About Bones Ely
Lived 1863 – 1952 (aged 88). Bones Ely was an American baseball player.
William Frederick "Bones" Ely (June 7, 1863 – January 10, 1952) was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball. He was born in North Girard, Pennsylvania.
Ely was the starting shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates for several seasons before Honus Wagner. Immediately before his release during the 1901 season, an article in The Buffalo Enquirer described the only thing standing between Wagner and Pittsburgh's shortstop job was "Bones Ely, who has gone back faster than an incline car that has slipped a cable. Ely cannot hit a balloon and his fielding is passe."
During the 1904 season, Bones Ely along with his brother Ben Ely purchased the Portland Browns of the Pacific Coast League. Bones Ely managed 33 games that season before resigning his position on May 16. The Ely brothers sold their shares of the team to Walter McCredie and William Wallace McCredie before the end of the season.
Ely died at the age of 88 in Imola, California. His remains were cremated.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Bones Ely's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Bones Ely's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Bones Ely?
American baseball player
When was Bones Ely born?
Bones Ely was born on 7 June 1863 in Girard.
When did Bones Ely die?
Bones Ely died on 10 January 1952 in Imola.
What was Bones Ely's occupation?
Bones Ely was a baseball player.
What nationality was Bones Ely?
Bones Ely was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bones Ely. https://biography.guide/bones-ely/
MLA: "Bones Ely." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bones-ely/.
Chicago: "Bones Ely." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bones-ely/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-21 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:00 UTC