Bill Rariden
Encyclopedia
William Angel Rariden was an American
professional
baseball
player. He played in Major League Baseball
as a catcher
from 1909 to 1920 for the Boston Doves/Rustlers/Braves
, Indianapolis Hoosiers/Newark Pepper, New York Giants
, and Cincinnati Reds
.
defensive specialist, Rariden set the major league record for most assists
by a catcher in a season with 238 while playing for the Newark Pepper of the Federal League
in . Before Rariden's career, most catchers were large, slow-footed players. Rariden's small size and agility helped him become one of the best catchers in major league baseball. Major League
status was retroactively applied to the Federal League in . He also had the second highest total with 215 in . In the Deadball Era during which Rariden played, catchers played a huge defensive role, given the large number of bunts and stolen base
attempts, therefore catchers of his era usually accumulated higher assist totals than did those of subsequent eras.
Rariden had his best year offensively with the New York Giants in 1917
when he posted a .271 batting average
in 101 games as, the Giants won the National League
pennant
before being defeated by the Chicago White Sox
in the 1917 World Series
. Rariden was also a member of the 1919 Cincinnati Reds
team that won the scandal-plagued
1919 World Series
against the Chicago White Sox
.
, accumulating 682 hits
in 2877 at bats for a .237 career batting average along with 7 home run
s and 272 runs batted in. He ended his career with a .972 fielding percentage
. Rariden led Federal League catchers twice in putout
s, twice in assists and twice in baserunners caught stealing
. He led National League catchers once in putouts.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. He 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...
as a 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...
from 1909 to 1920 for the Boston Doves/Rustlers/Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, Indianapolis Hoosiers/Newark Pepper, New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, and Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
.
Major League career
A light-hittingBatting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
defensive specialist, Rariden set the major league record for most 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...
by a catcher in a season with 238 while playing for the Newark Pepper of the Federal League
Federal League
The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that operated as a "third major league", in competition with the established National and American Leagues, from to...
in . Before Rariden's career, most catchers were large, slow-footed players. Rariden's small size and agility helped him become one of the best catchers in major league baseball. Major League
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...
status was retroactively applied to the Federal League in . He also had the second highest total with 215 in . In the Deadball Era during which Rariden played, catchers played a huge defensive role, given the large number of bunts and 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...
attempts, therefore catchers of his era usually accumulated higher assist totals than did those of subsequent eras.
Rariden had his best year offensively with the New York Giants in 1917
1917 New York Giants season
The New York Giants season was a season in Major League Baseball. It involved the Giants winning the National League pennant for the first time in four years...
when he posted a .271 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 :...
in 101 games as, the Giants won 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...
pennant
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
before being defeated by the Chicago White Sox
1917 Chicago White Sox season
The 1917 Chicago White Sox dominated the American League with a record of 100-54. The 100 wins is a club record that still stands. Their offense was first in runs scored while their pitching staff led the league with a 2.16 ERA....
in the 1917 World Series
1917 World Series
In the 1917 World Series, the Chicago White Sox beat the New York Giants four games to two. The Series was played against the backdrop of World War I, which dominated the American newspapers that year and next....
. Rariden was also a member of the 1919 Cincinnati Reds
1919 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The Reds won the National League pennant, then went on to win the 1919 World Series...
team that won the scandal-plagued
Black Sox Scandal
The Black Sox Scandal took place around and during the play of the American baseball 1919 World Series. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox were banned for life from baseball for intentionally losing games, which allowed the Cincinnati Reds to win the World Series...
1919 World Series
1919 World Series
The 1919 World Series matched the American League champion Chicago White Sox against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds. Although most World Series have been of the best-of-seven format, the 1919 World Series was a best-of-nine series...
against the Chicago White Sox
1919 Chicago White Sox season
The Chicago White Sox season was their 19th season in the American League. They won 88 games to advance to the World Series but lost to the Cincinnati Reds. More significantly, some of the players were found to have taken money from gamblers in return for throwing the series...
.
Career statistics
In a 12 year career, Rariden played in 982 gamesGames 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,...
, accumulating 682 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 2877 at bats for a .237 career batting average along with 7 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 272 runs batted in. He ended his career with a .972 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...
. Rariden led Federal League catchers twice 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, twice in assists and twice in baserunners caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
. He led National League catchers once in putouts.