William Henry Holbert
Encyclopedia
William Henry Holbert was a catcher
in the National League
and American Association
baseball leagues, playing from 1876 through 1888. He holds the major league record for career at-bats without a home run, failing to do so in his 2335 at-bats. However, he was playing in an era when triples
were more common than home runs, due to the spacious parks and poor quality of the balls used.
Bill Holbert started his career with the nascent Louisville Grays
of 1876. He sat out the 1877 year and in 1878 played for the Milwaukee Grays
, followed by Syracuse Stars
and the Troy Trojans, both in 1879. Holbert is also credited with managing one game, a loss, in 1879 while with the Syracuse Stars.
He stayed with the Trojans, and the National League, until 1883, when he joined the New York Metropolitans
of the new American Association
. The Metropolitans traded him to the Brooklyn Bridegrooms after the 1887 season. Bill Holbert retired in 1888, playing just 15 games with the Bridegrooms that year.
When the new Players' League started up in 1890, Holbert was one of the original umpires.
was a weak .208, with a slugging average at a very low .237. Although batting averages were generally low in the 19th century, Holbert's was lower than the average. The 1879 Syracuse Stars, for example, had a team average of only .227, while Holbert hit .201. Holbert's best year was 1881, with Troy, when he hit .278. Even that year, nearly all - 46 out of 49 - of his hits were singles, and his on base percentage
was a mediocre .284.
Nonetheless, he was considered a good defensive catcher, although these talents have been overshadowed by those of Buck Ewing
, considered by most to be best catcher of the 19th century. When not catching, Holbert would often play the outfield - starting 11% of his games there.
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in 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...
and 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...
baseball leagues, playing from 1876 through 1888. He holds the major league record for career at-bats without a home run, failing to do so in his 2335 at-bats. However, he was playing in an era when triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
were more common than home runs, due to the spacious parks and poor quality of the balls used.
Bill Holbert started his career with the nascent Louisville Grays
Louisville Grays
The Louisville Grays were a 19th century U.S. baseball team and charter member of the National League, based in Louisville, Kentucky. They played two seasons, 1876 and 1877, and compiled a record of 65–61. Their home games were at the Louisville Baseball Park. The Grays were owned by...
of 1876. He sat out the 1877 year and in 1878 played for the Milwaukee Grays
Milwaukee Grays
The Milwaukee Grays were a short-lived baseball team that spent one year, 1878, in the National League.The team was part of the League Alliance, loosely affiliated with the National League, in 1877. It won 19 games and lost 13 , ending up in fourth place...
, followed by Syracuse Stars
Syracuse Stars (National League)
The Syracuse Stars was an American baseball team 19th century, as well as the name of the minor league baseball teams which preceded it, based in Syracuse, New York. They played their home games at Newell Park...
and the Troy Trojans, both in 1879. Holbert is also credited with managing one game, a loss, in 1879 while with the Syracuse Stars.
He stayed with the Trojans, and the National League, until 1883, when he joined the New York Metropolitans
New York Metropolitans
The Metropolitan Club was a 19th-century professional baseball team that played in New York City from 1880 to 1887...
of the new 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...
. The Metropolitans traded him to the Brooklyn Bridegrooms after the 1887 season. Bill Holbert retired in 1888, playing just 15 games with the Bridegrooms that year.
When the new Players' League started up in 1890, Holbert was one of the original umpires.
Career assessment
Bill Holbert's career batting averageBatting 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 :...
was a weak .208, with a slugging average at a very low .237. Although batting averages were generally low in the 19th century, Holbert's was lower than the average. The 1879 Syracuse Stars, for example, had a team average of only .227, while Holbert hit .201. Holbert's best year was 1881, with Troy, when he hit .278. Even that year, nearly all - 46 out of 49 - of his hits were singles, and his 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...
was a mediocre .284.
Nonetheless, he was considered a good defensive catcher, although these talents have been overshadowed by those of Buck Ewing
Buck Ewing
William "Buck" Ewing was a Major League Baseball player and manager, and is widely regarded as the best catcher of his era and is often argued to be the best player of the 19th century...
, considered by most to be best catcher of the 19th century. When not catching, Holbert would often play the outfield - starting 11% of his games there.
| G Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... |
AB At bat In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance... |
H | 2B Double (baseball) In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... |
3B Triple (baseball) In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... |
HR Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... |
R | RBI | BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... |
SO Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... |
AVG 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 :... |
OBP 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... |
SLG | OPS On-base plus slugging On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 623 | 2,335 | 486 | 41 | 7 | 0 | 182 | 144 | 58 | 91 | .208 | .228 | .232 | .460 |