John Peters (peterjo02)

John William Peters
(Big Pete or Shotgun)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 192 lb.

• Debut May 1, 1915
• Final Game September 25, 1922
• Born July 14, 1893 in Kansas City, KS USA
• Died February 21, 1932 in Kansas City, MO USA

BR page

Biographical Information

John "Shotgun" Peters played four seasons in the majors as well as 17 in the minors. He played several seasons with the Kansas City Blues and was a regular with the Salt Lake City Bees in 1925 when teammate Tony Lazzeri hit 60 home runs.

Peters is not to be confused with John Peters, a 19th century player.

John "Shotgun" Peters was born in Kansas City, KS, six years after Walter Johnson was born in the same state. By age 19 he was playing minor league ball. He was always a catcher except for one year when he played some shortstop.

He played single games in the majors in 1915 and 1918, and then became a back-up catcher in 1921-22 for the Philadelphia Phillies. His .290 average in 1921, a bit above the team's .284, was enough to stick for a second year.

He contined to play in the minors through age 37. After hitting .325 for the Blues in 1931, he died in the winter of 1931-32.

The book Baseball Visions of the Roaring Twenties has a nice full-length photo of Peters in a dirty uniform, showing a trim, well-built player who looks more like an outfielder than a husky catcher.

Related Sites

• John Peters at the SABR Bio Project