Bob Gilks

Robert James Gilks

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 178 lb.

• Debut August 25, 1887
• Final Game September 19, 1893
• Born July 2, 1864 in Cincinnati, OH USA
• Died August 20, 1944 in Brunswick, GA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Bob Gilks tried just about everything on a ballfield. He had a playing career that lasted from 1885 to 1909. He also managed in the minors between 1903 and 1914 and umpired in the South Atlantic League in 1910. Gilks also scouted for the Cleveland Indians (1911-1913), New York Yankees (1914-1926, 1929), and Boston Braves (1928).

"Bob Gilks is playing as good a third as anyone could ask to see - slugging hard, and his base-running is simply wonderful." - Sporting Life's Binghamton correspondent in the July 13, 1887 issue

"Bob Gilks . . . played left field in magnificent style, making some catches and stops that were marvelous. . . Gilks won Cleveland's only game by his safe hit, which drove in the two runs that were worth the victory." - Sporting Life, in the July 25, 1888 issue

"When it comes to modern day scouting through the tall uncut for future stars of the green sward, Bob Gilks, of the Cleveland team, has all of the other rubber-heeled gentlemen backed off the base ball map. Gilks is the original modern day discoverer par excellence . . . He . . .asks for a spare uniform, dons it and works out with the bushers. In this way he comes in close contact with the man or men on whom he is trying to secure the dope." - Sporting Life, Dec. 3, 1910

Notable Achievements

• AA Saves Leader (1888)

Records Held

• Bases Loaded Doubles, game, 2, 5/9/1890 (tied)

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Playoffs	Notes
1903	Shreveport Giants	Southern Association	67-58	3rd	none
1904	Shreveport Pirates	Southern Association	55-81	7th	none
1905	Shreveport Pirates	Southern Association	69-90	4th	none
1906	Shreveport Pirates	Southern Association	70-66	5th	none
1907	Gulfport Crabs	Cotton States League	68-67	4th	none
1908	Gulfport-Biloxi Sand Crabs	Cotton States League	63-52	3rd	none
1909	Savannah Indians	South Atlantic League		--	--	replaced by Ernest Howard in May
	Galveston Sand Crabs	Texas League		7th	none	replaced Tom Carlin
1914	Montgomery Rebels	Southern Association	54-99	8th	none

Related Sites

• Bob Gilks at the SABR Bio Project