Baldy Louden

William P. Louden

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 175 lb.

• Debut September 13, 1907
• Final Game September 18, 1916
• Born August 27, 1883 in Piedmont, WV USA
• Died December 8, 1935 in Piedmont, WV USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Bill Louden, who played six seasons in the majors, had his greatest success in the Federal League. His OBP was in the top ten in the league in both 1914 and 1915.

Louden was the regular second baseman for the 1912 Detroit Tigers in the American League. When he came to the 1914 Federal League, he became the regular shortstop for the 1914 Buffalo Buffeds before switching to second base for the team the following year. He was then the regular second baseman for the 1916 Cincinnati Reds in the National League, thus giving him the distinction of having been the regular second baseman for teams in three different major leagues.

Sporting Life called him Bill, Billy or William, but never Baldy.

He played at Newark in 1909-11. A notice in September 1909 said that the major leagues were interested in him, but that he had decided to play for Newark another year.

Louden was born and died in Piedmont, WV, in the eastern corner of West Virginia on the border with Maryland.

"Billy Louden, with Herzog playing beside him, has shown himself a dazzling second baseman. Louden never could bat very heavily in the major leagues, but his hits, since joining the Reds have been of the timely order, and he has gained vast popularity with the bugs." - Baseball Magazine, July 1916