Cristall, Bill "Lefty"

William Arthur Cristall

This Russian-born southpaw started six games for the Cleveland Blues of the American League in 1901. It was the first year of the franchise's existence; they would eventually be called the Cleveland Indians. They were the Bronchoes in 1902, the Naps in 1903-14, and finally, in 1915, they became, and stayed, the Indians.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. September 12 ,1878 - d. January 28, 1939

Career Highlights:
Born in Russia, Cristall and his family moved to Buffalo, New York when he was a child. In 1891, at the age of 13, he began his baseball career as a pticher for Woodstock (Ontario) in the Canadian League. He played for Albany in the minors in 1900 and then made his major league debut the following year with the Cleveland Blues.

Nicknamed "Lefty," Cristall had a 1-5 record in his six starts, but his one victory was a complete game shutout. He also hit a resounding .350 (6-20), with two triples, during his time in the majors. Bill did not last in the big leagues, though, due to a lack of control; he issued 30 walks in only 48.1 innings.

Although he only played one season in the majors, Cristall played in the minors until 1918, when he retured at the age of 40. An exceptional pitcher at the lower levels, he occasionally pitched -- and won -- two games on the same day. Cristall became a manager and umpire following his playing career.

Career Dates:
Cristall pitched for the Cleveland Blues in 1901.

Position:
Pitcher

Physical description:
5'7", 147 pounds
Left-handed

Career Statistics:
Wins: 1
Losses: 5
Winning pct.: .167

ERA: 4.84

Games: 6
Games Started: 6
Complete Games: 5

Innings Pitched: 48.3
Hits Allowed: 54
Bases-on-Balls: 30
Strike Outs: 12

Shut-outs: 1

Relief Pitching
Wins: 0
Losses: 0
Saves: 0

Batting
At-bats: 20
Hits: 6
Home Runs: 0
Batting Average: .350

Fielding Statistics
Put-outs: 3
Assists: 19
Errors: 1
Double Plays: 3

Total Chances per Game: 3.80
Fielding avg: .957

< Previous |  Next >