Evening star., 1933-01-03

old guard have lost another
standard bearer in the death
OF William kid Gleason, coach Of
the Philadelphia Athletics and former
manager of the Chicago White Sox.
He succumbed to a lingering heart all
ment last night at the age of 81, clos
ing a career that was almost a story
of base ball itself.
Back in 1888, he crossed the Delaware
from Camden, N. j., where he spent
his boyhood, to join the pitching staff
of the Philadelphia National League
Club and in the years that followed
ran the usual ganut of the old timers
in base ball. Fulfilling one of his lifes
ambitions, he climaxed his career when
as manager he led the Chicago White
Sox to league pennant in 1919
Although he started on the diamond
as ight-handed hurler, he achieved
his greatest player success as second
baseman, to which position he was as
signed while playing with the Baltimore
Orioles.
ENTERING base ball In its boisterous
IL youth, when the players wore long
mustacheS and the fans rode high
wheel bicycles, Gleason played with big
league teams for 81 years. After his
first enlistment with the PhillieS he
went to the Baltimore team as pitcher
in 1894, and two years later was traded
to the New York Giants, serving the
latter until 1900.
He jumped to the Detroit Tigers when
the fiedgling American League SCARED
upon the sports horizon in 1901, and
spent two seasons with them. In 1908,
~ 81 - an4x
seven years.
He was struck in the groin during
batting practice just before the Phillies
returned from Spring training in Sa-
vannah. Ga, and the injury ended his
active playing career. His last season
as regular was in 1906, when in 1876
games he tied John Evers in the field
ing averages and batted .227.
CEVERAL seasons after his retirement
- he was drawn back into the game
by Jimmy Callahan, new manager
of the Chicago White Sox. who made
the Kid his assistant manager and
coach. When the SoX won the pen
nant in 1917 under the management
of Clarence Rowland, much of the
credit went to Gleason. The following
year the Kid stayed out of base ball
and the White Sox dropped from the
championship class. President Charles
Comiskey then removed Rowland and
placed Gleason in charge.
1t was during this phase Of his career
the Kid suffered his greatest diamond
disillusionment, for in 1919 the world
series scandals, in which several of the
Kids players threw" the series to Gin
cinnati, became known. That episode,
Gleason's friends said, "broke the old
mans heart"
This was almost literally true, for
several times later Gleasons life was
despaired Of
LIE recovered his health, however,
i i and in 1926 Connie Mack and the
Shibe brothers made him soach
OF the Athletics. He worked with the
AS until 1881, when his heart began
to bother him. Last year he was un-
able to make the training trip South
and donned a uniform only once
Upon learning of Gleasons death,
Connie Mack and the Shibes, Tom and
John, all expressed keen regret.
Our club has suffered great loss"
said Connie, "but base ball as whole
suffers an even greater loss"
Born in Philadelphia, Gleason was
taken to Camden with his family at an
early age. He is survived by daugh-
ter one sister and five brothers. Only
one of the latter, Harry. played base
ball. He played with the st. Louis
Americans years ago but since has re-
tired.
THICAGO. January 3 Chicago
~ base ball fans, and especially those
who frequent Comiskey Field on
the South Side, where the White Sox
hold forth, heard today the word of the
death of William kid Gleason in
Philadelphia with more than passing
regret
The years he spent here with the
White Sox had won him a host of
friends and mot an enemy" as one
former Sox player expressed 1t.
He was called more teacher than
just coach and manager" by Ray
Schalk, catcher on the 1919 Sox team
and member of the club for years.
He was always on the lookout for
promising youngsters and took them
under his wing to bring out their best
talents" Schalk said Most OF the
players felt toward him as they would
their father" Schalk added.
He was one of the few men in base
ball history without an enemy and his
death Is loss to the sports world"