Zeke Wrigley
Born: 1/18/1874 in Philadelphia, PA, USA
Died: 9/28/1952 in Philadelphia, PA, USA
MLB Debut: 1896-08-31 | Final Game: 1899-10-14
Height: 5'8" | Weight: 150 lbs
Full name: George Watson Wrigley
Biography
Zeke Wrigley, born in 1874, was a professional baseball player who made his mark in the late 19th century as a versatile position player. His career spanned from 1896 to 1908, during a transformative period in baseball characterized by the transition from the deadball era to the more offensive-minded approaches of the following decades. Over his career, Wrigley played in 239 games, accumulating 222 hits and demonstrating a solid batting average of .258. He displayed power with 5 home runs and contributed significantly to his teams with 117 RBIs. Additionally, Wrigley showcased his speed on the basepaths, stealing 18 bases throughout his career.
Wrigley's playing style was emblematic of the era in which he played, where players often relied on a mix of speed and contact hitting to advance their teams. While not a superstar, his consistency and ability to contribute in various aspects of the game made him a valuable asset to the clubs he represented. His career spanned a crucial time in baseball history, as the sport was evolving in popularity and strategy, and Wrigley's contributions were part of the foundation upon which future generations of players would build.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 239 | 861 | 121 | 222 | 25 | 20 | 5 | 117 | 18 | 46 | 55 | 0.258 | 0.296 | 0.351 | 0.647 | -1552.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 | WAS | NL | 5 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.111 | 0.0 |
| 1897 | WAS | NL | 104 | 388 | 65 | 110 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 64 | 5 | 21 | 24 | 0.284 | -493.8 |
| 1898 | WAS | NL | 111 | 400 | 50 | 98 | 9 | 10 | 2 | 39 | 10 | 20 | 25 | 0.245 | -884.4 |
| 1899 | BRO | NL | 15 | 49 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0.204 | -174.5 |
| 1899 | NY1 | NL | 4 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.200 | -174.5 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 23 | 0 | 55 | 60 | 7 | 5 |
| 3B | 36 | 0 | 36 | 72 | 19 | 4 |
| OF | 39 | 0 | 45 | 10 | 7 | 4 |
| SS | 145 | 0 | 362 | 482 | 102 | 54 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 | WAS | 2B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 1896 | WAS | SS | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1897 | WAS | 2B | 9 | 0 | 22 | 20 | 2 | 2 |
| 1897 | WAS | 3B | 30 | 0 | 34 | 64 | 17 | 4 |
| 1897 | WAS | SS | 33 | 0 | 75 | 115 | 24 | 8 |
| 1897 | WAS | OF | 36 | 0 | 44 | 10 | 7 | 4 |
| 1898 | WAS | 2B | 11 | 0 | 31 | 32 | 4 | 3 |
| 1898 | WAS | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1898 | WAS | SS | 97 | 0 | 252 | 326 | 68 | 42 |
| 1898 | WAS | OF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899 | BRO | 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1899 | BRO | SS | 14 | 0 | 33 | 34 | 10 | 4 |
| 1899 | NY1 | 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 23 |
| Third Base | 36 |
| Shortstop | 145 |
| Left Field | 4 |
| Center Field | 15 |
| Right Field | 20 |