James Harris

Note: This page is for 1884 infielder/outfielder James Harris; for others with a similar name, click here.

James Harris
previously listed as Frank Harris

• Bats Right, Throws Right

• Debut April 17, 1884
• Final Game May 31, 1884

BR page

Biographical Information

James Harris was a regular for the short-lived Altoona Mountain City team in 1884, appearing in virtually every game that the team played in the Union Association. He mostly played first base although he was also in the outfield. The year before, he had played for part of the season on Altoona's team in the Western Interstate League, as well as for the Hamilton team in the Ohio State League. In 1885, he was with the Chattanooga Lookouts in the Southern League.

Harris had a .263 batting average in 1884, which was a bit higher than the team's. He was originally identified as "Frank Walter Harris", but that was a mistake, as contemporary sources list him as "James Harris". He was apparently blacklisted for signing with Altoona when he was already under contract with another team, then was reinstated in 1887, but nothing else is known about him either before or since.

Further Reading

• "James Harris" in Bill Carle, ed.: Biographical Research Committee Report, SABR, September/October 2022, p. 1.

Related Sites

• Baseball History Daily story on Frank Harris part 1
• Baseball History Daily story on Frank Harris part 2