Jack Gleason

John Day Gleason

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Weight 170 lb.

• Debut October 2, 1877
• Final Game August 31, 1886
• Born July 14, 1854 in St. Louis, MO USA
• Died September 4, 1944 in St. Louis, MO USA

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Biographical Information

Jack Gleason was one of the better players in the American Association in 1883 and in the Union Association in 1884. While he also played in the National League in 1877 and 1885, it was only for a total of three games.

Gleason, who was born and died in St. Louis, MO, broke in with the short-lived 1877 St. Louis Brown Stockings of the National League. He came back to the majors with the Brown Stockings in 1882, an American Association team, and led the league in walks. The following year, 1883, he moved for most of the season to the Louisville Eclipse, finishing in the top ten in the league in Adjusted OPS+.

In 1884 he joined the Union Association, where he was third in the league in Adjusted OPS+, with the St. Louis Maroons. He was with the National League's Maroons in 1885 for two games, and ended his major league career back in the American Association with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1886. He also umpired one game in the National League in 1877.

He was the brother of Bill Gleason, who played in the infield with him with St. Louis of the American Association. Jack was also the first of eight major leaguers with the last name Gleason (as of May 2008).

The book The Washington Senators: 1901-71, talking about Tom Loftus, mentions Jack Gleason in passing, saying that he and Loftus had played together on the Peoria Reds.

Notable Achievements

• AA Bases on Balls Leader (1882)

Related Sites

• Jack Gleason at the SABR Bio Project