Jack Holland (minors01)

John Abner Holland

• Bats Left, Throws unknown

• Born September 30, 1873 in El Paso, TX USA
• Died March 10, 1936 in Oklahoma City, OK USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Jack Holland was a pitcher turned outfielder turned first baseman for 23 years (1896-1919), all in the minors. From 1906, he was also a manager. He was born in 1873 and broke into organized baseball in 1897 at age 23. He played until 1919 when he retired at age 45. His son, also named John Holland, was a longtime baseball executive, primarily with the Chicago Cubs organization.

The 1907 Wichita Jobbers of the Western Association ran away with the pennant. They won on opening day and were never out of first place, finishing with a stupendous 98-35, .737 record, 15 1/2 games ahead of Oklahoma City. The club had a team batting average of .256 with a league leading 1,191 hits.

The Jobbers were managed by 33-year-old first baseman Holland who was third in the league in batting (.307). Holland had started his pro career in 1897 as a pitcher with Hot Springs in the Arkansas State League. He soon shifted to the outfield and then first base because of his hitting. His first managerial experience was in 1906 when he replaced William Kimmel at Wichita in mid-season.

In 1909 he moved with the Wichita franchise to the Class A Western League. After that season he purchased the Pueblo Western League club and moved it to St. Joseph, MO, and was owner-manager there until July, 1917, when he shifted his franchise to Hutchinson, KS. In June, 1918, Holland again transferred his club, this time to Oklahoma City, OK which would be his home the rest of his life. The 1919 season was his last as field manager.

The Oklahoma City Indians won the Western League pennant in 1923. After the 1927 season Oklahoma City and Tulsa, OK tried to move into the Texas League, but permission to do so was denied by the National Association. In the spring of 1928 Holland made the newspapers when he announced that any bachelor Indians player who got married during the season would spend his honeymoon with a lower classification team.

In November, 1932 Oklahoma City and Tulsa finally transferred to the Texas League. In 1935 the Indians finished first, swept the playoffs and defeated the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association in the Dixie Series. Unfortunately, Holland’s health had been declining and he passed away. His son was the team’s president until 1942 when the club was sold. Jack died in March of 1936 at age 61 in Oklahoma City, OK.

Quotes

"No player can do his best in competition and accept the responsibilities of a bride at the same time."

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Playoffs	Notes
1906	Wichita Jobbers	Western Association		3rd	none	replaced William Kimmell in July
1907	Wichita Jobbers	Western Association	98-35	1st	none League Champs
1908	Wichita Jobbers	Western Association	87-53	2nd	none
1909	Wichita Jobbers	Western League	71-82	5th	none
1910	St. Joseph Drummers	Western League	76-91	6th	none
1911	St. Joseph Drummers	Western League		--	--	replaced by Charles Shaffer
1913	St. Joseph Drummers	Western League	89-78	3rd	none
1914	St. Joseph Drummers	Western League	89-75	3rd	none
1915	St. Joseph Drummers	Western League	43-94	8th	none
1917	St. Joseph Drummers/Hutchinson Wheatshockers	Western League		--	--	replaced by Wid Conroy
1918	Hutchinson Wheatshockers/Oklahoma City Indians	Western League		6th	League suspended operations July 7	replaced Otto Jacobs July 2nd
1919	Oklahoma City Indians	Western League	69-69	5th

Related Sites

For a more complete story, see The 1907 Wichita Jobbers

TSN obit