Joe Willis
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1911-1913)
Joe Willis was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1911 to 1913 for the St. Louis Browns and the St. Louis Cardinals, a span of 3 seasons. Across 41 career appearances, he went 4-11 with a 4.63 ERA and 66 strikeouts.
- 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 / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 185 lb
- Died
- 12/4/1966 in Ironton, OH, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1911-05-03
- Last Game
- 1913-06-10
Full name: Joseph Dank Willis
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | SLA | AL | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.0 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 5.14 | — | 0.0 |
| 1911 | SLN | NL | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15.0 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 4.20 | 3.37 (-25%) | 165.2 |
| 1912 | SLN | NL | 4 | 9 | 31 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 129.2 | 143 | 64 | 62 | 55 | 4.44 | 3.36 (-32%) | -1647.4 |
| 1913 | SLN | NL | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9.2 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 7.45 | 3.07 (-143%) | 0.0 |
| Career · 4 seasons | 4 | 11 | 41 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 161.1 | 173 | 83 | 80 | 66 | 4.63 | — | -1,482 | ||
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 48 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | .125 | .176 | .146 | .322 | 0 |
Career AVG .125 vs. league average .265 across their career seasons — 52.8% below league average.
Career OBP .176 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — 46.9% below league average.
Career SLG .146 vs. league average .354 across their career seasons — 58.8% below league average.
Career OPS .322 vs. league average .686 across their career seasons — 53.0% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | SLA | AL | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1911 | SLN | NL | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1912 | SLN | NL | 31 | 38 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 11 | .158 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1913 | SLN | NL | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 4 seasons | 41 | 48 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 14 | .125 | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
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.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (82 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 23 | 31 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .097 |
| Away | 18 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | .176 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 23 | 110.1 | 117 | 50 | 56 | 37 | 4.08 |
| Away | 18 | 51.0 | 56 | 34 | 24 | 29 | 6.00 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913-06-10 | STL | BSN | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1913-05-29 | STL | CIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1913-05-24 | STL | CIN | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1913-05-16 | STL | BRO | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1913-05-14 | STL | BSN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1913-05-04 | STL | CHC | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1913-04-24 | STL | CIN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1912-07-30 | STL | BSN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1912-07-27 | STL | BSN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1912-07-23 | STL | PHI | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913-06-10 | STL | BSN | — | 0.1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1913-05-29 | STL | CIN | — | 1.1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1913-05-24 | STL | CIN | SV | 3.0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 1913-05-16 | STL | BRO | — | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1913-05-14 | STL | BSN | — | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1913-05-04 | STL | CHC | — | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1913-04-24 | STL | CIN | — | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1912-07-30 | STL | BSN | L | 0.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1912-07-27 | STL | BSN | — | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1912-07-23 | STL | PHI | L | 4.0 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 41 |
Joe Willis: the record in brief
Joe Willis's major league career runs from a debut on May 3, 1911 to a final game on June 10, 1913. Willis played for the St. Louis Browns (1911) and the St. Louis Cardinals (1911 to 1913). At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, Willis is listed as a pitcher. Willis hit right-handed while throwing left-handed, per the bio block. Willis was born on April 9, 1890, in Coal Grove, OH, USA. The bio records the death on December 4, 1966, in Ironton, OH, USA. The given name on file is Joseph Dank Willis.
The pitching table credits Willis with a 4-11 record and a 4.63 ERA in 41 games. Willis had 66 strikeouts. The league ERA over Willis's seasons was 3.27, so the 4.63 figure ran 41.7% worse than average. In 1912, one of the busiest seasons, Willis posted a 4.44 ERA; the league figure that year was 3.36.
The position breakdown shows 41 games, all at pitcher. The fielding table credits Willis with 3 putouts, 33 assists and 0 errors on the mound.
Frequently Asked Questions about Joe Willis
- What years did Joe Willis play?
- Joe Willis played in Major League Baseball from 1911 to 1913.
- Was Joe Willis a pitcher?
- Yes. Joe Willis pitched in the major leagues, recording 4 wins and 66 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Joe Willis hit?
- Joe Willis hit 0 career home runs with 6 hits.
- What teams did Joe Willis play for?
- Joe Willis played for 2 teams: the St. Louis Browns (1911) and the St. Louis Cardinals (1911–1913).
- What were Joe Willis's career stats?
- In 41 games, Joe Willis went 4-11 with a 4.63 ERA, 66 strikeouts, 161.1 innings pitched, and 3 saves.
- What position did Joe Willis play?
- Joe Willis played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Joe Willis and how much did he weigh?
- Joe Willis was listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 185 pounds.
- What was Joe Willis's career ERA?
- Joe Willis finished with a 4.63 career ERA, going 4-11 with 66 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Joe Willis have?
- Joe Willis recorded 66 career strikeouts.
- Is Joe Willis in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Joe Willis has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.