Harry Staley
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1888-1895)
Harry Staley was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1888 to 1895 for 4 teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, a span of 8 seasons. Across 284 career appearances, he went 136-119 with a 3.81 ERA and 751 strikeouts. He also batted .182 with 7 home runs. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 17165.5.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 175 lb
- Died
- 1/12/1910 in Battle Creek, MI, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1888-06-23
- Last Game
- 1895-07-30
Full name: Henry Eli Staley
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | PIT | NL | 12 | 12 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 207.1 | 185 | 62 | 53 | 89 | 2.69 | 2.95 (+9%) | -123.6 |
| 1889 | PIT | NL | 21 | 26 | 49 | 47 | 46 | 1 | 1 | 420.0 | 433 | 164 | 116 | 159 | 3.51 | 3.93 (+11%) | 5288.8 |
| 1890 | PTP | PL | 21 | 25 | 47 | 47 | 45 | 3 | 0 | 396.2 | 404 | 145 | 77 | 150 | 3.29 | 3.88 (+15%) | 9349.2 |
| 1891 | PIT | NL | 4 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 71.2 | 77 | 23 | 11 | 25 | 2.89 | 3.52 (+18%) | 775.5 |
| 1891 | BSN | NL | 20 | 8 | 31 | 30 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 252.1 | 236 | 70 | 69 | 114 | 2.50 | 3.52 (+29%) | 2776.0 |
| 1892 | BSN | NL | 22 | 10 | 37 | 35 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 299.2 | 273 | 101 | 97 | 93 | 3.03 | 3.28 (+8%) | 282.7 |
| 1893 | BSN | NL | 18 | 10 | 36 | 31 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 263.0 | 344 | 150 | 81 | 61 | 5.13 | 4.66 (-10%) | -1310.0 |
| 1894 | BSN | NL | 12 | 10 | 27 | 21 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 208.2 | 305 | 158 | 61 | 32 | 6.81 | 5.33 (-28%) | -340.3 |
| 1895 | SLN | NL | 6 | 13 | 23 | 16 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 158.2 | 223 | 92 | 39 | 28 | 5.22 | 4.77 (-9%) | 467.1 |
| Career · 9 seasons | 136 | 119 | 284 | 258 | 232 | 10 | 2 | 2,278.0 | 2,480 | 965 | 604 | 751 | 3.81 | — | 17,166 | ||
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 Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 289 | 959 | 91 | 175 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 109 | 7 | 65 | 160 | .182 | .237 | .240 | .477 | -4,739 |
Career AVG .182 vs. league average .266 across their career seasons — 31.3% below league average.
Career OBP .237 vs. league average .336 across their career seasons — 29.4% below league average.
Career SLG .240 vs. league average .360 across their career seasons — 33.4% below league average.
Career OPS .477 vs. league average .696 across their career seasons — 31.5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | PIT | NL | 25 | 85 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 18 | .129 | .238 (-46%) | .290 (-49%) | .319 (-56%) | .610 (-52%) | -604.8 |
| 1889 | PIT | NL | 51 | 186 | 11 | 30 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 40 | .161 | .263 (-39%) | .334 (-46%) | .357 (-47%) | .691 (-47%) | -1371.5 |
| 1890 | PTP | PL | 48 | 168 | 25 | 35 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 0 | 13 | 16 | .208 | .260 (-20%) | .336 (-20%) | .351 (-24%) | .687 (-22%) | -582.6 |
| 1891 | PIT | NL | 9 | 31 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | .226 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1891 | BSN | NL | 31 | 102 | 7 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 8 | 17 | .167 | .254 (-34%) | .331 (-29%) | .343 (-32%) | .675 (-30%) | 0.0 |
| 1892 | BSN | NL | 38 | 122 | 9 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 38 | .131 | .244 (-46%) | .316 (-40%) | .327 (-47%) | .644 (-44%) | -776.4 |
| 1893 | BSN | NL | 36 | 113 | 13 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 10 | 17 | .265 | .279 (-5%) | .356 (-9%) | .379 (-4%) | .735 (-6%) | -129.7 |
| 1894 | BSN | NL | 28 | 85 | 12 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 0 | 13 | 9 | .235 | .309 (-24%) | .379 (-9%) | .435 (-19%) | .814 (-14%) | -206.9 |
| 1895 | SLN | NL | 23 | 67 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | .134 | .296 (-55%) | .361 (-49%) | .399 (-51%) | .761 (-50%) | -586.8 |
| Career · 9 seasons | 289 | 959 | 91 | 175 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 109 | 7 | 65 | 160 | .182 | — | — | — | — | -4,258 | ||
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| P | 284 | 0 | 56 | 461 | 40 | 17 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | PIT | P | 25 | 0 | 8 | 41 | 5 | 0 |
| 1889 | PIT | OF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1889 | PIT | P | 49 | 0 | 19 | 89 | 5 | 3 |
| 1890 | PTP | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1890 | PTP | P | 47 | 0 | 11 | 92 | 6 | 5 |
| 1891 | PIT | P | 9 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| 1891 | BSN | P | 31 | 0 | 6 | 47 | 4 | 2 |
| 1892 | BSN | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1892 | BSN | P | 37 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 3 | 5 |
| 1893 | BSN | P | 36 | 0 | 3 | 60 | 9 | 2 |
| 1894 | BSN | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1894 | BSN | P | 27 | 0 | 5 | 28 | 6 | 0 |
| 1895 | SLN | P | 23 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 284 |
| Left Field | 1 |
| Center Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 3 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Harry Staley (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Harry Staley: the record in brief
Between the debut on June 23, 1888 and the final game on July 30, 1895, Harry Staley built the record summarized on this page. By club, Staley's seasons break down as the Pittsburg Alleghenys (1888 to 1889), the Pittsburgh Burghers (1890), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1891), the Boston Beaneaters (1891 through 1894), and the St. Louis Browns (1895). Listed as a pitcher, Staley both batted and threw right-handed. Height and weight on file: 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds. Staley was born on November 3, 1866, in Jacksonville, IL, USA. The bio records the death on January 12, 1910, in Battle Creek, MI, USA. Harry Staley was the playing name; the full given name is Henry Eli.
Staley's career pitching line is 136 wins, 119 losses and a 3.81 ERA over 284 appearances. The totals include 751 strikeouts, 232 complete games, and 10 shutouts. Staley's 3.81 ERA was close to the 3.95 league figure for those seasons. No season topped the 22 wins of 1892.
Frequently Asked Questions about Harry Staley
- What years did Harry Staley play?
- Harry Staley played in Major League Baseball from 1888 to 1895.
- Was Harry Staley a pitcher?
- Yes. Harry Staley pitched in the major leagues, recording 136 wins and 751 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Harry Staley hit?
- Harry Staley hit 7 career home runs with 175 hits.
- What was Harry Staley's career batting average?
- Harry Staley batted .182 over his career, with 175 hits in 959 at bats.
- How many RBI did Harry Staley have?
- Harry Staley drove in 109 runs in his career.
- What was Harry Staley's career ERA?
- Harry Staley finished with a 3.81 career ERA, going 136-119 with 751 strikeouts.