Levi Meyerle

Infobox MLB retired
name=Levi Meyerle
position=Infielder


bgcolor1=#000066
bgcolor2=#000066
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
birthdate=July, 1845
city-state|Philadelphia|Pennsylvania
deathdate=death date and age|1921|11|4|1845|7|1
city-state|Philadelphia|Pennsylvania
bats=Right
throws=Right
debutdate=May 20
debutyear=1871
debutteam=Athletic of Philadelphia
finaldate=April 26
finalyear=1884
finalteam=Philadelphia Keystones
stat1label=Batting average
stat2label=Runs batted in
stat3label=Runs scored
stat1value=.356
stat2value=279
stat3value=306
teams=
*Athletic of Philadelphia (1871-1872, 1876)
*Philadelphia Whites (1873, 1875)
*Chicago White Stockings (1874)
*Cincinnati Reds (1876)
*Philadelphia Keystones (1884)
highlights=
*National Association batting champion: 1871, 1874
*National Association home run champion: 1871

Levi Samuel Meyerle (July 1845 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - November 4 1921 in Philadelphia) was an American professional baseball player who played for eight seasons. During his career he played for the Athletic of Philadelphia of the National Association, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Stockings of the National League and Keystones of Philadelphia of the Union Association.

On May 20, by|1871, Meyerle broke into professional baseball, starting at third base for the Philadelphia Athletics of the National Association. Meyerle had a monster year, placing first in the league with a .492 batting average, a .500 On Base Percentage, and a .700 slugging percentage. He also tied for first in home runs and total bases, finished second in hits, and placed third in runs batted in, en route to a first-place finish for Philadelphia. Meyerle's .492 average established a record for major league play—that is, if the National Association is considered a major league. The MLB does not recognize statistics from the NA; many historians do, however. His fielding average in that historic 1871 season was a .646.

In by|1872, he saw extensive action in the outfield, played 26 games in right field and only one at third base. Before the by|1873 season, he was traded to the Philadelphia Whites, where he played 48 games at third base and one at shortstop. Meyerle also recorded a career high 58 RBIs in 1873.

Meyerle played the by|1874 season with the Chicago White Stockings of the National Association. For Chicago, Meyerle had the first and only 100-hit season of his career and recorded his highest batting average (.394) since his .492 mark in the '71 season. He returned to the Philadelphia Whites in by|1875, hitting .316 with 1 home run and 54 RBI in 68 games. For the by|1876, he rejoined the Philadelphia Athletics in their first season in the newly-formed National League. Meyerle played at third base, second base, right field, and pitcher and put up a .340 batting average. After the Philadelphia club was expelled from the league following the 1876 season, Meyerle signed on with the Cincinnati Reds. He played only 27 games for Cincinnati, and didn't return to the major leagues for the 1878 season. After 6 years out of baseball, Meyerle appeared in three games for the Philadelphia Keystones in by|1884. His final game was on April 26, 1884.

Meyerle finished his career with some stellar numbers, hitting .356 for his career with 513 hits, 86 doubles, and 279 RBI in 307 games over 8 seasons. He only hit under .300 once in his career. Meyerle also pitched three games in his career, once with the Athletics of the National Association in 1871, and twice with the Athletics of the NL in 1876. He went 0-2 with a 6.25 ERA in two starts and one relief appearance.

Meyerle died in Philadelphia in 1921.

External links

*baseball-reference|id=m/meyerle01