John Peters (baseball shortstop)
Encyclopedia
John Phillip Peters was a shortstop
who played in Major League Baseball
with four different clubs from through . Peters batted and threw right-handed. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana
.
Peters reached the majors in 1874 with the Chicago White Stockings
(NA
/NL
), spending four years with them before moving to the Milwaukee Grays
(NL, 1878), again with Chicago (NL, 1879), and the Providence Grays
(NL, 1880), Buffalo Bisons
(NL, 1881) and Pittsburg Alleghenys
(NL, 1882-1884). He was the everyday shortstop of the pennant-winning 1876 Chicago White Stockings in the very first year of the National League.
Peters averaged
.328 from 1876-78, with a career-high .351 in the 1876 championship season to finish fourth in the National League batting title behind Ross Barnes
(.429), George Hall (.366) and Cap Anson
(.356). He also twice led the shortstops in putout
s in 1879 (280) and 1890 (277).
While in Chicago, Peters shared infield defense duties with first basemen
Cal McVey
and Albert Spalding
; 2B
Ross Barnes, 3B
Cap Anson, and catcher
s Deacon White
and Cal McVey
as well. In 1881, with Buffalo, he again played on a team that featured early stars as Davy Force
(IF), Dan Brouthers
(1B) and Jim O'Rourke (OF
).
In an 11-season career, Peters was a .278 hitter (748-for-2695) with three home run
s and 249 RBI
in 615 games
, including 372 runs
, 92 doubles
, 12 triples
, and 14 stolen base
s.
Peters died in St. Louis, Missouri
, at the age of 73.
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
who played 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...
with four different clubs from through . Peters batted and threw right-handed. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
Peters reached the majors in 1874 with the Chicago White Stockings
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(NA
National Association of Professional Base Ball Players
The National Association of Professional Base Ball Players , or simply the National Association , was founded in 1871 and continued through the 1875 season...
/NL
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...
), spending four years with them before moving to 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...
(NL, 1878), again with Chicago (NL, 1879), and the Providence Grays
Providence Grays
The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at Messer Field in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National League title twice, in and...
(NL, 1880), Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons (1879-1885)
The original Buffalo Bisons baseball club played in the National League between 1879 and 1885. The Bisons played their games at Riverside Park and Olympic Park in Buffalo, New York.-Year-by-year records:-Players of note:*Dan Brouthers...
(NL, 1881) and Pittsburg Alleghenys
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(NL, 1882-1884). He was the everyday shortstop of the pennant-winning 1876 Chicago White Stockings in the very first year of the National League.
Peters averaged
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 :...
.328 from 1876-78, with a career-high .351 in the 1876 championship season to finish fourth in the National League batting title behind Ross Barnes
Ross Barnes
Charles Roscoe Barnes was one of the stars of baseball's National Association and the early National League , playing second base and shortstop. He played for the dominant Boston Red Stockings teams of the early 1870s, along with Albert Spalding, Cal McVey, George Wright, Harry Wright, Jim...
(.429), George Hall (.366) and Cap Anson
Cap Anson
Adrian Constantine Anson , nicknamed "Cap" and "Pop", was a National Association and Major League Baseball first baseman...
(.356). He also twice led the shortstops 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 in 1879 (280) and 1890 (277).
While in Chicago, Peters shared infield defense duties with first basemen
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Cal McVey
Cal McVey
Calvin Alexander McVey was a professional baseball player during the 1860s and 1870s. McVey's importance to the game stems from his play on two of the earliest professional baseball teams, the original Cincinnati Red Stockings and the National Association Boston Red Stockings...
and Albert Spalding
Albert Spalding
Albert Goodwill Spalding was a professional baseball player, manager and co-founder of A.G. Spalding sporting goods company.-Biography:...
; 2B
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Ross Barnes, 3B
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Cap Anson, and catcher
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...
s Deacon White
Deacon White
James Laurie "Deacon" White was an American baseball player who was one of the principal stars during the first two decades of the sport's professional era...
and Cal McVey
Cal McVey
Calvin Alexander McVey was a professional baseball player during the 1860s and 1870s. McVey's importance to the game stems from his play on two of the earliest professional baseball teams, the original Cincinnati Red Stockings and the National Association Boston Red Stockings...
as well. In 1881, with Buffalo, he again played on a team that featured early stars as Davy Force
Davy Force
David W. "Davy" Force was a shortstop in Major League Baseball.From 1871 through 1886, he played in the National Association with the Washington Olympics , Troy Haymakers , Baltimore Canaries , Chicago White Stockings and Philadelphia Athletics , and in the National League for the Philadelphia...
(IF), Dan Brouthers
Dan Brouthers
Dennis Joseph "Dan" Brouthers was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball whose career spanned the period from to , with a brief return in...
(1B) and Jim O'Rourke (OF
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
).
In an 11-season career, Peters was a .278 hitter (748-for-2695) with three home run
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...
s and 249 RBI
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...
in 615 games
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,...
, including 372 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, 92 doubles
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....
, 12 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....
, and 14 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.
Peters died in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, at the age of 73.