Martin Powell
First Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1881-1884)
Martin Powell was a first baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1881 to 1884 for the Detroit Wolverines and the Cincinnati Outlaw Reds, a span of 4 seasons. In 279 career games, he hit .283 with 329 hits, 3 home runs, and 115 RBI. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 1,923.
- 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
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 170 lb
- Died
- 2/5/1888 in Fitchburg, MA, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1881-06-18
- Last Game
- 1884-08-10
Full name: Martin J. Powell
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 279 | 1,163 | 213 | 329 | 43 | 11 | 3 | 115 | 0 | 75 | 59 | .283 | .326 | .347 | .673 | 1,923 |
Career AVG .283 vs. league average .249 across their career seasons — +13.5% above league average.
Career OBP .326 vs. league average .281 across their career seasons — +16.0% above league average.
Career SLG .347 vs. league average .333 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .673 vs. league average .615 across their career seasons — +9.5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1881 | DTN | NL | 55 | 219 | 47 | 74 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 38 | 0 | 15 | 9 | .338 | .260 (+30%) | .290 (+31%) | .338 (+27%) | .628 (+29%) | 1029.1 |
| 1882 | DTN | NL | 80 | 338 | 44 | 81 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 19 | 27 | .240 | .248 (-3%) | .275 (+2%) | .329 (-16%) | .605 (-8%) | -259.7 |
| 1883 | DTN | NL | 101 | 421 | 76 | 115 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 48 | 0 | 28 | 23 | .273 | .257 (+6%) | .285 (+11%) | .345 (avg) | .631 (+5%) | 481.9 |
| 1884 | CNU | UA | 43 | 185 | 46 | 59 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | .319 | .243 (+31%) | .278 (+30%) | .327 (+16%) | .606 (+22%) | 671.7 |
| Career · 4 seasons | 279 | 1,163 | 213 | 329 | 43 | 11 | 3 | 115 | 0 | 75 | 59 | .283 | — | — | — | — | 1,923 | ||
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.
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 1 |
| First Base | 279 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Martin Powell (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Martin Powell: the record in brief
June 18, 1881 and August 10, 1884 bracket Martin Powell's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. By club, Powell's seasons break down as the Detroit Wolverines (1881 through 1883) and the Cincinnati Outlaw Reds (1884). Born on March 25, 1856, in Fitchburg, MA, USA, Powell is listed as a first baseman and threw and hit left-handed. Powell's listed size is 6-foot-0 and 170 pounds. Powell's death is recorded on February 5, 1888, in Fitchburg, MA, USA. Martin Powell was the playing name; the full given name is Martin J.
Powell finished with 329 hits from 1,163 at bats in 279 games, which works out to .283, adding 3 home runs and 115 RBI. The on-base percentage is .326 and the slugging percentage .347, for an OPS of .673. Powell's .283 average ran 13.5% above the .249 that the league posted over the same seasons. In OPS terms, Powell's .673 stands 9.5% above the league's .615. The hits column peaks at 115, in 1883.
Frequently Asked Questions about Martin Powell
- What years did Martin Powell play?
- Martin Powell played in Major League Baseball from 1881 to 1884.
- Was Martin Powell a pitcher?
- No. Martin Powell was a position player (First Baseman).
- How many home runs did Martin Powell hit?
- Martin Powell hit 3 career home runs with 329 hits.
- What teams did Martin Powell play for?
- Martin Powell played for 2 teams: the Detroit Wolverines (1881–1883) and the Cincinnati Outlaw Reds (1884).
- What were Martin Powell's career stats?
- In 279 games, Martin Powell had 329 hits, 3 home runs, 115 RBI, and 213 runs, with a .283 batting average.
- What position did Martin Powell play?
- Martin Powell played primarily as a first baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Martin Powell and how much did he weigh?
- Martin Powell was listed at 6 feet and 170 pounds.
- How many home runs did Martin Powell hit each season?
- Martin Powell's home runs by season: 1 in 1881, 0 in 1882, 1 in 1883, and 1 in 1884. His most in one season was 1, in 1881, 1883, and 1884.
- What was Martin Powell's career batting average?
- Martin Powell batted .283 over his career, with 329 hits in 1,163 at bats.
- How many RBI did Martin Powell have?
- Martin Powell drove in 115 runs in his career.
- Is Martin Powell in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Martin Powell has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.