Bill Blair (1880s pitcher)

Bill Blair
Bill Blair
	Pitcher
	Born: September 17, 1863; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
	Died: February 22, 1890 (aged 26); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
	Batted: Left Threw: Left
MLB debut
	July 19, 1888, for the Philadelphia Athletics
Last MLB appearance
	September 23, 1888, for the Philadelphia Athletics
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	1–3
Strikeouts	16
Earned run average	2.61
Teams
	Philadelphia Athletics (1888);

William Ellsworth Blair (September 17, 1863 – February 22, 1890) was an American professional baseball player. He played in the major-league American Association in 1888 for the Philadelphia Athletics. A left-handed pitcher who batted from the left side, Blair had a listed playing weight of 172 pounds (78 kg).

Career

During an eight-year career as a professional, Blair spent one season in the major leagues. He started four games for the Philadelphia Athletics of the American Association in 1888, winning one and losing three. His 2.61 ERA was better than the league average, and he was also a positive contributor with the bat, posting a .308 batting average, .357 on-base percentage, and .385 slugging percentage in fourteen plate appearances.

Illness and death

Blair had signed a contract to spend the 1890 season with the Chicago Cubs, but he died as a result of illness before games began, during the first outbreak of the 1889–1890 pandemic. His obituary listed the cause of death as "influenza, which turned into pneumonia and typhoid fever".^[1]

References

^ "Death Of A Ball Player Archived September 13, 2006, at the Wayback Machine", The New York Times, published February 23, 1890, accessed August 21, 2006.

External links

Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)

[1] "Death Of A Ball Player Archived September 13, 2006, at the Wayback Machine", The New York Times, published February 23, 1890, accessed August 21, 2006.

[1]

Career

Illness and death

See also

References

External links