Bill James (pitcher, born 1892)

{{short description|American baseball player}}

{{about|the pitcher who debuted in 1913|the pitcher who debuted in 1911|Bill James (pitcher, born 1887)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Bill James

|image=Seattle Bill James.jpg

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{birth date|1892|3|12}}

|birth_place=Iowa Hill, California, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|1971|3|10|1892|3|12}}

|death_place=Oroville, California, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=April 17

|debutyear=1913

|debutteam=Boston Braves

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=June 4

|finalyear=1919

|finalteam=Boston Braves

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=37–21

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=253

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=2.28

|teams=

• Boston Braves ({{mlby|1913}}–{{mlby|1915}}, {{mlby|1919}})

}}

William Lawrence "Seattle Bill" James (March 12, 1892 – March 10, 1971) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was given a nickname to differentiate him from his contemporary, "Big" Bill James.

The Braves purchased James in {{Baseball year|1912}} from the Seattle Giants of the Northwestern League. In 1914, James was an integral member of the "Miracle 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.[http://www.thisgreatgame.com/1914.html The 1914 Boston Braves at www.thisgreatgame.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717051106/http://www.thisgreatgame.com/1914.html |date=2011-07-17 }} 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. His victory in Game Two was a 1-0 shutout.

During World War I, James was an instructor at bomb-throwing for the US Army. He pitched in the minor leagues until 1925.