Harry Stovey

Harry Duffield Stovey
born Harry Duffield Stowe

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11½", Weight 175 lb.

• Debut May 1, 1880
• Final Game July 29, 1893
• Born December 20, 1856 in Philadelphia, PA USA
• Died September 20, 1937 in New Bedford, MA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Harry Stovey held the career home run record until surpassed by Roger Connor in 1895. Only Babe Ruth (1921-1974), Hank Aaron (1974-2007), and Barry Bonds have held it since. Stovey also at one time held the single-season home run record.

Stovey was a tremendous ballplayer who led the league five times in homers, three times in slugging, four times in runs scored, three times in total bases, once in doubles, four times in triples, once in RBI, twice in stolen bases, and five times in extra-base hits.

He has 56 points on the Black Ink test (27 is the average score for a Hall of Famer) and 210 points on the Gray Ink test (144 is the average score for a Hall of Famer). His lifetime Adjusted OPS+ of 143 ties him with Harmon Killebrew and Eddie Mathews.

Stovey has been overlooked for the Hall of Fame because his greatest years were in the American Association, deemed by most (and all research on the subject) to be an easier league than the National League. However, he was also well above average as a young player in the National League and as a player in the Players League in 1890.

He played all three outfield positions as well as first base. He managed in 1881 (when he was 24 years old) and 1885. He was said to be well-behaved and articulate.

John Shiffert argues that Stovey is the very best player who is not yet in the Hall of Fame. ( www.baseballlibrary.com/columns/column.php?id=17 )

After baseball, he became a police officer.

Notable Achievements

• 3-time League Slugging Percentage Leader (1883/AA, 1889/AA & 1891/NL)
• 4-time AA Runs Scored Leader (1883-1885 & 1889)
• 3-time League Total Bases Leader (1883/AA, 1889/AA & 1891/NL)
• AA Doubles Leader (1883)
• 4-time League Triples Leader (1880/NL, 1884/AA, 1888/AA & 1891/NL)
• 5-time League Homer Runs Leader (1880/NL, 1883/AA, 1885/AA, 1889/AA & 1891/NL)
• AA RBI Leader (1889)
• 2-time League Stolen Bases Leader (1886/AA & 1890/PL)
• 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 9 (1883-1891)
• 100 RBI Seasons: 1 (1889)
• 50 Stolen Bases Seasons: 6 (1886-1891)

Records Held

• Triples, inning, 2, 8/18/1884 (tied)

Related Sites

• Harry Stovey at the SABR Bio Project

This manager's article is missing a managerial chart. To make this person's article more complete, one should be added.