Kid Gleason
Originally a pitcher, Kid Gleason was made into a second baseman by Baltimore Orioles' manager Ned Hanlon in mid-career. Gleason had won 38 games in 1890 for Philadelphia, but enjoyed even more success as a middle infielder, playing regularly until he was 39 years old. He was reknowned for his toughness, despite his small stature. He commanded respect from his teammates, and fear from his opponents. He was not afraid to use his fists, and was known as a tough fighter who packed a harder wallop than his tiny frame suggested. After his playing career, he coached, and then managed the White Sox for five seasons, leading them to their infamous appearance in the 1919 World Series.
Played For
Philadelphia Phillies (1888-1891)
St. Louis Cardinals (1892-1894)
Baltimore Orioles, National League (1894-1895)
New York Giants (1896-1900)
Detroit Tigers (1901-1902)
Philadelphia Phillies (1903-1908)
Chicago White Sox (1912)
Managed
Chicago White Sox (1919-1923)
Factoids
Kid Gleason hurled a no-hitter as a pitcher in the 1880s, starred for the Baltimore Orioles as their second baseman in the 1890s, played regularly until almsot the age of 40 in the early 1900s, and managed the White Sox to a pennant in 1919.
Description
Upon his death in 1933, Jim Nasium of the The Sporting News wrote of Gleason: "a man in whom there still survived that honest urge to battle that flamed in the breasts of our pioneer ancestors in an age when men lived by confluct, a throw-back to the years in which physical and moral corage were the crowning accomplishments, and fear of an opponent broight the brand of dishonor."
As a Manager
Gleason voluntarily left the White Sox after the 1923 season. Senators' owner Clark Griffith offered him a managerial job a few years later, but Kid was too sick to take it. But in 1926, he was healthy, and accepted a coaching position under Connie Mack in Philadelphia. He stayed in that job until his death in 1933.
Born
William J. Gleason was born on October 26, 1866, in Philadelphia, NJ.
Died
January 2, 1933, Philadelphia, PA
Batted: Both
Threw: Right
Primary Position: 2B
Primary Team: PHI
Major League Debut
April 20, 1888
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1888
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Nicknames
Camden Kid
Though some sources list Gleason's birth city as Camden, N.J., he was actually born in Southern Philadelphia. His family moved to Camden when he was a toddler.
Family Tree
Gleason's younger brother Harry played in the minor leagues in the 1908-1920 period.
Related Players
In St. Louis, Gleason played under Chris Von der Ahe, who was almost the exact opposite of Kid in personality. Gleason was scrappy and aggressive, while Von der Ahe was smarmy, sneaky, and eccentric. When the two clashed in 1894, Gleason was fined $500, refused to pay it, nd jumped the team to play for Baltimore... With the Orioles, Gleason played second base, giving the infield a very tough trio that included shortstop Hughey Jennings, an intense competitior, and outlndish third baseman John McGraw, who was known to spike runners as they rounded third, or grab their belts to impede their progress. All three players later managed successfully in the big leagues, each of them winning pennants. Teammates Joe Kelley and Wilbert Robinson also became winning managers.
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1937 |
BBWAA |
1 |
.5% |
1938 |
BBWAA |
1 |
.4% |
1939 |
BBWAA |
1 |
.4% |
1945 |
BBWAA |
1 |
.4% |
|
The Pitches He Threw
Gleason was known for his curveball.
Injuries and Explanation for Missed Playing Time
Gleason had a sore arm as early as 1893, and it was definitely hampering him when he jumped to the Orioles in 1894. Nevertheless, he reeled off a 14-game winning streak with Baltimore that season, going 15-5 for his new team. The arm injury, in small part, helped lead to his switch to the infield.
Hitting Streaks
25 games (1901)
20 games (1901)
Transactions
Late June, 1894: Purchased by the Baltimore Orioles from the St. Louis Browns.
November 14, 1895: Traded by the Baltimore Orioles with $3500 cash to the New York Giants for Jack Doyle.
Before 1901 Season: Jumped from the New York Giants to the Detroit Tigers.
March 7, 1903: Traded by the Detroit Tigers to the New York Giants for Heinie Smith.
Replaced By
Gleason helped teach Otto Knabe how to play second base, and ultimately Knabe replaced him at that position with the Phillies in 1907.
Best Strength as a Player
Tutored under Ned Hanlon and learning from teammates like Willie Keeler, Gleason became one of the best bunters in the game.
Learn More about Kid Gleason
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View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
