| George Van Haltren | |
|---|---|
 Van Haltren in 1888 | |
| Outfielder /Pitcher | |
| Born:(1866-03-30)March 30, 1866 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. | |
| Died: October 1, 1945(1945-10-01) (aged 79) Oakland, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 27, 1887, for the Chicago White Stockings | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 26, 1903, for the New York Giants | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .316 |
| Hits | 2,544 |
| Home runs | 69 |
| Runs batted in | 1,015 |
| Stolen bases | 583 |
| Win–loss record | 40–31 |
| Earned run average | 4.05 |
| Strikeouts | 281 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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George Edward Martin Van Haltren (March 30, 1866 – October 1, 1945) was an Americancenter fielder inMajor League Baseball. In his 17-year career, lasting from 1887 through 1903, he played for theChicago White Stockings,Brooklyn Ward's Wonders,Baltimore Orioles,Pittsburgh Pirates, andNew York Giants. A.316 career hitter, Van Haltren recorded 2,544 careerhits, fifth most in major league history when he retired.[1]
Van Haltren was born inSt. Louis, Missouri, in 1866. In 1868, his family moved toOakland, California. Van Haltren played baseball as a child and became apitcher. His play attracted the attention of the major leagues, and in 1887, he signed with theChicago White Stockings.[2]
Van Haltren made his major league debut in June 1887. He was a pitcher andoutfielder that season and had awin–loss record of 11–7 and a batting average of .203. The following year, he went 13–13 and batted .283. As a full-timeleft fielder in 1889, Van Haltren batted .322 with 126runs scored and 81runs batted in. He then signed with theBrooklyn Ward's Wonders of thePlayers' League and pitched and playedright field for them. He went 15–10 and batted .335. After the 1890 season, Van Haltren joined theAmerican Association'sBaltimore Orioles. He played atshortstop and fielded poorly, but he batted .318. In 1892, Van Haltren became theplayer-manager of theNational League's Baltimore club. Hemanaged the team to a 1–10 record before being replaced. Late in the season, he was sent toPittsburgh in exchange forJoe Kelley and $2,000. He batted .293 that year. In 1893, he batted .338 and scored 129 runs in 124 games.[2]
In November 1893, Van Haltren was sold to theNew York Giants for $2,500. He became the Giants' center fielder and batted .331 with 109 runs scored and a career-high 105 runs batted in. He also helped the team win the 1894Temple Cup. Van Haltren then batted over .300 every year from 1895 to 1901. During that time, he led the NL intriples once,stolen bases once, and outfieldassists three times. According toBill James, he had the best outfield throwing arm of the 1890s. In May 1902, Van Haltren broke his ankle, and the injury ended his season. He hit .257 the following year and was released by the Giants. In his 17-year major league career, he batted .316 with 2,544 hits, 1,642 runs scored, and 583 stolen bases.[2] Among players who started play in the 19th century, he ranks 8th alltime and 37th overall inruns scored, coincidentally finishing one run behind his onetime teammateJimmy Ryan, who also batted .300 over ten times.
Van Haltren returned to Oakland. In 1904, he became the center fielder and manager of thePacific Coast League'sSeattle Siwashes. He batted .270 in 933at bats. The following season, Van Haltren became the center fielder and manager of theOakland Oaks. He stayed with the Oaks through the middle of the 1909 season.[2] Van Haltren later was a scout for the Pirates for five years, after which he went to work in Oakland area construction as alatheman. He owned and managed several rental properties in and around Oakland.[3]
In 1889, Van Haltren married Blanche O'Brien. They had two daughters, Mary Elizabeth (born in 1890) and Dorothy (born in 1895). Van Haltren died in Oakland in 1945.[2]
· Baseball Almanac| Preceded by | Baltimore Orioles (NL) managers 1892 | Succeeded by |
