Chicken Wolf
Born: 5/12/1862 in Louisville, KY, USA
Died: 5/16/1903 in Louisville, KY, USA
MLB Debut: 1882-05-02 | Final Game: 1892-08-21
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 190 lbs
Full name: William Van Winkle Wolf
Biography
Chicken Wolf, born in 1862, was a professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1882 to 1892. As a position player, he made a significant mark in the early years of Major League Baseball, participating in a total of 1,196 games. Wolf showcased his offensive prowess with a career batting average of .290, amassing 1,439 hits and driving in 592 runs. He demonstrated speed on the bases as well, finishing his career with 186 stolen bases, which highlighted his ability to impact games not just with his bat but also with his agility.
Playing during a transformative period in baseball's history, Wolf's contributions came during the late 19th century, an era characterized by a rapidly evolving game that was still finding its identity. He was known for his versatility and skill, managing to hit 18 home runs throughout his career. Wolf's achievements and consistent performance made him a notable figure in the early days of the sport, helping to pave the way for future generations of players. His legacy is remembered as part of the foundation of professional baseball as it grew into the beloved American pastime we know today.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 | 19 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 10.80 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1882 | LS2 | AA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 9.00 | 0.0 |
| 1885 | LS2 | AA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9.00 | 0.0 |
| 1886 | LS2 | AA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15.00 | 0.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1196 | 4959 | 779 | 1439 | 212 | 109 | 18 | 592 | 186 | 229 | 120 | 0.290 | 0.327 | 0.388 | 0.715 | 7931.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1882 | LS2 | AA | 78 | 318 | 46 | 95 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0.299 | 750.9 |
| 1883 | LS2 | AA | 98 | 389 | 59 | 102 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0.262 | -94.5 |
| 1884 | LS2 | AA | 110 | 486 | 79 | 146 | 24 | 11 | 3 | 73 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0.300 | 1370.4 |
| 1885 | LS2 | AA | 112 | 483 | 79 | 141 | 23 | 17 | 1 | 52 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0.292 | 1227.1 |
| 1886 | LS2 | AA | 130 | 545 | 93 | 148 | 17 | 12 | 3 | 61 | 23 | 27 | 0 | 0.272 | 479.5 |
| 1887 | LS2 | AA | 137 | 569 | 103 | 160 | 27 | 13 | 2 | 102 | 45 | 34 | 19 | 0.281 | 85.3 |
| 1888 | LS2 | AA | 128 | 538 | 80 | 154 | 28 | 11 | 0 | 67 | 41 | 25 | 30 | 0.286 | 1201.5 |
| 1889 | LS2 | AA | 130 | 546 | 72 | 159 | 20 | 9 | 3 | 57 | 18 | 29 | 34 | 0.291 | 149.0 |
| 1890 | LS2 | AA | 134 | 543 | 100 | 197 | 29 | 11 | 4 | 98 | 46 | 43 | 0 | 0.363 | 3289.2 |
| 1891 | LS2 | AA | 136 | 528 | 67 | 135 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 81 | 13 | 42 | 36 | 0.256 | -527.1 |
| 1892 | STL | NL | 3 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.143 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 25 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.360 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | WS | LS2 | 7 | 25 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0.360 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 43 | 0 | 361 | 13 | 20 | 31 |
| 2B | 15 | 0 | 34 | 44 | 9 | 3 |
| 3B | 26 | 0 | 28 | 54 | 15 | 2 |
| C | 39 | 0 | 133 | 45 | 25 | 3 |
| OF | 1040 | 0 | 1642 | 228 | 167 | 42 |
| P | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| SS | 64 | 0 | 107 | 194 | 67 | 16 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1882 | LS2 | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1882 | LS2 | 1B | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1882 | LS2 | SS | 9 | 0 | 14 | 24 | 9 | 1 |
| 1882 | LS2 | OF | 70 | 0 | 71 | 21 | 10 | 2 |
| 1883 | LS2 | C | 20 | 0 | 84 | 25 | 11 | 1 |
| 1883 | LS2 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1883 | LS2 | SS | 5 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 8 | 2 |
| 1883 | LS2 | OF | 78 | 0 | 157 | 29 | 23 | 6 |
| 1884 | LS2 | C | 11 | 0 | 37 | 13 | 6 | 0 |
| 1884 | LS2 | 1B | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1884 | LS2 | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1884 | LS2 | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1884 | LS2 | OF | 101 | 0 | 173 | 26 | 26 | 4 |
| 1885 | LS2 | P | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1885 | LS2 | C | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1885 | LS2 | 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1885 | LS2 | OF | 111 | 0 | 180 | 19 | 18 | 4 |
| 1886 | LS2 | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1886 | LS2 | C | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 1886 | LS2 | 1B | 8 | 0 | 64 | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| 1886 | LS2 | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1886 | LS2 | OF | 122 | 0 | 197 | 28 | 16 | 5 |
| 1887 | LS2 | 1B | 11 | 0 | 95 | 4 | 9 | 6 |
| 1887 | LS2 | OF | 128 | 0 | 207 | 27 | 15 | 5 |
| 1888 | LS2 | C | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 1888 | LS2 | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1888 | LS2 | 3B | 4 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 1888 | LS2 | SS | 39 | 0 | 62 | 131 | 41 | 9 |
| 1888 | LS2 | OF | 85 | 0 | 113 | 19 | 17 | 4 |
| 1889 | LS2 | 1B | 16 | 0 | 135 | 5 | 3 | 14 |
| 1889 | LS2 | 2B | 13 | 0 | 34 | 40 | 8 | 3 |
| 1889 | LS2 | 3B | 7 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 6 | 0 |
| 1889 | LS2 | SS | 10 | 0 | 27 | 23 | 8 | 4 |
| 1889 | LS2 | OF | 88 | 0 | 159 | 16 | 10 | 2 |
| 1890 | LS2 | 3B | 12 | 0 | 11 | 22 | 4 | 1 |
| 1890 | LS2 | OF | 123 | 0 | 199 | 16 | 14 | 5 |
| 1891 | LS2 | 1B | 5 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 1891 | LS2 | 3B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1891 | LS2 | OF | 131 | 0 | 185 | 27 | 18 | 5 |
| 1892 | SLN | OF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 3 |
| Catcher | 39 |
| First Base | 43 |
| Second Base | 15 |
| Third Base | 26 |
| Shortstop | 64 |
| Left Field | 17 |
| Center Field | 3 |
| Right Field | 1024 |