Jake Evans
Encyclopedia
This is an article about the baseball player. For the musician, see Jake Evans (musician)
Uriah L. P. "Bloody Jake" Evans (September 22, 1856 – January 16, 1907) was a right fielder
in Major League Baseball
from 1879 to 1885. Evans played for the Troy Trojans, Worcester Ruby Legs, Cleveland Blues
, and Baltimore Orioles
. He was 5 in 8 in (1.73 m) tall and weighed 154 pounds (69.9 kg).
, in 1856. He started his professional baseball career in 1877, playing for the Rhode Islands of the New England League. The following season, he played in the International Association.
In 1879, Evans joined the National League
's Troy Trojans, making his major league debut on May 1. He played 72 games that season and hit .232 with 17 runs batted in
. Evans never had an OPS+ total above 98 in the majors, but he was a good outfielder with a strong throwing arm. Among outfielders, he finished among the league leaders in several defensive categories as a rookie; he was second in assists
(30), second in range factor
(2.54), third in putout
s (153), and fifth in fielding percentage
(.884).
In 1880 and 1881, Evans batted .256 and .241, respectively. He then played for the Worcester Ruby Legs in 1882. His batting average
dropped to a career-low .213, but he led all National League outfielders in assists with 31. He moved on to the Cleveland Blues in 1883, where he was praised for his fielding. ("Give Jake Evans plenty of pie, a comfortable siesta and his favorite dhundeen [cigar] and he'll play right second to none.")
In 1884, Evans' right arm popped out of its socket as he was throwing the ball in from right field, leaving his arm in a "fragile condition." Evans played the rest of the year wearing a fitted rubber cap on his arm to keep it from popping back out, and he batted a career-high .259 while leading the National League's outfielders in fielding percentage (.917). However, that was his last full season in professional baseball.
Evans played 20 games for the Baltimore Orioles in 1885 before retiring from the game at the age of 28. He died in Baltimore in 1907 and was buried in Baltimore Cemetery.
Jake Evans (musician)
Jake Evans is a British vocalist and guitarist.In 2005 he formed the Macclesfield band Rambo & Leroy. The next year he joined the band Marion, reformed by his friend Phil Cunningham...
Uriah L. P. "Bloody Jake" Evans (September 22, 1856 – January 16, 1907) was a right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in Major League Baseball
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...
from 1879 to 1885. Evans played for the Troy Trojans, Worcester Ruby Legs, Cleveland Blues
Cleveland Blues (NL)
The Cleveland Blues were a Major League Baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio that operated in the National League from 1879 to 1884. In six seasons their best finish was third place in 1880. Hugh Daily threw a no-hitter for the Blues on Sept. 13, 1883. Besides Daily, notable Blues players...
, and 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...
. He was 5 in 8 in (1.73 m) tall and weighed 154 pounds (69.9 kg).
Career
Evans was born in Baltimore, MarylandBaltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, in 1856. He started his professional baseball career in 1877, playing for the Rhode Islands of the New England League. The following season, he played in the International Association.
In 1879, Evans joined the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
's Troy Trojans, making his major league debut on May 1. He played 72 games that season and hit .232 with 17 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. Evans never had an OPS+ total above 98 in the majors, but he was a good outfielder with a strong throwing arm. Among outfielders, he finished among the league leaders in several defensive categories as a rookie; he was second in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
(30), second in range factor
Range Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
(2.54), third in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s (153), and fifth in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
(.884).
In 1880 and 1881, Evans batted .256 and .241, respectively. He then played for the Worcester Ruby Legs in 1882. His batting average
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 :...
dropped to a career-low .213, but he led all National League outfielders in assists with 31. He moved on to the Cleveland Blues in 1883, where he was praised for his fielding. ("Give Jake Evans plenty of pie, a comfortable siesta and his favorite dhundeen [cigar] and he'll play right second to none.")
In 1884, Evans' right arm popped out of its socket as he was throwing the ball in from right field, leaving his arm in a "fragile condition." Evans played the rest of the year wearing a fitted rubber cap on his arm to keep it from popping back out, and he batted a career-high .259 while leading the National League's outfielders in fielding percentage (.917). However, that was his last full season in professional baseball.
Evans played 20 games for the Baltimore Orioles in 1885 before retiring from the game at the age of 28. He died in Baltimore in 1907 and was buried in Baltimore Cemetery.
External links
- Jake Evans at Find a Grave