Win-loss record 37-21 Role Baseball athlete Name Bill James | Earned run average 2.28 Strikeouts 253 | |
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Died March 10, 1971, Oroville, California, United States | ||
William Lawrence "Seattle Bill" James (March 12, 1892 – March 10, 1971) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He was given a nickname to differentiate him from his contemporary, "Big" Bill James.
The Braves purchased James in 1912 from the Seattle Giants of the Northwestern League. In 1914, James was an integral member of the Braves team that went from last place to first place in two months, becoming the first team to win a pennant after being in last place on the Fourth of July. In his only full season, James posted a record of 26 wins against 7 losses. The Braves then went on to defeat Connie Mack's heavily favored Philadelphia Athletics in the 1914 World Series. James was 2–0 in the World Series as the Braves recorded the first sweep in Series history.
During World War I, James was an instructor at bomb-throwing for the US Army. He pitched in the minor leagues until 1925.