Kid Gleason
| Kid Gleason | |
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| Second Baseman/Pitcher/Manager | |
| Born: October 26, 1866 Camden, New Jersey |
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| Died: January 2, 1933 (aged 66) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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| Batted: Both | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| April 20, 1888 for the Philadelphia Quakers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 27, 1912 for the Chicago White Sox | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .261 |
| Runs batted in | 823 |
| Win-loss record | 138-131 |
| Teams | |
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As Player
As Manager
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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William J. "Kid" Gleason (October 26, 1866 – January 2, 1933) was an American professional athlete and Major League Baseball player and manager. Gleason is best known as the manager of the 1919 Chicago White Sox, the team made infamous by the Black Sox scandal, in which Gleason's players conspired to intentionally lose the World Series.
Gleason was born in Camden, New Jersey. He acquired the nickname "Kid" early in life, not only because of his short stature but also because of his energetic, youthful nature. Gleason debuted as a pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies on April 20, 1888. He enjoyed several successful seasons, especially 1890 (38 wins), before becoming a second baseman. He was the starting second baseman for the old Baltimore Orioles in 1895. Gleason compiled a .261 career batting average before retiring after the 1912 season. With his two at-bats in one game in 1912, he became a member of the small group of men, 29 to date, who have played major league baseball in four decades.
He began his career as a manager with the White Sox on December 31, 1918. In his first season, the team won the pennant but lost the World Series. The Black Sox scandal resulted in lifetime bans from baseball for eight White Sox players. Gleason, however, had no knowledge of the conspiracy, although some sources note that he was amongst those who alerted White Sox owner Charles Comiskey to the fix. Although he felt betrayed and disappointed by his 1919 team, he continued to manage the White Sox until 1923.
After leaving in 1923, Kid Gleason would go on to coach under manager Connie Mack with the Philadelphia Athletics until his death of a heart ailment in 1933, at the age of 66, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is buried in Philadelphia's Northwood Cemetery.
He won 2 World Series championships with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1929 and 1930.
Gleason has been referenced in pop culture in several books, and is a prominent supporting character in Ring Lardner's 1916 novel You Know Me Al. He also appears in the film Eight Men Out (portrayed by John Mahoney).
[edit] See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball saves champions
[edit] External links
- Baseball-Reference.com - playing statistics and managing record
| Preceded by Pants Rowland |
Chicago White Sox Manager 1919-1923 |
Succeeded by Johnny Evers |
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- 1866 births
- 1933 deaths
- Chicago White Sox coaches
- Chicago White Sox managers
- Detroit Tigers players
- American people of Irish descent
- Major League Baseball coaches
- Major League Baseball managers
- Baseball players from New Jersey
- Major League Baseball second basemen
- New York Giants (NL) players
- People from Camden, New Jersey
- People from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia Athletics coaches
- Philadelphia Phillies players
- Philadelphia Quakers players
- St. Louis Browns (NL) players
- Minor league baseball managers
- Williamsport Lumber Citys players
- Scranton Miners players
- Memphis Egyptians players
