Books and articles about Jim Gilliam

Nicknamed Junior as the youngest member of the Baltimore Elite Giants, Gilliam and shortstop Pee Wee Butts formed one of the great double play combos in Negro National League history during the 1940s. The Tennessean was named to the Negro NL East All-Star team three straight years (1948-50). Finally signed by the Dodgers and sent to Montreal, Gilliam twice led the International League in runs scored (117 in 1951, and 111 in 1952). He also led in fielding in 1952, convincing the Dodgers to shuttle Jackie Robinson between second base and third base and Gilliam between the infield and outfield to get him into the lineup.

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As Dodger second baseman in 1953, Gilliam set a league rookie record with 100 walks, led the NL with 17 triples, scored a career-high 125 runs, and was named Rookie of the Year. He switch-hit homers in the 1953 World Series. In 1956, 1957, and 1959, Gilliam finished second to Willie Mays in stolen bases. He scored at least 100 runs in each of his first four seasons, and hit .300 for the only time in 1956.

Gilliam became a fan favorite in the Dodgers' first season in Los Angeles (1958) by leading the club in hits, doubles, steals, walks, and fielding. Switched to third base, he homered in the second 1959 All-Star Game. He retired after 1964 to become Los Angeles's third base coach, but he came out of retirement in 1965 to hit .280 for the World Champion Dodgers and join first baseman Wes Parker, second baseman Jim Lefebvre, and shortstop Maury Wills in the major leagues' first switch-hitting infield. He retired again and then returned once more to help the Dodgers repeat as NL champions in 1966. Gilliam coached until his sudden death of a brain hemorrhage just before the start of the 1978 World Series. The Dodgers retired his uniform number 19. (MC)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » December 23, 1953: Dodgers 2B Jim "Junior" Gilliam easily wins National League Rookie of the Year honors over Harvey Haddix and Ray Jablonski. Satchel Paige remains unclaimed on the American League waiver list. » April 23, 1954: Jackie Robinson steals 2B and 3B, then swipes home on the front end of a triple steal with Gil Hodges and Sandy Amoros in the 6th against the Pirates. The Dodgers win 6–5 in 13 innings, when Robinson doubles home Junior Gilliam. » July 21, 1956: Junior Gilliam of the Brooklyn Dodgers makes 12 assists at 2B to set a modern major-league record. Dodger captain Pee Wee Reese gets his 2,000th major-league hit, one of five active major leaguers to reach the mark. But St. Louis wins 13-6. » October 9, 1956: The Dodgers bounce back. Clem Labine comes out of the bullpen to pitch a 1-0 victory in 10 innings. Enos Slaughter misjudges Jackie Robinson's fly ball, and Jim Gilliam scores from 2B. » March 5, 1958: Duke Snider, Johnny Podres, and Don Zimmer suffer minor injuries in an auto accident in Vero Beach, FL, as they try to beat a 12:30 A.M. curfew. This is the 3rd accident in two months involving Dodger players; Jim Gilliam and his family had an accident shortly after Roy Campanella's. » July 6, 1958: Cubs pitchers Dick Drott and Don Elston combine on a 1-hit, 6-2 win over the Dodgers. Jim Gilliam's' single in the seventh is the only Los Angeles safety. » September 5, 1958: At St. Louis, the Dodgers manage only three hits but bunch the safeties in the 2nd inning off Vinegar Bend Mizell to win, 2–1. In the 8th with two outs, Junior Gilliam tries steal to steal home on a 3–1 pitch to Gil Hodges, but he is tagged out on what is called a ball: Hodges, though he is credited with a walk, never goes to 1B. » June 30, 1959: The Giants Sam Jones throws a 2–0 one-hitter against the Dodgers, allowing only Jim Gilliam's controversial single in the 8th, a grounder SS Andre Rodgers has difficulty picking up. Willie Mays's 2-run home run against Don Drysdale accounts for all the scoring. » May 1, 1962: At LA, Doug Camilli singles in a run in the bottom of the 16th to give the Dodgers a 6–5 win over the Cubs. Both teams score two in the 15th with Jim Gilliam making the 3rd out on an attempted steal of home. » September 15, 1978: The Dodgers become the first ML team ever to draw three million fans. Jay Blood is the historic three millionth spectator as the Dodgers shut out the Braves 5–0. The victory is dampened when coach Jim Gilliam suffers a brain hemorrhage. » October 8, 1978: Dodgers coach Jim Gilliam dies at Inglewood, CA, aged 49.