Photo Tribute to Kid Gleason. Let’s Set the Record Straight!

 

 

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Kid Gleason Photo Gallery
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There’s A lot More to Kid Gleason Than the Black Sox Scandal…Let’s Set the Record Straight!

“I think they’re the greatest ball club I’ve ever seen. Period.”  -Kid Gleason, during the Black Sox trials, responding to the question, “What do you think of your team NOW, Mr. Gleason?”

We all remember Kid Gleason as the manager of the ill-fated Black Sox of 1919, but how many know that the Kid was a scrappy ball player who started out as a pitcher and later became a starting second baseman for two pennant winners? A quintessential “baseball lifer,” he held jobs in baseball for over 40 years.

William Jethro Gleason acquired the nickname “Kid” early in life because of his short stature and his energetic, youthful nature. He debuted as a pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies on April 20, 1888. He enjoyed several successful seasons, including a 38-win season in 1890, and later became the starting second baseman for the famous Baltimore Orioles of Ned Hanlon and John McGraw that won pennants from 1894-96 (although Gleason was traded after the 1895 season).

In the featured photo above, we see a beautiful colorization of Kid Gleason by Don Stokes.

Over his long, 22-year career in the major leagues (1888-1908, 1912), Gleason played for the Phillies (1888-91, 1903-08), Browns (1892-94), Orioles (1894-95), Giants (1901-02), and White Sox (1912). Over eight seasons as a pitcher,  he went 138-131 (.513) with a 3.79 ERA and four seasons with 20+ wins. As a batter, he averaged .261 with 1946 hits, 216 doubles, 81 triples, and 824 RBIs, including two seasons over .300. With his two at-bats in one game in 1912, he became a member of the small group of 29 players who have appeared in the major leagues in four decades.

After his playing career ended in 1912, Gleason returned to the major leagues as a coach with the White Sox. He was named manager on December 31, 1918. As is well known, in his first season the Sox won the pennant but lost the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, resulting in allegations that the Series had been thrown. The scandal resulted in lifetime bans for eight White Sox players. Gleason was not involved in the gambling, and some historians have noted that he was among those who alerted White Sox owner Charles Comiskey of the fix. He was said to be personally affected by the scandal for the rest of his life. His team was in a close pennant race the following season, 1920, but fell out of the race after the eight suspensions came down.  His teams failed to post a winning record in the three remaining years of his tenure as manager of the White Sox.  He ended his managerial career in 1923 with a record of 392-364.

After leaving the White Sox, Kid  was out of baseball for two years until the allure of baseball got to him again. Athletics manager Connie Mack gave him an opportunity to return to the coaching ranks. According to SABR biographer Dan Linder:

“Gleason played a pivotal role in building an obscure franchise into a three-time world championship team through his clubhouse antics and seasoned advice. Gleason became known as the unofficial greeter at spring training with his winning smile and iron-tight handshake.”

Gleason was aboard for two World Series championships with the Athletics in 1929 and 1930 and a third pennant in 1931 until retiring after the 1931 season. Having devoted his entire adult life to baseball, he deserves to be remembered for more than just the Black Sox scandal. Kid Gleason died of a heart ailment in 1933 at age 66. 

-Gary Livacari

Photo Credits: Colorization by Don Stokeshttps://www.facebook.com/Don-Stokes-Old-Time-Baseball-Colorizations-923346241033508/?fref=ts:; others from Getty Images; and from Google search

Information: Excerpts edited from the Kid Gleason SABR biography by Dan Linder: http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/632ed912; and from the Kid Gleason Wikipedia page

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