Billy Hamilton
Encyclopedia
William Robert "Sliding Billy" Hamilton (February 16, 1866 – December 15, 1940) was a 19th century Major League Baseball
player. He holds a number of offensive records that still stand today, and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
in 1961.
, Hamilton broke into the Majors in the American Association
with the Kansas City Cowboys
in 1888 at the age of 22 and established himself as a star the following season by batting
.301 with 144 runs and 111 stolen base
s.
In 1890, Hamilton was sold to the Philadelphia Phillies
for cash by the Cowboys, who were ceasing their operation. The timing could not have been better for the team from Philadelphia as Sam Thompson
joined the club the prior season and Ed Delahanty
would become a Phillie the following year.
He is one of only five batters, through August 2009, to have hit both a leadoff and walkoff home run in the same game (having done so in 1892), the others being Vic Power
(1957), Darin Erstad
(2000), Reed Johnson
(2003), and Ian Kinsler
(2009).
Hamilton continued his trend-setting ways over the following six years, averaging 146 runs and 92 stolen bases a season while hitting as high as .404 in 1894. He was now a part of one of the greatest hitting outfields and teams of all-time. Hamilton, Thompson, Delahanty, and Tuck Turner
all hit over .400 for the year in 1894. Unfortunately, the mid-1890s was also the pinnacle of the original Baltimore Orioles
of Willie Keeler and John McGraw, and later on, the powerful Boston Beaneaters of Hugh Duffy
and Kid Nichols
. In 1896, Hamilton moved to Boston, for whom he played his final six seasons. Although his numbers declined, Hamilton still scored over 100 runs in all but two of those seasons. He set the all-time standard for most runs scored in a season with 198 in 1894 while with the Phillies.
Hamilton retired after the 1901 season. Over his career he compiled 912 (or 937; see Career total discrepancy) stolen bases, a .344 batting average and 1690 runs in 1591 games; he is one of only three players to average more than one run per game played. His .455 career on base percentage
is ranked fourth all time behind Ted Williams
, Babe Ruth
and John McGraw
, and his 912 stolen bases rank 3rd behind Rickey Henderson
and Lou Brock
. Even for the run-happy 1890's, these are very fine career numbers. Hamilton also set the record for most stolen bases in one game, with seven, set August 31, 1894. Though stolen bases were credited differently during Hamilton's career than they are in modern time, he was very proud of his stolen base marks. In 1937, Hamilton lambasted the Sporting News in a letter he wrote to them stating, "I was and will be the greatest base stealer of all time. I stole over 100 bases on many years and if they ever re-count the record I will get my just reward."
Hamilton was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961. He was the first New Jersey
native so honored, and remains the only one from the northern part of the State, although Goose Goslin
was from Salem
and Alabama
-born Monte Irvin
grew up in East Orange and South Carolina
-born Larry Doby
grew up in Paterson
. Hamilton died at his home at 6 Lucian Street, Worcester
, Massachusetts
on December 15, 1940 according to the obituary in the Worcester Telegram morning edition of December 16 in 1940. This states he died "yesterday in his home". This date of December 15, 1940 was also confirmed by baseball historian David Allen Lambert with the City Clerk of Worcester
, Massachusetts
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player. He holds a number of offensive records that still stand today, and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
in 1961.
Biography
Born in Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, Hamilton broke into the Majors in the American Association
American Association (19th century)
The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...
with the Kansas City Cowboys
Kansas City Cowboys (American Association)
The Kansas City Cowboys were a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri for two seasons from to in the American Association. They were the third, and last incarnation of this franchise name, following the Kansas City Cowboys of the Union Association in and the Kansas City...
in 1888 at the age of 22 and established himself as a star the following season by batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.301 with 144 runs and 111 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s.
In 1890, Hamilton was sold to the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for cash by the Cowboys, who were ceasing their operation. The timing could not have been better for the team from Philadelphia as Sam Thompson
Sam Thompson
Samuel Luther Thompson was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. "Big Sam" was known for his offensive production and was second on the career home runs list at the time of his retirement...
joined the club the prior season and Ed Delahanty
Ed Delahanty
Edward James Delahanty , nicknamed "Big Ed", was a Major League Baseball player from 1888 to 1903 for the Philadelphia Quakers, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Infants and Washington Senators, and was known as one of the early great power hitters in the game.He was elected to the Baseball Hall of...
would become a Phillie the following year.
He is one of only five batters, through August 2009, to have hit both a leadoff and walkoff home run in the same game (having done so in 1892), the others being Vic Power
Victor Pellot
Victor Pellot a.k.a. "Vic Power" was the second black Puerto Rican to play in Major League Baseball and the first Puerto Rican to play in the American League...
(1957), Darin Erstad
Darin Erstad
Darin Charles Erstad is the Head Coach of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball team and a former Major League Baseball outfielder/first baseman. Prior to , he had played with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim franchise before signing with the Chicago White Sox in 2007...
(2000), Reed Johnson
Reed Johnson
Reed Cameron Johnson is an American professional baseball outfielder. He was born in Riverside, California-College career:...
