Bill Steen
Encyclopedia
William John Steen was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball
who played four years with the Cleveland Indians
(1912–1915) and Detroit Tigers
(1915).
on November 11, 1887. Steen attended Washington & Jefferson College
in Washington, Pennsylvania
, before playing professional baseball.
He played for the Bloomington Bloomers
in 1909.
Steen debuted with the Cleveland Indians
on April 15, 1912 and had a 23-31 record in four seasons with the team. Steen was Cleveland's #4 starter in 1912, but suffered a broken wrist in 1913. He won 30 games for the Portland Beavers
in the Pacific Coast League
in 1911 and posted a 1.55 ERA for the San Francisco Seals (also in the PCL
) in 1915.
In June 1915, the Detroit Tigers
were in a tight pennant race with the Boston Red Sox
, but needed pitching help. They purchased Steen from the Indians. Steen played in 20 games for the 1915 Tigers
(including seven as a starter), compiling a record of 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA (Adjusted ERA+
of 111) in 79.3 innings pitched. The 1915 Tigers
wound up winning 100 games (the best record in the team's history) but finished in second place to the Red Sox who won 101 games. Steen pitched his last major league game on August 22, 1915. Steen died in Signal Hill, California
at age 91 in 1979.
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...
who played four years with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
(1912–1915) and Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1915).
Biography
He was born in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
on November 11, 1887. Steen attended Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, also known as W & J College or W&J, is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, in the United States, which is south of Pittsburgh...
in Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
, before playing professional baseball.
He played for the Bloomington Bloomers
Bloomington Bloomers
The Bloomington Bloomers were an Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League team based in Bloomington, Illinois that existed on-and-off from 1903 to 1939. In 1935, they were affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals, and in 1939 they were affiliated with the Milwaukee Brewers...
in 1909.
Steen debuted with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
on April 15, 1912 and had a 23-31 record in four seasons with the team. Steen was Cleveland's #4 starter in 1912, but suffered a broken wrist in 1913. He won 30 games for the Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
in 1911 and posted a 1.55 ERA for the San Francisco Seals (also in the PCL
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
) in 1915.
In June 1915, the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
were in a tight pennant race with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, but needed pitching help. They purchased Steen from the Indians. Steen played in 20 games for the 1915 Tigers
1915 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers won a club-record 100 games and narrowly lost the American League pennant to the Boston Red Sox who won 101 games. Though four other Tigers teams have won 100 games , only the 1934 Tigers had a better winning percentage...
(including seven as a starter), compiling a record of 5-1 with a 2.72 ERA (Adjusted ERA+
Adjusted ERA+
Adjusted ERA+, often simply abbreviated to ERA+ or ERA plus, is a pitching statistic in baseball. It adjusts a pitcher's earned run average according to the pitcher's ballpark and the ERA of the pitcher's league...
of 111) in 79.3 innings pitched. The 1915 Tigers
1915 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers won a club-record 100 games and narrowly lost the American League pennant to the Boston Red Sox who won 101 games. Though four other Tigers teams have won 100 games , only the 1934 Tigers had a better winning percentage...
wound up winning 100 games (the best record in the team's history) but finished in second place to the Red Sox who won 101 games. Steen pitched his last major league game on August 22, 1915. Steen died in Signal Hill, California
Signal Hill, California
Signal Hill is a small city in California located in the Greater Los Angeles area. Signal Hill, completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach, was incorporated on April 22, 1924, roughly three years after oil was discovered in Signal Hill. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
at age 91 in 1979.
External links
- William John Steen at Flickr Commons
- William John Steen at SABR