William Henry Keeler (March 3, 1872 – January 1, 1923), nicknamed "Wee Willie" because of his small stature, was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1892 to 1910, primarily for the Baltimore Orioles and Brooklyn Superbas in the National League, and the New York Highlanders in the American League. In 1939, Keeler was posthumously elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Keeler was a part of five teams that won the National League pennant (1894–1896, 1899, 1900), which represented the baseball championship at that time. One of the greatest contact hitters of all time and notoriously hard to strike out, Keeler has the highest career at bats-per-strikeout ratio in MLB history, averaging 63.17 at bats between each strikeout.
MLB Baltimore Orioles outfielder Wee Willie Keeler's then-record 44 game hitting streak ends
William Henry Keeler (March 3, 1872 – January 1, 1923), nicknamed "Wee Willie" because of his small stature, was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1892 to 1910,...
Events Before
German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen announces his discovery of X-rays
German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen announces his discovery of X-rays
American Emile Grubbe is the first doctor to use radiation treatment for breast cancer
American Emile Grubbe is the first doctor to use radiation treatment for breast cancer
Giacomo Puccini's opera "La Boheme" premieres in Turin
Giacomo Puccini's opera "La Boheme" premieres in Turin
Charilaos Vasilakos of Greece wins the first modern marathon in 3:18 at the Panhellenic Games
Charilaos Vasilakos was a Greek athlete and the first man to win a marathon race. He also won a silver medal for a second place finish in marathon at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Writer "Heart of Darkness" Joseph Conrad (39) marries Englishwoman Jessie George (23)
Joseph Conrad was a Polish-British novelist and story writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language and – though he did not speak English fluently until his twenties...
Events After
Brooklyn merges with New York City to form the present-day City of New York
The City of Greater New York was the consolidation of the City of New York with Brooklyn, western Queens County, and Staten Island, which took effect on January 1, 1898.
Painter Henri Matisse (28) weds Amélie Noellie Parayre
Painter Henri Matisse (28) weds Amélie Noellie Parayre
Australian cricketer Joe Darling hits the first six in Test cricket (out of the ground)
Australian cricketer Joe Darling hits the first six in Test cricket (out of the ground)
Poet Paul Laurence Dunbar (25) weds political activist and poet Alice Ruth Moore (22) in New York
Poet Paul Laurence Dunbar (25) weds political activist and poet Alice Ruth Moore (22) in New York
Battle of Atbara River: Anglo-Egyptian forces defeat 15,000 Sudanese during the Mahdist War, a turning point in the reco
Battle of Atbara River: Anglo-Egyptian forces defeat 15,000 Sudanese during the Mahdist War, a turning point in the reconquest of Sudan
More from the 1890s
Physicist J. J. Thomson (33) weds Rose Elisabeth Paget
Physicist J. J. Thomson (33) weds Rose Elisabeth Paget
Ellis Island opens as a US immigration inspection station and becomes the gateway to the United States for more than 12
Ellis Island opens as a US immigration inspection station and becomes the gateway to the United States for more than 12 million people
German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen announces his discovery of X-rays
German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen announces his discovery of X-rays
Eritrea is consolidated into a colony by the Italian government
Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. Its capital and largest city is Asmara.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened on June 19, 1897?
- William Henry Keeler (March 3, 1872 – January 1, 1923), nicknamed "Wee Willie" because of his small stature, was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1892 to 1910, primarily for the Baltimore Orioles and Brooklyn Superbas in the National League, and the New York Highlanders in the American League. In 1939, Keeler was posthumously elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Keeler was a part of five teams that won the National League pennant (1894–1896, 1899, 1900), which represented the baseball championship at that time.
- Why is MLB Baltimore Orioles outfielder Wee Willie Keeler's then-record 44 game hitt... historically important?
- Keeler was a part of five teams that won the National League pennant (1894–1896, 1899, 1900), which represented the baseball championship at that time. One of the greatest contact hitters of all time and notoriously hard to strike out, Keeler has the highest career at bats-per-strikeout ratio in MLB history, averaging 63.17 at bats between each strikeout.