Jim Holdsworth

James Holdsworth
(Long Jim)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 195 lb.

• Debut May 14, 1872
• Final Game June 9, 1884
• Born July 14, 1850 in New York, NY USA
• Died March 22, 1918 in New York, NY USA

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Biographical Information

Outfielder-infielder Long Jim Holdsworth played eight seasons in the National Association, National League, and American Association. Generally an above-average hitter, his best year with the bat was with the Philadelphia Whites in 1874 when he hit .340.

He had been with the Unions of Morrisania in 1870.

He never hit a major league home run but had 22 triples.

The only other major leaguer named Holdsworth (through 2008), Fred Holdsworth, broke in exactly 100 years later, in 1972.

He started as a shortstop but later in his career was mostly an outfielder.

Long Jim moved around a lot. Although he spent three years with the Mutuals, after the first year with them he moved to Philly and after his second time with the Mutuals the National Association folded and so his third time with the Mutuals was when they were in the new National League. Counting the Mutuals as only one team, he was still with seven different teams in eight years.

The book The League That Lasted describes an August 1877 game between New York and Hartford when Holdsworth played for Hartford, noting that at the time Holdsworth had the fewest errors, 10, of any player in the league. It was a hot day with 600-1,000 fans attending in Hartford, and the Hartford team lost 4-1.