Billy Clingman
William Frederick Clingman
- Bats Both, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 150 lb.
- Debut September 9, 1890
- Final Game July 16, 1903
- Born November 21, 1869 in Cincinnati, OH USA
- Died May 14, 1958 in Cincinnati, OH USA
Biographical Information[edit]
"There is but one man in the business who can fill Billy's shoes, and that is Jimmy Collins." - Honus Wagner, talking about Billy Clingman's ability at third base in 1898
Billy Clingman was an early defensive star who played ten seasons in the big leagues.
Cincinnati born and bred, Billy came up for a brief look, conveniently, with the Cincinnati Reds during the year of three leagues, 1890. He moved to Cincinnati Kelly's Killers for one game in 1891, not returning until 1895 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The bulk of his career was spent with the Louisville Colonels from 1896-1899, the team's last hurrah before all the good players were moved by Barney Dreyfuss to the Pirates to dominate at the turn of the century. In 1901, Billy moved to the nascent American League, where he played for the Washington Senators and ended his big league career with the 1903 Cleveland Naps. In between, 1902, he played in Milwaukee and managed the Brewers for the first part of the season. From 1904-1906, he played for the Toledo Mud Hens and finished the 1904 season as the team's third manager of thee year.
After his baseball career ended, he entered the printing business in Louisville and owned the Clingman Engraving Company until his retirement in 1947. A Sporting News writer claimed Clingman was deceased, prompting Billy to write the publication and declare otherwise. The book Honus: The Life and Times of a Baseball Hero indicates that Clingman suffered a hand injury in 1897.
Year-by-Year Managerial Record[edit]
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Playoffs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1891 | Terre Haute Hottentots | Northwestern League | -- | -- | replaced by George Brackett | |
| Jamestown | New York-Penn League | replaced William Greenwood | ||||
| 1902 | Milwaukee Brewers | American Association | 65-75 | 6th | none | |
| 1904 | Toledo Mud Hens | American Association | 8th | none | replaced Jack Burns |
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