Jimmie Wilson (baseball): Difference between revisions

|birth_place=[[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]], U.S.

|death_place=[[Bradenton, Florida]], U.S.

|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]

'''James Wilson''' (July 23, 1900 – May 31, 1947), nicknamed "'''Ace,'''", was an [[Americans|American]] professional athlete in [[soccer]] and [[baseball]]. He began his professional sports career as a soccer [[Striker (association football)#Winger|outside right]] in the [[National Association Football League]] and [[American Soccer League (1921-1933)|American Soccer League]] before becoming a [[catcher]], [[manager (baseball)|manager]] and [[coach (baseball)|coach]] in [[Major League Baseball]]. Wilson was the starting catcher for the National League in baseball's [[1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|first All-Star game]]. He threw and batted right-handed and was listed at {{convert|6|ft|1+1/2|in|cm|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} tall and {{convert|200|lb|kg}}.

Wilson, the son of [[Scotland|Scottish]] immigrants, was born in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]], where he grew up in the [[Kensington, Philadelphia|Kensington]] neighborhood of the city. He left school when he was 14 to work in a local textile mill. In 1919, he left the mills when he began playing as an outside forward with [[Philadelphia Merchant Ship|Philadelphia Merchant Ship B]] in the [[National Association Football League]]. During his time with the team, he met [[Dick Spalding]], another two sport athlete, whom he later hired as his first base coach when Wilson managed the Phillies and Cubs. After Merchant Ship folded following the 1919-19201919–1920 season, Wilson moved to [[Bethlehem Steel F.C. (1907–30)|Bethlehem Steel F.C.]], signing with the team in July 1920.<ref name="a">{{cite web|url=http://geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl072920.html |title=CHECKING UP ON TRIP SOUTH; The Globe; June 29, 1920 |accessdateaccess-date=2010-10-11 |deadurlurl-status=bot: unknown |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021204520/http://geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl072920.html |archivedatearchive-date=October 21, 2009 |df= }}</ref> During his time in Bethlehem, he also played catcher for the steel company's baseball team which competed in the Steel League. In 1921, Wilson signed with [[Harrison S.C.]] in the newly established [[American Soccer League (1921-1933)|American Soccer League]]. He played thirteen league and three [[1922 National Challenge Cup|National Challenge Cup]] games, scoring four goals. During the 1922-19231922–1923 season, he played four games for [[Philadelphia Field Club]] before leaving the sport to concentrate on his baseball career.<ref>{{cite book | last = Jose | first = Colin | title = American Soccer League, 1921-1931 | type = Hardback | publisher = The Scarecrow Press | year = 1998 | idisbn = ({{ISBN|0-8108-3429-4}} | id = () }}</ref>

In February 1923, he gave up his soccer career when he was traded from New Haven in the [[Eastern League (baseball1916)|Eastern League]] to the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] for [[Stan Baumgartner]] and Jack Withrow. Wilson's National League playing career would stretch over 18 seasons (1923–40) with the Philadelphia Phillies, [[St. Louis Cardinals]] and the [[Cincinnati Reds]]. He hit over .300 four times as a regular catcher and for his career batted .284 in 1,525 games.

In 1928, he joined baseball history when he was traded by the Phillies to the Cardinals during a game between the two teams. According to one account, "Wilson was a Phil for two innings, then darted into Redbird regalia, and sat on the St. Louis bench, for the remainder of the game."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl051228.html |title=A Swing Along Athletic Row; The Globe; May 12, 1928 |accessdateaccess-date=2010-10-11 |deadurlurl-status=bot: unknown |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021123654/http://geocities.com/bethlehem_soccer/gl051228.html |archivedatearchive-date=October 21, 2009 |df= }}</ref> After the 1933 season, he was traded back to the Phillies for fellow catcher [[Spud Davis]] and [[infielder]] [[Eddie Delker]].

Wilson umpired a major league game in 1940, under unusual circumstances.<ref name=judicious>{{cite web |url=https://www.thenationalpastimemuseum.com/article/lon-warneke-most-judicious-pitcher |title=LON WARNEKE: A MOST JUDICIOUS PITCHER |first=Gabriel |last=Schechter |website=thenationalpastimemuseum.com |date=March 9, 2017 |accessdateaccess-date=May 8, 2017}}</ref> A game on April 23 between the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals had been postponed, and when it was about to be played at [[Crosley Field]] on May 13, it was found that no umpires had been assigned by the National League. Umpire [[Larry Goetz]], who lived in Cincinnati, was summoned to the ballpark and served as home plate umpire. Wilson umpired at first base, and Cardinals' pitcher [[Lon Warneke]] umpired at third base.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/10861406/warneke_1940_umpire/ |title=14-INNING GAME ENDS IN 8-8 TIE IN CINCINNATI |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |newspaper=[[The News-Star|The Monroe News-Star]] |location=[[Monroe, Louisiana]] |via=newspapers.com |date=May 14, 1940 |accessdateaccess-date=May 8, 2017}}</ref> The game ended as an 8–8 tie after 14 innings, called due to darkness.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1940/B05130CIN1940.htm |title=Cincinnati Reds 8, St. Louis Cardinals 8 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |date=May 13, 1940 |accessdateaccess-date=May 8, 2017}}</ref>

His stardom in the 1940 Fall Classic led to his second and last major league managing job, with the [[Chicago Cubs]] (1941–44), but he never had a winning record in Wrigleyville and his highest finish was fifth, in 1943. The following season, Wison resigned as manager of the Cubs after the team followed up an opening day victory with nine straight defeats to open the season.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19440502&id=LVIsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-soEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6726,88822 Jimmy Wilson resigns as manager of Chicago Cubs]</ref> He was replaced by [[Roy Johnson (pitcher)|Roy Johnson]] for one game before [[Charlie Grimm]] took over as manager of the Cubs; that team finished fourth in 1944 before winning the pennant the following year. His final record as a manager, over nine full or partial seasons was: 493 wins and 735 losses (.401). Wilson has the dubious record of losses under .500 as a manager with 242. He also ranks 17th in lowest winning percentage for a manager (.401).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/|title = Major League Managers}}</ref>

Wilson was also the father of 2nd Lt. Robert J. Wilson, a B-29 Flight Crew member who died in a training accident in Kharagpur, India on November 28, 1944.

[[Category:Baseball players from PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia]]

[[Category:Soccer players from PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia]]

[[Category:Bethlehem Steel F.C. (1907–301907–1930) players]]

[[Category:American Soccer League (1921–331921–1933) players]]

[[Category:American men's soccer players]]

[[Category:AssociationMen's footballersassociation notfootball categorizedoutside by positionforwards]]