The Ultimate Team Player: Jim Gilliam

                           James William Gilliam.  He was born in Nashville Tennessee on October 17th, 1928. He was an only child. When he was 2, his father died. His mother had to work as a housekeeper, so his grandmother raised him.  He started his work career early. As a high schooler, a local five and dime employed him as a porter, a person who helped customers get their goods home. His love though, was the game of baseball.

                           He lived near Nashville’s pre-eminent baseball field, Sulphur Dell. Home to the AA Southern Association’s, Nashville Vols. In the majors, he enjoyed following his favorite player, Joe DiMaggio. When he was 14, his mother bought him his first baseball glove.  Two years later, in 1944, he used that glove to play for a team called the Crawfords, a local team that paid him to play. The following year, team owner, Paul Jones, fielded a team that was subordinate to the Negro Leagues called the Nashville Black Vols. 

                          In 1946, the Black Vols parent club, the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro National League, called up the 17-year-old as a right-handed batting reserve infielder. It was hit tryout for the big club that made him a switch-hitter. When Baltimore manager, Tubby Scales, observed Gilliam having trouble hitting curveballs thrown by right-handed pitchers, Scales yelled, “Hey Junior, get over on the other side of the plate”.

                            Scales felt his 24 seasons as a right-handed hitter in professional baseball, helped him have pride in his scientific knowledge of the game. With little power, Gilliam could use his speed to great advantage from the left-handed batter’s box with less distance to cover to first. Furthermore, Scales nickname for him stuck. While Junior was his best-known nickname, it was one of many his teammates and writers would hang on him over his career. 

                          One of the challenges for Gilliam is that he was replacing Sammy Hughes. Hughes, 36, was returning from military service, but he was unable to play his best. He was still though, highly respected. He hit .292 in 21 games at age 17. He hit .257 in 59 games in 47, and .289 in 58 games in 48.  Although it is not included in his Negro League stats, he hit .302 for the Giants in 1949. From 48-50, he was selected to play for the East in the Negro Leagues All-Star games.

                           He played winter ball from 48-53 in the Puerto Rican Professional Baseball League.  That photo above is Gilliam with a truly youthful, Roberto Clemente in the early 50’s in Puerto Rico. Harry Postove, a Cubs scout in the Baltimore-Washington area, scouted the Elite Giants. He recommended the immediate purchase of the young infielder, his report stating that Gilliam was a clean-cut youngster with an accurate, snap throw, a good eye, a hustler, with a penchant punching the ball to all fields. He considered him the best prospect in the Negro American League. 

                          After the 49 season, the Giants sent Gilliam to the Cubs AAA team in Springfield Mass, on a conditional deal, 5000$ down and a bonus if he made the team. He did not impress the Cubs, who send him down to A-class Des Moines, where he still failed to impress the Cubs. Numerous reasons were given, the most popular that the Cubs had a second base prospect, Red Hollis, who was on fire. Gilliam returned to the Giants for 1950, where he hit .265. 

                           After the 1950 season, the Dodgers were looking for a second baseman for the Montreal Royals, one of their AAA teams. Mickey McConnell, assistant to Brooklyn’ GM, Buzzie Bavasi, touted Gilliam’s range at second base, his speed and his bat control. He sold the Dodgers on the idea, and for 9000$ the Dodgers purchased the contracts of Gilliam, and teammates Joe Black and Leroy Farrell, a couple of pitchers. 

                           Gilliam opened the 51 season as the Royals starting second baseman. Joe Black was his roommate. Having Black as a roommate eased the transition to integrated baseball for him. That seemed to be one of the reasons it was felt he did not do so well with the Cubs. He made a quick impression on the fans. In an early season double-header, he had 11 plate appearances and got on all 11 times. 3 walks and 8 hits including a grand slam homer. He finished the season with a .278 average and 73 driven in.

                           In 1952, at age 23, Gilliam would have his most award filled year as a pro. Back with the Royals, he won the International Leagues MVP by a wide margin, batting .303, leading the league with 133 runs scored and 41 doubles. He also had 109 RBIs. His plate discipline showed as he walked 100 times and struck out just 18. The big club had also captured awards, winning the 52 pennant with a 96-57 record. They had a solid infield featuring Billy Cox at third, Reese at SS, Robinson at second base and Hodges at 1st. For some management teams, having a shining infield prospect at AAA with nothing left to prove would be a problem. Not the Dodgers, they did not hesitate to make some moves. 

                           Feeling they needed a real leadoff hitter, Robinson was moved to third, and Gilliam was placed at second base. Glove whiz Cox was the odd man out. Some like veteran pitcher, Carl Erskine, felt the move was not needed. But since Duke Snider was the only left-handed hitter in the starting lineup, it seemed like a good idea to get a real speedster at the top of the lineup. Because of the right-handed heavy lineup, Brooklyn had seen left-handers only 16% of their games. That was compared to 27% for the rest of the league. 

