Thursday, August 19, 2010

WSC Vintage: Kid Gleason

Card #20 - Kid Gleason

Most people remember Kid Gleason as the manager of the 1919 Chicago White Sox. Before the infamy of that team, William J. Gleason was a player with the nickname "Kid".

Gleason started his career as a pitcher for the Philadelphia Quakers in 1888. Contrary to a line in the film Eight Men Out, Kid Gleason never pitched a no-hitter. By 1895, he switched from pitcher to full time infielder. After Philadelphia, Gleason played with the St. Louis Browns, the Baltimore Orioles, the New York Giants and the Detroit Tigers. Kid probably thought he had finished his MLB career in 1908, where he started, with the Phillies. In 1912, he played one game with the Chicago White Sox, playing second base, and went 1 for 2.

This one last game with Chicago gave Kid a distinction that few other players have experienced. The White Sox helped Gleason play Major League ball in four different decades.

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