John Peters

Who was John Peters?

John Phillip Peters was a shortstop who played in Major League Baseball with four different clubs from 1874 through 1884. Peters batted and threw right-handed. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Peters reached the majors in 1874 with the Chicago White Stockings, spending four years with them before moving to the Milwaukee Grays, again with Chicago, and the Providence Grays, Buffalo Bisons and Pittsburg Alleghenys. He was the everyday shortstop of the pennant-winning 1876 Chicago White Stockings in the very first year of the National League.

Peters averaged .328 from 1876 to 1878, with a career-high .351 in the 1876 championship season to finish fourth in the National League batting title behind Ross Barnes, George Hall and Cap Anson. He also twice led the shortstops in putouts in 1879 and 1890.

While in Chicago, Peters shared infield defense duties with first basemen Cal McVey and Albert Spalding; 2B Ross Barnes, 3B Cap Anson, and catchers Deacon White and Cal McVey as well. In 1881, with Buffalo, he again played on a team that featured early stars as Davy Force, Dan Brouthers and Jim O'Rourke.