                           There were some problems. Cox had many friends and fans who felt that this was more about race than ability. When Newcombe pitched, the Dodgers could have 5 black players on the field. Gilliam made the teams don’t fix it if it isn’t broke gamble pay off. He was the leadoff hitter in the Dodgers first 24 games and got on base in all of them. The team won a team record 105 games, 8.5 games better than the season before. Gilliam hit .278, led the league in triples with 17 and plate appearances with 701. He also had 21 steals. He was named the Rookie of the Year.

                           Brooklyn lost the 53 World Series to the Yankees again. Charlie Dressen demanded a multi-year contract. Dodger owner, Walter O’Malley decided against that and hired Walter Alston as the new Dodger manager. Gilliam hit .296 in the World Series with 2 homers and 4 driven in. While he played all 149 of his games at second base in 53, in 54 he would see action in the outfield 4 times. 

                          Alston had been Gilliams’s manager at Montreal, so he already knew his second baseman well. Gilliam would hit .282 for the 54 team, he also slugged 13 homers and drove in 52. That would be the one and only time he would homer in double figures in his MLB career.  He also scored 107 runs. The Dodgers though slipped to second place, 5 games back of the Giants. In 55 his offensive numbers declined quite a bit. Some blamed the fact that he was playing all-year round, with his Puerto Rican Winter League play, and some said it was because Alston was using him more in the outfield and he had to train more for those positions. 

                           He batted just .249. He still managed to score 110 runs. He played in 147 games, 46 of them in the outfield. The Dodgers cruised to the NL pennant. They won by 13.5 games over the Giants. Campanella would be the NL MVP in a controversial decision over teammate, Duke Snider. They once again faced the Yankees in the fall classic. This time they turned the tables on the Yankees. After losing the first two games at Yankee Stadium. They won the next 3 at home. Game six was a loss forcing game seven. 

                          Gilliam again had a good series with the bat, hitting .292 with 3 driven in. He also scored 2 runs. In game seven though, he was playing LF against LHP, Tommy Bryne with backup infielder Don Zimmer at second base. With Podres breezing, the Dodgers took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning. Alston then brought in speedy outfielder, Sandy Amoros to play left and moved Gilliam back to second.

                           The move immediately paid off. With runners on first and second with one out, Yogi Berra hit a line drive down the left field line, Amoros, streaking from left center field stuck his glove out at the last minute and caught the ball, he immediately turned and fired the ball back to the infield where Reese turned and fired to Hodges who tagged out McDougald before he could get back to the base for a double play. Gilliam would later say, “I am glad I wasn’t out there when Berra hit that ball”. 

                           That was the Yankees last chance, and the Dodgers had their first and only championship in Brooklyn. They would win the pennant again in 56. Gilliam would hit .300 and score 102 runs, the fourth straight year with 100 or more. He played in 153 games, 102 at second and the rest in the outfield. The Dodgers would lose the series in 7 games.  Jim hit only .082 for the series. 57 marked their last year in Brooklyn. They did not even play all of their games in Ebbets Field. The move to LA was announced after the season was over. An era ended. A new one was about to begin. Gilliam’s last season in Brooklyn produced mediocre numbers. He went from a 6.2 WAR player to 0.9. He hit just .250 in 149 games. 

                             Jim continued to work as a beer distributor in the winter, but he quit playing winter ball. The team lost Campanella to a terrible auto accident in January of 57. Jackie had retired after the 56 season, so the Dodgers were getting old. Their first year in LA was not a rousing success. It was more like a loud thud. The team finished 7th. The dimensions of their new home were awful. While just 250 down the left field line where there stood a 30-foot screen, to 425 in dead center, 440 to right center and 300 right down the right field line. 

                             Gilliam rebounded some and hit .261 in 147 games. He added a new position to his resume as he played 44 games at 3rd, 32 at second and 77 games in the outfield. His DP partner, Pee Wee Reese, retired after the 58 season to become a coach, and Charlie Neal became the new 2nd baseman. Neal would be the primary 2nd baseman in 1959 with Junior moving to third where he played 132 games. Maury Wills became the SS around June. LA rebounded and tied the Braves for the pennant. The Dodgers won the two playoff games and went to face the White Sox in the World Series. Gilliam had hit .282. He drew 96 walks to lead the league and only struck out 25 times.

                            He only hit .240 in the series, but he had 2 stolen bases. The Dodgers would win the series in six games for their second World Series win and their first in Los Angeles. Gilliam played a huge part in their regular season success. But every off-season, some young stud would surface who was supposed to take Gilliams’s job. And every year they failed to do so. One of the reasons he might have received more leeway and chances than some other players was because of his close relationship and friendship with his manager. “Gilliam is the only player who played for me that never missed a sign.” Walter Alston said that. They were also pool playing buddies. 

                          The Dodgers really liked Gilliam in the two-slot. They noticed that when he was there, Wills was successful a high percentage of his steal attempts. And Gilliam was one of those players who was totally unselfish. He would give himself up in order to get Wills into scoring position. Thei first full season together was 1960. Giliam hit .248, the team finished 4th.  Wills stole 50 bases to lead the league, but they were just getting started.

