Pete Knisely

Peter Cole Knisely
(Bill; Pickle Bird)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 185 lb.

• Debut September 4, 1912
• Final Game September 23, 1915
• Born August 11, 1884 in Waynesburg, PA USA
• Died July 1, 1948 in Brownsville, PA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Pete Knisely, who was in the majors from 1912 to 1915, was a fifth outfielder in 1912 and 1915. He was with the Toledo Mud Hens in 1919.

He was also called Bill Knisely, as can be seen from the newspaper photo above. His SABR biography lists two other nicknames: "Pickleburg Pete" and "Pickle Bird".

Hall of Fame umpire Hank O'Day was his manager for both the Cincinnati Reds in 1912 and the Chicago Cubs in 1914. Those were the only two years that O'Day managed in the majors.

Pete had 13 years in the minors, starting in 1909 with the Charleroi Cherubs in the Pennsylvania-West Virginia League, who became the Parkersburg Parkers during the season, then folded. In a partial season with the Birmingham Barons in 1914, he hit .353, highest on the team. His last season was in 1023. Before his playing career, he worked as a coal miner. After moving around the country for a while after his playing days, he settled back in his native western Pennsylvania. He died in a freak accident after he fell off a railroad bridge 15 feet onto the highway below; it's not clear what he had been doing walking on that precarious perch, however. He died of his injuries two days later.

He is not to be confused with a player with a similar last name, Alan Knicely.

Related Sites

• Pete Knisely at the SABR Bio Project