James Wilson (July 23, 1900 — May 31, 1947), nicknamed "Ace," was an
American professional athlete in
soccer and
baseball.
He began his professional sports career as a
soccer outside right in the
National Association Football League and
American Soccer League before becoming a
catcher,
manager and
coach in
Major League Baseball. In the
1940 World Series, the 40-year-old Wilson came off the coaching lines to take over as the regular catcher for the
Cincinnati Reds when the starter, future
Baseball Hall of Famer Ernie Lombardi, was injured. Wilson
batted .353 in six games, playing a key role in Cincinnati's defeat of the
Detroit Tigers, four games to three, for the world championship. Born in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Wilson threw and batted right-handed and stood tall and weighed .
Soccer
Wilson, the son of
Scottish immigrants, grew up in northeast Philadelphia. He left school when he was fourteen to work in a local textile mill. In 1919, he left the mills when he began playing as an outside forward with
Philadelphia Merchant Ship B in the
National Association Football League. During his time with the team, he met
Dick Spalding, another two sport athlete, whom he later hired as his first base coach when Wilson managed the Phillies and Cubs. After Merchant Ship folded following the 1919-1920 season, Wilson moved to
Bethlehem Steel F.C., signing with the team in July 1920. During his time in Bethlehem, he also played...
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