Billy Hamilton (baseball, born 1866) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Billy Hamilton |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: February 16, 1866 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Died: December 15, 1940 (aged 74) Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 31, 1888, for the Kansas City Cowboys | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 16, 1901, for the Boston Beaneaters | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .344 | ||
| Hits | 2,154 | ||
| Home runs | 40 | ||
| Runs batted in | 742 | ||
| Stolen bases | 912 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1961 | ||
| Election Method | Veterans Committee | ||
William Robert Hamilton (born February 16, 1866 – died December 15, 1940) was a famous American baseball player. People called him "Sliding Billy" because he was so good at sliding into bases. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Billy Hamilton played for three teams: the Kansas City Cowboys, Philadelphia Phillies, and Boston Beaneaters. His career lasted from 1888 to 1901. He was an amazing outfielder and a very fast runner.
Hamilton won the National League (NL) batting title two times. He also led the NL in stolen bases five times. In four of those seasons, he stole over 100 bases! In 1894, he hit over .400, which is very rare. That same year, he set a major league record by scoring 198 runs in one season.
He ended his career with a .344 batting average, which is excellent. His 912 stolen bases rank among the highest in baseball history. In 1961, Billy Hamilton was chosen to be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Contents
Billy Hamilton's Early Life
Billy Hamilton was born on February 16, 1866, in Newark, New Jersey. His parents, Samuel and Mary Hamilton, came to New Jersey from Ireland. When Billy was a young child, his family moved to Clinton, Massachusetts. As a teenager, he worked in a cotton mill in Clinton.
Billy Hamilton's Professional Baseball Career
Billy Hamilton started his major league career in 1888. He joined the Kansas City Cowboys in the American Association. He quickly became a star player.
Becoming a Star Player
In 1889, his second season, Billy Hamilton showed how talented he was. He had a .301 batting average. He also scored 144 runs and stole 111 stolen bases. These numbers proved he was a top player.
In 1890, the Kansas City Cowboys team stopped playing. Billy Hamilton was then sold to the Philadelphia Phillies. He continued to shine with his new team.
Success with the Philadelphia Phillies
In 1891, Billy Hamilton led the National League in several important areas. He had the best batting average (.340). He also scored the most runs (141) and got the most hits (179). For the third year in a row, he led the NL in stolen bases.
In 1892, Billy Hamilton did something very special. In one game, he hit a home run to start the game. Then, he hit another home run to win the game at the very end! Only a few other players in baseball history have done this.
He had an amazing season in 1893, hitting .380. This was the best batting average in all of Major League Baseball that year.
Record-Breaking Seasons
The 1894 season was incredible for the Philadelphia Phillies outfielders. Billy Hamilton, Sam Thompson, Ed Delahanty, and Tuck Turner all hit over .400! This is extremely rare in baseball.
That year, Billy Hamilton set a major league record that still stands today. He scored 198 runs in a single season. No other player has scored more runs in one year. Even Babe Ruth came close with 177 runs in 1921, but he didn't break Billy's record.
Hamilton also set a record for most stolen bases in one game. On August 31, 1894, he stole seven bases! He also set a record for scoring runs in many games in a row. He scored 35 runs over 24 games in July and August of 1894.
Moving to Boston and Retirement
Billy Hamilton led the league in stolen bases for a fifth time in 1895. In 1896, he moved to the Boston Beaneaters. He played his last six seasons with this team. Even though his numbers were a bit lower, he still scored over 100 runs in most of those seasons.
Billy Hamilton retired from baseball after the 1901 season. During his career, he had 912 stolen bases. He also had a .344 batting average and scored 1690 runs in 1591 games. He is one of only three players to score more than one run per game played. His .455 career on-base percentage is one of the best ever.
He holds many records for the Philadelphia Phillies team. He is their career leader in batting average (.361) and on-base percentage (.468). He also has the most stolen bases (508) for the Phillies. He holds single-season Phillies records for on-base percentage (.523 in 1894), runs (196 in 1894), and stolen bases (111 in 1891).
Billy Hamilton's Legacy
Billy Hamilton was very proud of his stolen base records. He believed he was the greatest base stealer of all time. He even wrote a letter in 1937 saying that if records were recounted, he would get the credit he deserved.
Later Life and Hall of Fame
After he stopped playing baseball, Billy Hamilton became a manager for several minor league teams. He also worked as a scout for the Boston Nationals, looking for new talent.
Billy Hamilton passed away on December 15, 1940, in Worcester, Massachusetts. In 1961, he was honored by being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base records
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders
- List of Philadelphia Phillies team records
