Bug Holliday

James Wear Holliday

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 151 lb.

• Debut April 17, 1889
• Final Game June 30, 1898
• Born February 8, 1867 in St. Louis, MO USA
• Died February 15, 1910 in Cincinnati, OH USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Bug Holliday, who was a strong major league hitter while playing ten regular seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, appeared in the 1885 World Series, a championship series, four years before his regular season debut. Since 1900, Mark Kiger and Raul A. Mondesi are the only other players to make their debuts in the postseason.

Holliday played for Des Moines in 1888.

The Baseball Rookies Encyclopedia states that Cap Anson was short an outfielder during the 1885 post-season and used Holliday. The book also says that Holliday nearly died from an appendectomy in 1895 and was never the same player after that.

Holliday was known for both his power and for his speed. He led the league in homers twice and was once first in power/speed number.

He is the only major leaguer (through 2008) with the first name "Bug". There are some later players remembered with the similar name "Bugs". He was also the only major leaguer until Matt Holliday to have the last name Holliday.

After his playing days he served as a National League umpire in 1903. Prior to that, he had umpired one-off games in the American Association in 1888 and the National League in 1897, and had also umpired in the minor leagues.

Notable Achievements

• 2-time League Home Runs Leader (1889/AA & 1892/NL)
• 100 RBI Seasons: 2 (1889 & 1894)
• 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 4 (1889 & 1892-1894)
• 50 Stolen Bases Seasons: 1 (1890)

Related Sites

• Bug Holliday at the SABR Bio Project