(2003), and Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
(2009).
Hamilton continued his trend-setting ways over the following six years, averaging 146 runs and 92 stolen bases a season while hitting as high as .404 in 1894. He was now a part of one of the greatest hitting outfields and teams of all-time. Hamilton, Thompson, Delahanty, and Tuck Turner
Tuck Turner
George A. "Tuck" Turner was a 19th century Major League Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Browns. Born in West New Brighton, New York, "Tuck" broke into the National League with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1893 at the age of 20...
all hit over .400 for the year in 1894. Unfortunately, the mid-1890s was also the pinnacle of the original Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (19th century)
The Baltimore Orioles were a 19th-century American Association and National League team from 1882 to 1899. The club, which featured numerous future Hall of Famers, finished in first place three consecutive years and won the Temple Cup championship in 1896 and 1897...
of Willie Keeler and John McGraw, and later on, the powerful Boston Beaneaters of Hugh Duffy
Hugh Duffy
Hugh Duffy was a 19th century Major League Baseball player. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.-Career:...
and Kid Nichols
Kid Nichols
Charles Augustus Nichols , better known as Kid Nichols, was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Admired for his steadfast consistency year-in and year-out, Nichols won 361 games, the 7th highest total in major league history...
. In 1896, Hamilton moved to Boston, for whom he played his final six seasons. Although his numbers declined, Hamilton still scored over 100 runs in all but two of those seasons. He set the all-time standard for most runs scored in a season with 198 in 1894 while with the Phillies.
Hamilton retired after the 1901 season. Over his career he compiled 912 (or 937; see Career total discrepancy) stolen bases, a .344 batting average and 1690 runs in 1591 games; he is one of only three players to average more than one run per game played. His .455 career on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
is ranked fourth all time behind Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
, Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
and John McGraw
John McGraw
John McGraw may refer to:* John McGraw , , New York lumber tycoon, and one of the founding trustees of Cornell University* John McGraw , , Governor of Washington state from 1893–1897...
, and his 912 stolen bases rank 3rd behind Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
and Lou Brock
Lou Brock
Louis Clark "Lou" Brock is an American former professional baseball player. He began his Major League Baseball career with the Chicago Cubs but, spent the majority of his career as the left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. Brock was best known for breaking Ty Cobb's all-time major league...
. Even for the run-happy 1890's, these are very fine career numbers. Hamilton also set the record for most stolen bases in one game, with seven, set August 31, 1894. Though stolen bases were credited differently during Hamilton's career than they are in modern time, he was very proud of his stolen base marks. In 1937, Hamilton lambasted the Sporting News in a letter he wrote to them stating, "I was and will be the greatest base stealer of all time. I stole over 100 bases on many years and if they ever re-count the record I will get my just reward."
Hamilton was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961. He was the first New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
native so honored, and remains the only one from the northern part of the State, although Goose Goslin
Goose Goslin
Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until...
was from Salem
Salem, New Jersey
Salem is a city in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 5,146. It is the county seat of Salem County, the most rural county in the state of New Jersey. The name Salem is related to the Hebrew word shalom, meaning "peace".The town and...
and Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
-born Monte Irvin
Monte Irvin
Monford Merrill "Monte" Irvin is a former left fielder and right-handed batter in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball who played with the Newark Eagles , New York Giants and Chicago Cubs .-Biography:Although born in Haleburg, Alabama, Irvin grew up in Orange, New Jersey, one of five...
grew up in East Orange and South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
-born Larry Doby
Larry Doby
Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Doby was an American professional baseball player in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball....
grew up in Paterson
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
. Hamilton died at his home at 6 Lucian Street, Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
on December 15, 1940 according to the obituary in the Worcester Telegram morning edition of December 16 in 1940. This states he died "yesterday in his home". This date of December 15, 1940 was also confirmed by baseball historian David Allen Lambert with the City Clerk of Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
Accomplishments
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame (1961)
- 3rd all time for stolen bases in a career (912)
- Led the Major Leagues in stolen bases (1889–91, 1894, 1895)
- Led the National League in batting average (1891, with .340)
- Led the National League in runs scored (1891, with 141)
- Led the National League in hits (1891, with 179)
- Led the National League for times on base (1891)
- Led the Major Leagues in batting average (1893, with .380)
- Led the Major Leagues in runs scored (1894–95, 1897)
- Led the Major Leagues for times on base (1894, 1896–97)
- Set record for runs scored with 192 in 1894.
- Philadelphia Phillies Career Leader in Batting Average (.361), On-base percentage (.468) and Stolen Bases (508).
- Holds Phillies single season records for On-base percentage (.523 in 1894), Runs (192 in 1894), Stolen Bases (111 in 1891) and Times on Base (355 in 1894)
Career total discrepancy
His career steals total differs, based on the source. The Baseball Hall of Fame credits Hamilton with 937 steals, while MLB.com credits him with 912 steals and Baseball Reference.com credits him with 914 steals.See also
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base records
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
- List of Philadelphia Phillies team records