George William "Bill" James
Baseball writer. Born: 1949.
Born in Holton and a long-time resident of Lawrence, Bill James is a baseball writer who focuses on the statistical aspects of major league American professional baseball. He calls his process "sabermetrics" in reference to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). His complex analysis of America's pastime is enjoyed by many baseball fans as an engrossing way to study why baseball teams win and lose and who should be considered the greatest players.
James attended the University of Kansas but left before graduation to join the Army in 1971. He found out later that he actually had enough classes to graduate and returned to Lawrence in 1973 with degrees in English and economics. He also obtained an education degree in 1975.
James began writing on baseball and began publishing an annual book titled "The Bill James Baseball Abstract" from 1977 to 1988. The Abstract and other of James' writings became extremely popular among ordinary fans and experts alike and continue to have wide audiences. He is presently an advisor to the Boston Red Sox baseball team.
Entry: James, George William "Bill"
Author: G. Joseph Pierron
Author information: Judge Pierron serves on the Kansas Court of Appeals and has an interest in Kansas history.
Date Created: November 2012
Date Modified: November 2012
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
