Childs was born in Calvert County, Maryland. During his career, much was apparently made of Childs' pudgy appearance. Standing 5'8" tall, he weighed 185 pounds. This led to the nickname of "Cupid", as he was said to resemble a cherub.

Childs led the league in runs (136) in 1892 with the Cleveland Spiders. The 1892 Spiders featured several stars, including future Hall of Fame members Cy Young, George Davis and Jesse Burkett. The team went to the league championship series, where they lost to the Boston Beaneaters. They had similar success in 1895, when they finished second in the league and played in the Temple Cup.

Childs was among the top ten players in the league in walks every season between 1890 and 1900; he finished second in walks every season between 1891 and 1894. He led the league in doubles and extra base hits in 1890. In May 1900, Childs was attempting a double play against the Pittsburgh Pirates when the Pirates player-manager Fred Clarke slid into him. There was a brief confrontation on the field, and then Childs spotted Clarke at a train station after the game. Childs charged Clarke and badly beat the manager in the ensuing fistfight. The next day, fans in Pittsburgh showed up in large numbers (triple the average Monday attendance) hoping to see a continuation of the scuffle, but the game was played without incident.

...
Wikipedia