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Chief Wilson

Chief Wilson
1912 Chief Wilson.jpeg
Outfielder
Born: (1883-08-21)August 21, 1883
Austin, Texas
Died: February 22, 1954(1954-02-22) (aged 70)
Bertram, Texas
Batted: Left Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 15, 1908, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last MLB appearance
October 1, 1916, for the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB statistics
Batting average .269
Home runs 59
Runs batted in 571
Triples 114
Teams
Career highlights and awards

John Owen "Chief" Wilson (August 21, 1883 – February 22, 1954) was an American baseball outfielder who played nine seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals from 1908 to 1916. He batted left-handed but threw right-handed and served primarily as a right fielder.

Wilson played minor league baseball for three different teams until the end of 1907, when he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. After spending six seasons with the organization, Wilson was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, where he spent the last three seasons of his major league career and with whom he played his last game on October 1, 1916. Wilson is best known for setting the single-season record for triples in 1912 with 36, a record that still stands.

Wilson was born on August 21, 1883, in Austin, Texas. He grew up at a ranch owned by his family located approximately 50 miles north of Austin in Bertram. He was known for his silent and introvert nature; his Pirates teammate and roommate Bobby Byrne recounted how Wilson "wouldn't say two words all day." Wilson started his baseball career playing in several teams in independent leagues, before joining the Austin Senators in 1905.

After he retired from baseball, Wilson returned to his family ranch in Bertram, where he became a stock farmer and held various positions in service to the community. He died on October 24, 1954, at the age of 70 and was interred at Austin Memorial Park. On March 31, 2007, the Bertram Little League Sports Complex was dedicated to and named after Wilson in order to honor the city's famous inhabitant.

Contrary to popular belief, Wilson was not of Native American descent. He was nicknamed "Chief" because his Pittsburgh teammates and manager Fred Clarke thought Wilson, a native Texan with a towering height of 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m), resembled a "Chief of the Texas Rangers."


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Wikipedia

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