Bill James

George William "Bill" James (born October 5, 1949) is an American baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics. His approach, which he termed sabermetrics in reference to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), scientifically analyzes and studies baseball, often through the use of statistical data, in an attempt to determine why teams win and lose. His Baseball Abstract books in the 1980s are the modern predecessor to websites using sabermetrics such as Baseball Prospectus and Baseball Primer (now Baseball Think Factory).

In 2006, Time named him in the Time 100 as one of the most influential people in the world. He is a Senior Advisor on Baseball Operations for the Boston Red Sox.

Early life

James was born in Holton, Kansas; he never knew his mother, who died in 1954. His father was a janitor at a high school. After four years at the University of Kansas residing at Stephenson Scholarship hall, James joined the Army in 1971. He was the last person in Kansas to be sent to fight in the Vietnam War, although he never saw action there. Instead, he spent two years stationed in South Korea, during which time he wrote to KU about taking his final class. He was told he actually had met all his graduation requirements, so he returned to Lawrence in 1973 with degrees in English and economics. He also finished an Education degree in 1975, likewise from the University of Kansas.

Bill James (politician)

William G. James (born January 8, 1930) was an American politician in the state of Florida.

James was born in Boynton Beach, Florida, and attended the University of Florida. He was an insurance agent. He served in the Florida House of Representatives for the 80th district, as a Republican. He was Minority Leader of the House from 1976 to 1978.

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Bill James (rower)

John "Bill" William James is a former New Zealand rower.

At the 1950 British Empire Games he won the gold medal as part of the men's coxed four.

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Bill James (American football)

William "Bill" James was an American football player and coach.

Centre College

After graduating from North Side High School in Fort Worth, Texas, James went to Centre College with former coach Robert L. Myers joining up with the likes of high school teammates Matty Bell, Bob Mathias, and Sully Montgomery. Bo McMillin and Red Weaver played for North Side as well, but did not have enough credits to yet go to college. They went to Somerset High in Kentucky, where they met up with Red Roberts and were recruited by boosters to Centre. The 1917 team ostensibly did so well that Myers felt his players were better than his coaching abilities, and hired Charley Moran. James was thrice an All-Southern tackle and end. He started at end in the 1921 Centre vs. Harvard football game.

Texas A & M

James a prominent assistant for the Texas A&M Aggies

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Bill James (pitcher, born 1892)

William Lawrence "Seattle Bill" James (March 12, 1892 – March 10, 1971) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He was given a nickname to differentiate him from his contemporary, "Big" Bill James.

The Braves purchased James in 1912 from the Seattle Giants of the Northwestern League. In 1914, James was an integral member of the Braves team that went from last place to first place in two months, becoming the first team to win a pennant after being in last place on the Fourth of July. In his only full season, James posted a record of 26 wins against 7 losses. The Braves then went on to defeat Connie Mack's heavily favored Philadelphia Athletics in the 1914 World Series. James was 2–0 in the World Series as the Braves recorded the first sweep in Series history.

During World War I, James was an instructor at bomb-throwing for the US Army. He pitched in the minor leagues until 1925.

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Bill James (footballer)

Bill T. James (born 23 March 1937) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

James came over from Geelong West to play three senior games for Geelong in the 1957 VFL season. The following year he was back at Geelong West and won the Ballarat Football League's Best and Fairest award.

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