Lee Viau
Born: 7/5/1866 in Corinth, VT, USA
Died: 12/17/1947 in Hopewell, NJ, USA
MLB Debut: 1888-04-22 | Final Game: 1892-08-27
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'4" | Weight: 160 lbs
Full name: Leon A. Viau
Biography
Lee Viau was a professional baseball pitcher who played in the late 19th century, making a significant impact in the early days of the sport. Born in 1866, Viau's career spanned from 1888 to 1892, during a transformative period in baseball that saw the game evolve from its rough-and-tumble origins into a more structured and widely followed sport. He played his entire career in a league that was adjusting to the growing popularity of baseball, which was becoming a national pastime in the United States.
Viau finished his career with a record of 83-77 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.33, signaling his effectiveness on the mound during his playing days. He struck out 554 batters, showcasing his ability to dominate opposing hitters, and recorded one save, a notable achievement in an era when the role of the relief pitcher was still developing. Viau's contributions to baseball exemplified the competitive spirit and the athletic prowess that characterized the early years of the game, leaving a legacy that would be built upon by future generations of players.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 83 | 77 | 178 | 162 | 146 | 5 | 1 | 1442.0 | 1441 | 533 | 37 | 526 | 554 | 3.33 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | CN2 | AA | 27 | 14 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 1 | 0 | 387.7 | 331 | 114 | 110 | 164 | 2.65 | -345.7 |
| 1889 | CN2 | AA | 22 | 20 | 47 | 42 | 38 | 1 | 1 | 373.0 | 379 | 157 | 136 | 152 | 3.79 | 2933.1 |
| 1890 | CIN | NL | 7 | 5 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 90.0 | 97 | 45 | 39 | 41 | 4.50 | -1403.0 |
| 1890 | CL4 | NL | 4 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 107.0 | 101 | 40 | 42 | 30 | 3.36 | -756.2 |
| 1891 | CL4 | NL | 18 | 17 | 45 | 38 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 343.7 | 367 | 115 | 138 | 130 | 3.01 | 2809.7 |
| 1892 | BSN | NL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0.00 | 0.0 |
| 1892 | CL4 | NL | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 36.00 | 0.0 |
| 1892 | LS3 | NL | 4 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 130.7 | 156 | 58 | 56 | 36 | 3.99 | -1959.2 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 184 | 588 | 58 | 82 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 31 | 17 | 48 | 154 | 0.139 | 0.207 | 0.172 | 0.379 | -3434.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | CN2 | AA | 43 | 149 | 16 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 46 | 0.087 | -1231.5 |
| 1889 | CN2 | AA | 47 | 147 | 14 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 11 | 47 | 0.143 | -1135.9 |
| 1890 | CIN | NL | 13 | 36 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 0.139 | 0.0 |
| 1890 | CL4 | NL | 13 | 43 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 0.163 | 0.0 |
| 1891 | CL4 | NL | 45 | 144 | 15 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 28 | 0.160 | -878.8 |
| 1892 | BSN | NL | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1892 | CL4 | NL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1892 | LS3 | NL | 21 | 66 | 5 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 16 | 0.197 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 8 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| P | 178 | 0 | 55 | 300 | 35 | 8 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888 | CN2 | P | 42 | 0 | 18 | 78 | 9 | 0 |
| 1888 | CN2 | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1889 | CN2 | P | 47 | 0 | 9 | 60 | 4 | 2 |
| 1889 | CN2 | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1890 | CIN | P | 13 | 0 | 5 | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| 1890 | CL4 | P | 13 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 3 | 0 |
| 1891 | CL4 | P | 45 | 0 | 12 | 79 | 14 | 2 |
| 1891 | CL4 | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1892 | BSN | P | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1892 | CL4 | P | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1892 | LS3 | P | 16 | 0 | 8 | 39 | 3 | 3 |
| 1892 | LS3 | OF | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 178 |
| Center Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 7 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dartmouth College | Hanover | NH | 1886 |