Ira Belden

Ira Allison Belden

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

• Debut September 17, 1897
• Final Game September 25, 1897
• Born April 16, 1874 in Cleveland, OH USA
• Died July 15, 1916 in Lakewood, OH USA

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Biographical Information

"Ira Belden . . . whose work in right field toward the close of last season attracted so much attention, will probably be sold to the Western League. The club securing him will get a prize." - the Cleveland correspondent to Sporting Life, March 26, 1898

". . . he has whanged the ball in all directions, piling up an average over .350. . . if Belden is not the best thrower to the plate in the profession, 'it's the closest shave I ever saw'." - by Sporting Life's Fort Wayne correspondent, Juen 30, 1900

Ira Belden played 8 games for the 1897 Cleveland Spiders, hitting .267 with 2 triples. Although his major league career was short, he played for years in the minors. In 1895, he was with Oil City, while in 1912 he was still playing professionally with Des Moines. He spent most of 1905-09 playing for Denver. In 1910, it was reported that Belden bowled 22 strikes in succession, bowling games of 220, 300 and 280.

His younger brother, Arthur Belden was a minor league baseball player.