How Baseball HOFer George Sisler Fell Victim to The Cheating of Black Sox Manager Kid Gleason
Some serious shenanigans took place when a former MLB star tried to score against a legendary feisty manager
Although first baseman George Sisler is in the Baseball Hall of Fame, he remains somewhat underappreciated today. A superb batter and base runner, he was long considered one of the best players in the game. His dominance was so pronounced that opponents could be hyper focused on him, hoping and trying to prevent him from making an impact. This included one incident where Kid Gleason, the manager of the infamous 1919 Chicago White Sox (aka Black Sox), flaunted the rules and improperly joined the field of play during a game to prevent the star from scoring.
During a 15-year playing career (1915–1922; 1924–1930) spent primarily with the St. Louis Browns, the left-handed Sisler proved to be a whiz with the bat. He batted a combined .340 with 2,812 hits, 425 doubles, 164 triples, 102 home runs, 1,178 RBIs and 375 stolen bases. The winner of the 1922 American League MVP also captured two batting titles (highlighted by his .420 mark in 1922) and was considered a stout defensive player. He was later enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1939.
