Bill James (jamesbi01)

William Henry James
(Big Bill)

• Bats Both, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 195 lb.
• High School Ann Arbor High School
• Debut June 12, 1911
• Final Game September 17, 1919
• Born January 20, 1887 in Detroit, MI USA
• Died May 25, 1942 in Venice, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Bill James was a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns and Detroit Tigers for eight seasons. He played his last game in the 1919 World Series for the Chicago White Sox but was not involved in the Black Sox Scandal. He served in the Army as a sergeant in the 40th Infantry Division during World War I. Later he was a foreman for the Works Projects Administration. He died at age 55 from heart disease in the Veterans Administration hospital in Los Angeles, CA and is buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery.

Author Bill James says in the New Historical Baseball Abstract that Big Bill is no relation. Neither was contemporary pitcher "Seattle" Bill James.

Notable Achievements

• 15 Wins Seasons: 1 (1914)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (1914 & 1915)

Further Reading

• Steven G. McPherson: "Bill James", in Jacob Pomrenke, ed.: Scandal on the South Side: The 1919 Chicago White Sox, SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2015, pp. 78-83. ISBN 978-1-933599-95-3

Related Sites

• Bill James at the SABR Bio Project