Len Sowders
Center Fielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1886)
Len Sowders was a center fielder who played in Major League Baseball in 1886 for the Baltimore Orioles. In 23 career games, he hit .263 with 20 hits and 14 RBI. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 154.
- 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
- Center Fielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 172 lb
- Died
- 11/21/1888 in Indianapolis, IN, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1886-09-10
- Last Game
- 1886-10-14
Full name: Leonard Sowders
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 76 | 10 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 0 | .263 | .364 | .329 | .693 | 154 |
Career AVG .263 vs. league average .246 across their career seasons — +6.8% above league average.
Career OBP .364 vs. league average .303 across their career seasons — +20.2% above league average.
Career SLG .329 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OPS .693 vs. league average .634 across their career seasons — +9.2% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 | BL2 | AA | 23 | 76 | 10 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 0 | .263 | .246 (+7%) | .302 (+20%) | .331 (-1%) | .634 (+9%) | 154.1 |
| Career · 1 season | 23 | 76 | 10 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 0 | .263 | — | — | — | — | 154 | ||
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 Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 1 |
| Center Field | 23 |
Len Sowders: the record in brief
September 10, 1886 and October 14, 1886 bracket Len Sowders's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. Every season row on the page belongs to the Baltimore Orioles, in 1886. Sowders played primarily as a center fielder and threw and hit left-handed. The bio adds a birth date on June 29, 1861, in Louisville, KY, USA and a listed size of 5'11" and 172 pounds. The bio records the death on November 21, 1888, in Indianapolis, IN, USA. Sowders's full given name, per the bio, is Leonard Sowders.
Sowders finished with 20 hits from 76 at bats in 23 games, which works out to .263, plus 14 runs batted in. The on-base percentage is .364 and the slugging percentage .329, for an OPS of .693. Sowders's .263 average ran 6.8% above the .246 that the league posted over the same seasons. By OPS the gap is 9.2% above league average (.693 against .634). The season table holds a single row: 1886 with the Baltimore Orioles, 23 games, 76 at bats and 20 hits.
Frequently Asked Questions about Len Sowders
- Was Len Sowders a pitcher?
- No. Len Sowders was a position player (Center Fielder).
- How many home runs did Len Sowders hit?
- Len Sowders hit 0 career home runs with 20 hits.
- What teams did Len Sowders play for?
- Len Sowders played for one team, the Baltimore Orioles (1886).
- What were Len Sowders's career stats?
- In 23 games, Len Sowders had 20 hits, 14 RBI, 10 runs, and 6 stolen bases, with a .263 batting average.
- What position did Len Sowders play?
- Len Sowders played primarily as a center fielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Len Sowders and how much did he weigh?
- Len Sowders was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 172 pounds.
- What was Len Sowders's career batting average?
- Len Sowders batted .263 over his career, with 20 hits in 76 at bats.
- How many RBI did Len Sowders have?
- Len Sowders drove in 14 runs in his career.
- Is Len Sowders in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Len Sowders has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.