Books and articles about Chief Zimmer

Image provided by Matthew Fulling

SHOPPING » Look for Chief Zimmer books at BN.com » Look for Chief Zimmer books at Amazon.com Your purchases keep BaseballLibrary.com online. Thank you!

RELATED LINKS Submissions » The Temple Cup Championship Games by Frank Ceresi Around the Web » Chief Zimmer from baseball-reference.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

Zimmer was with Cleveland (American Association) in 1887 when he became the first catcher to play directly behind the batter on every play; previously, catchers would move farther back of the plate with runners on base. The new style soon caught on. For a decade beginning in 1889, Zimmer caught for the National League Cleveland Spiders, becoming the finest defensive catcher of his day; he repeatedly led the NL in putouts, assists, and double plays. In 1895 he batted a career-high .340. He was dealt to Louisville in mid-1899, and in January of 1900 was part of the package of players that Barney Dreyfuss lifted from Louisville to bolster the Pittsburgh Pirates when the NL went from 12 teams to 8. Waived in 1903, he was picked up by the Phillies as player-manager. He hit .220 and brought the Phillies in seventh. (AJA)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » June 9, 1900: A forerunner of today’s players’ union is organized in New York. Three delegates from each NL team launch the Player’s Protective Association and elect Chief Zimmer president. Their goal is to negotiate contracts and rules changes. » February 26, 1901: NL officials meet with Charles "Chief" Zimmer, Pittsburgh catcher and the president of the PPA, and agree to contract concessions granted by the AL for NL players who will agree not to sign with AL clubs. Zimmer promises suspensions for PPA jumpers to the AL. » May 21, 1901: Giants fractious owner Andrew Freedman accuses umpire Billy Nash of incompetence and bars him from the Polo Grounds. Pirate Chief Zimmer and the Giants John Warner are forced to officiate. Mathewson then wins his 7th straight, 2-1, but his scoreless streak stops at 39 innings when the Bucs score an unearned run in the 9th. » June 11, 1903: Following a win by Ed Doheny, Pittsburgh gets back on the shut out track when Deacon Phillippe throws his 3rd straight whitewash, defeating Brooklyn, 9-0. His batterymate Ed Phelps is 3-for-3 with a stolen base: as noted by Joe Elinich, Phils' manager Chief Zimmer calls Phelps, "the best catcher in the game" and "a coming star." » September 9, 1909: George "Moon" Gibson of Pittsburgh catches his 112th consecutive game, breaking Chief Zimmer's 1890 record. His streak will end at 140. » July 29, 1921: As part of Cleveland's 125th anniversary celebration, Cy Young, 54, makes a two-inning appearance on the mound in an old-timers' game. Chief Zimmer, 60, is his catcher. » September 20, 1925: In Cleveland, the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland old-timers play a 6–6, 8-inning tie. The lineups include Three Finger Brown, Jimmy Archer Artie Hofman, Mort Scanlan and Dutch Meier for Chicago; For Cleveland, Larry Nap Lajoie, Dode Paskert, Chief Zimmer, Cy Berger, Cy Young, and Joe Delahanty. The game benefits the Amateur and Old-timer's Baseball Association of Cleveland: "This association employs a doctor to look after the injuries of any boy hurt in baseball in that district." Before boarding the train for Cleveland, Brown throws batting practice for the Cubs at Chicago.