2B | 5 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 1916 | NLG | C | 6 | 5 | 27 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 1917 | NLG | 1B | 2 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1918 | NLG | 1B | 3 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 1918 | NLG | OF | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1919 | NLG | 1B | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1920 | AC | 1B | 29 | 29 | 301 | 11 | 2 | 11 |
| 1920 | AC | 2B | 4 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 2 |
| 1921 | NLG | 1B | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921 | NLG | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921 | NLG | 3B | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1921 | NLG | C | 3 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1921 | AC | OF | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1922 | BBS | 1B | 9 | 9 | 82 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 1922 | BBS | C | 2 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1922 | NLG | 1B | 9 | 8 | 85 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| 1922 | NLG | C | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1923 | NLG | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1923 | NLG | 3B | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1923 | NLG | C | 17 | 16 | 90 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| 1923 | NLG | OF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1924 | DS | 1B | 60 | 60 | 663 | 53 | 9 | 33 |
| 1924 | DS | OF | 3 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 1 |
| Catcher | 102 |
| First Base | 198 |
| Second Base | 12 |
| Third Base | 5 |
| Shortstop | 4 |
| Center Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 23 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Bill Pierce: the record in brief
The season rows for Bill Pierce begin in 1910. Club by club, the record runs the Philadelphia Giants (1910), the Chicago American Giants (1911 to 1913), the Schenectady Mohawk Giants (1913), the New York Lincoln Stars (1914 to 1915), the New York Lincoln Giants (1916 through 1923), the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants (1920 to 1921), the Baltimore Black Sox (1922), and the Detroit Stars (1924). Pierce is listed as a first baseman at 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds. Pierce both batted and threw right-handed, per the bio block. The recorded birth is April 30, 1890, in Hanover, IN, USA. Pierce's death is recorded on August 7, 1962, in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. The given name on file is William Henry Pierce.
Pierce collected 373 hits in 1,177 at bats across 333 games, good for a .317 batting average, adding 18 home runs and 210 RBI. The on-base percentage is .374 and the slugging percentage .465, for an OPS of .839.
Frequently Asked Questions about Bill Pierce
- Was Bill Pierce a pitcher?
- No. Bill Pierce was a position player (First Baseman), though he did pitch in 1 career game.
- How many home runs did Bill Pierce hit?
- Bill Pierce hit 18 career home runs with 373 hits.
- What teams did Bill Pierce play for?
- Bill Pierce played for 8 teams: the Philadelphia Giants (1910), the Chicago American Giants (1911–1913), the Schenectady Mohawk Giants (1913), the New York Lincoln Stars (1914–1915), the New York Lincoln Giants (1916–1919, 1921–1923), the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants (1920–1921), the Baltimore Black Sox (1922), and the Detroit Stars (1924).
- What were Bill Pierce's career stats?
- In 333 games, Bill Pierce had 373 hits, 18 home runs, 210 RBI, 196 runs, and 18 stolen bases, with a .317 batting average.
- What position did Bill Pierce play?
- Bill Pierce played primarily as a first baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Bill Pierce and how much did he weigh?
- Bill Pierce was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 200 pounds.
- How many home runs did Bill Pierce hit each season?
- Bill Pierce's home runs by season: 0 in 1910, 0 in 1911, 2 in 1912, 0 in 1913, 0 in 1914, 3 in 1915, 0 in 1916, 0 in 1917, 1 in 1918, 0 in 1919, 1 in 1920, 0 in 1921, 2 in 1922, 0 in 1923, and 9 in 1924. His most in one season was 9, in 1924.
- What was Bill Pierce's career batting average?
- Bill Pierce batted .317 over his career, with 373 hits in 1,177 at bats.
- How many RBI did Bill Pierce have?
- Bill Pierce drove in 210 runs in his career.
- What was Bill Pierce's career ERA?
- Bill Pierce finished with a 0.00 career ERA, going 0-0 with 0 strikeouts.
- Is Bill Pierce in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Bill Pierce has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.