Joe Knight
Encyclopedia
Jonah William "Quiet Joe" Knight (September 28, 1859 - October 16, 1938) was a professional baseball
player. He played two seasons in Major League Baseball
for the Philadelphia Quakers
(1884) and Cincinnati Reds
(1890), primarily as a left fielder
.
A native of Port Stanley, Ontario
, Canada
, Knight came up to the big leagues as a pitcher
in 1884. In six starts for the Quakers he won 2, lost 4, and had an earned run average
of 5.47 in 51 innings
. He struck out 8 and walked 21.
Six years later he returned to the major leagues, this time as an outfielder
. As the everyday left fielder for the 77-55 Reds, he finished sixth in the National League
with a .312 batting average
, hit 4 home runs, and drove in 67 runs
. He also ranked sixth in the league with 26 doubles
. His final major league appearance was October 3, 1890 at the age of 31.
His two-season career statistics include 133 games played
, a .309 batting average (156-for-505), 4 home runs, 69 RBI
, 69 runs scored, and a slugging percentage of .422.
Knight died at the age of 79 in Lynhurst, Ontario, Canada
.
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....
player. He played two seasons 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...
for the Philadelphia Quakers
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1884) 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....
(1890), primarily as a left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
.
A native of Port Stanley, Ontario
Port Stanley, Ontario
Port Stanley is a community in the Municipality of Central Elgin, Ontario, Elgin County, located on the north shore of Lake Erie at the mouth of Kettle Creek.-History:...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Knight came up to the big leagues as a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in 1884. In six starts for the Quakers he won 2, lost 4, and had an earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 5.47 in 51 innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
. He struck out 8 and walked 21.
Six years later he returned to the major leagues, this time as an outfielder
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...
. As the everyday left fielder for the 77-55 Reds, he finished sixth in 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...
with a .312 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 :...
, hit 4 home runs, and drove in 67 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...
. He also ranked sixth in the league with 26 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....
. His final major league appearance was October 3, 1890 at the age of 31.
His two-season career statistics include 133 games played
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,...
, a .309 batting average (156-for-505), 4 home runs, 69 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...
, 69 runs scored, and a slugging percentage of .422.
Knight died at the age of 79 in Lynhurst, Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.