William Angel Rariden (February 4, 1888 – August 28, 1942), 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.[1]
Major League career
A light-hitting defensive specialist, Rariden set the major league record for most assists by a catcher in a single season with 215 while playing for the Newark Pepper of the Federal League in 1915.[2] He broke his own record the following season when he had 238 in 1915.[2] Major League status was retroactively applied to the Federal League in 1968.
Before Rariden's career, most catchers were large, slow-footed players.[3] Rariden's small size and agility helped him become one of the best catchers in major league baseball.[3] 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.[4]
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.[5] Rariden was also a member of the 1919 Cincinnati Reds team which won the scandal-plagued 1919 World Series against the Chicago White Sox.[6]
Career statistics
In a twelve-year major league career, Rariden played in 982 games, accumulating 682 hits in 2,877 at bats for a .237 career batting average along with 7 home runs and 275 runs batted in.[1] He ended his career with a .972 fielding percentage.[1] Rariden led Federal League catchers twice in putouts, twice in assists and twice in baserunners caught stealing.[1] He led National League catchers once in putouts.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e Bill Rariden at Baseball Reference
- ^ a b Single-Season Leaders & Records for Assists as Catcher at Baseball Reference
- ^ a b "Slim Catchers Replace Big Men In Majors". The Pittsburgh Gazette Times. 6 August 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
- ^ Vass, George (May 2005). For Catchers, The Name of the Game is Defense. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help)[permanent dead link] - ^ 1917 World Series at Baseball Reference
- ^ 1919 World Series at Baseball Reference
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Bill Rariden at Find a Grave
