George Townsend
Catcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1887-1891)
George Townsend was a catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1887 to 1891 for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Baltimore Orioles, a span of 5 seasons. In 152 career games, he hit .187 with 101 hits and 53 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
- Catcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'7" / 180 lb
- Died
- 3/15/1930 in New Haven, CT, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1887-06-25
- Last Game
- 1891-10-06
Full name: George Hodgson Townsend
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 152 | 541 | 60 | 101 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 53 | 16 | 31 | 35 | .187 | .239 | .238 | .477 | -2,301 |
Career AVG .187 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — 27.2% below league average.
Career OBP .239 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 26.4% below league average.
Career SLG .238 vs. league average .347 across their career seasons — 31.4% below league average.
Career OPS .477 vs. league average .672 across their career seasons — 29.0% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1887 | PH4 | AA | 31 | 109 | 12 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 1 | .193 | .270 (-29%) | .331 (-35%) | .373 (-41%) | .705 (-38%) | -656.8 |
| 1888 | PH4 | AA | 42 | 161 | 13 | 25 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 13 | .155 | .238 (-35%) | .290 (-38%) | .319 (-40%) | .610 (-39%) | -864.3 |
| 1890 | BL3 | AA | 18 | 67 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 0 | .239 | .260 (-8%) | .336 (-16%) | .351 (-6%) | .687 (-11%) | -140.0 |
| 1891 | BL3 | AA | 61 | 204 | 29 | 39 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 20 | 21 | .191 | .254 (-25%) | .331 (-16%) | .343 (-26%) | .675 (-21%) | -639.6 |
| Career · 4 seasons | 152 | 541 | 60 | 101 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 53 | 16 | 31 | 35 | .187 | — | — | — | — | -2,301 | ||
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 | 146 |
| Left Field | 1 |
| Center Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 4 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York University | New York | NY | 1886, 1887 |
George Townsend: the record in brief
George Townsend played a first major league game on June 25, 1887 and a last one on October 6, 1891. Townsend played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1887 through 1888) and the Baltimore Orioles (1890 through 1891). Townsend, a catcher by primary position, threw and hit right-handed. The recorded size is 180 pounds on a 5-foot-7 frame. The birth record reads June 4, 1867, in Hartsdale, NY, USA. The bio records the death on March 15, 1930, in New Haven, CT, USA. Townsend's full given name, per the bio, is George Hodgson Townsend.
Townsend's career batting table shows 152 games, 541 at bats and 101 hits, a .187 average; the totals also include 53 RBI. On-base and slugging figures of .239 and .238 give Townsend a career OPS of .477. Set against a .256 league average for the same years, Townsend's .187 average sits 27.2% below it. The hits column peaks at 39, in 1891. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .191 in 1891, did not top the league's .254. In none of the compared seasons from 1887 to 1891 did Townsend top the league batting average.
Frequently Asked Questions about George Townsend
- What years did George Townsend play?
- George Townsend played in Major League Baseball from 1887 to 1891.
- Was George Townsend a pitcher?
- No. George Townsend was a position player (Catcher).
- How many home runs did George Townsend hit?
- George Townsend hit 0 career home runs with 101 hits.
- What was George Townsend's career batting average?
- George Townsend batted .187 over his career, with 101 hits in 541 at bats.
- How many RBI did George Townsend have?
- George Townsend drove in 53 runs in his career.
- Is George Townsend in the Hall of Fame?
- No. George Townsend has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.