John Peters

John Phillip Peters (April 8, 1850 – January 4, 1924) was an American shortstop who played in Major League Baseball with four clubs from through . Peters batted and threw right-handed.

Biography He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Peters reached the majors in 1874 with the Chicago White Stockings (NA/NL), spending four years with them before moving to the Milwaukee Grays (NL, 1878), again with Chicago (NL, 1879), and the Providence Grays (NL, 1880), Buffalo Bisons (NL, 1881) and Pittsburgh Alleghenys (NL, 1882–1884). 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 (.429), George Hall (.366) and Cap Anson (.356). He also twice led the shortstops in putouts in 1879 (280) and 1890 (277).

In an 11-season career, Peters was a .278 hitter (748-for-2695) with three home runs and 249 RBI in 615 games, including 372 runs, 92 doubles, 12 triples, and 14 stolen bases.

He died in St. Louis, Missouri, at the age of 73.