                        Jim hit .244 in 61, the team finished 2nd, and Wills stole 35. Again, leading the league. In 1962, it all came together. Through the regular season at least. Wills would steal 104 bases passing Ty Cobbs single season record of 96. With Gilliam hitting behind him most of the time, he scored 130 runs and would be the NL’s MVP. A late season slump would cost the Dodgers the pennant. Koufax missing two months of the season with a circulatory problem in his finger did not help. The Giants caught the Dodgers and then won the three-game playoff, 2-1. Gilliam hit .270 in 160 games played, 130 of them at third base. 

                       In 1963, it all came together again. With Koufax healthy, he and Drysdale formed a powerful 1-2 punch. Teams started paying more attention to Wills on the bases. He stole only 40 that year and still led the league, but he was caught stealing 19 times. Gilliam hit .282 for his best performance in years. He would finish 6th in the MVP voting, ahead of Wills who was 17th and Tommy Davis, the NL batting champ who was 8th. Koufax was the Cy Young and MVP winner as LA won 99 games and finished 6 in front of the Cardinals. 

                       They went on to sweep the Yankees in four games. Koufax winning two games and becoming the series MVP. Jr. went 2-13 in the series, but he had his third ring as a Dodger. He also began thinking and talking seriously about retirement. He was now 34 years old. He was thinking about a career as a coach or manager. But at that time there were no black managers in baseball and only one coach, Buck O’Neill who began working for the Cubs in 1962.

                        The Dodgers fell to an under .500 record in 64, 80-82. Again, Koufax was injured. Gilliam played in 116 games and hit just .228.  Even though he pitched in just 28 games, Koufax led the league in ERA, 1.74 and shutouts with 7. Wills managed to steal 53 bases and lead the league again. It looked as if Gilliam was truly at the end of his career. For the 1965 season, the Dodgers announced that Gilliam was going to be their first base coach. John Kennedy, newly acquired in the Frank Howard trade with Washington would be their new third baseman. That did not start off well. 

                         After Kennedy and Tracewski failed to produce any offense, Bavasi called a meeting of the front office and dugout management. According to Bavasi, they discussed several possibilities, then Bavasi said, ” Lets activate “Old Slowfoot”.  Gilliam, who was attending the meeting looked at him out of the corner of his eye and said, “You picked a fine time to bring me back, we are going against Bob Gibson tonight, wait until tomorrow!”

                        Gilliam had kept himself in shape, so he was ready to go. At the end of May 1965, he was back at third base. The lift to the Dodger offense was immediate. He reached base in each of the first 12 games he started. Hitting .386 with a pair of homers. He was one of the main reasons the Dodgers would win the pennant and face the Twins in the World Series. He batted .280 in 111 games. 

                         As he had in 1955, Gilliam played a key role in a defensive play in game seven. This time it wasn’t another player who made the play, it was Gilliam himself. With Koufax pitching on two-days’ rest, and not having his best stuff, the Dodgers went into the bottom of the fifth leading 2-0. Sound familiar? After a pop out to Gilliam, Frank Quilici doubled down the left field line. Koufax walked Rich Rollins, bringing up Zoilo Versalles, the Twins SS.  He pulled the ball fair, right over the third base bag that looked to be curving towards the stands. Gilliam, getting a quick jump on the ball, backhanded it, reversed direction and beat Quilici to the bag. It proved to be the Twins last hard-hit ball. Koufax settled down and the Dodgers won the game and their third World Series in LA. 

                           It was Gilliam’s 4th ring. The play brough him a lot of recognition, and the baseball Hall of Fame asked for the glove he used. It is still on display there. Considered one of the best defensive plays in World Series history. Jim became a coach again in 1966. The Dodgers did the bringing the coach out of retirement thing again in 1966. But Jim’s age was catching up with him. He hit just .217 in 88 games. The Dodgers won the pennant again but were swept in the World Series by the Orioles. Jim retired for good after the season. He would have a huge surprise join him in retirement as Sandy Koufax called it quits in November because of his arthritic elbow.

Baseball: World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers Wes Parker (28), Maury Wills (30), Jim Lefebvre (5) and Jim Gilliam (19)pose for a photo prior to game vs Minnesota Twins.

                        Gilliam would remain the Dodgers first base coach for the remainder of Walter Alston’s career ending in 1976. Those were lean years for the Dodgers while their new and young draft picks matured into major leaguers. Alston’s last pennant came in 1974, with the teams now having to win playoff series to make it to the World Series. He still dreamed of being a manager. He did manage between the 73 and 74 seasons in Puerto Rico. In 1974, Frank Robinson became the first black manager when hired by the Cleveland Indians. 

                       Some said Gilliam would be managing if one of two things happened, he was offered a job, and he was white. Lasorda took over as manager in 1977. He asked Gilliam, who had been the other candidate for the job to stay on. So, Jim became the batting instructor. His special project was strikeout prone Steve Yeager.  Yeager who hit .216 in 76, improved to 256, had a career high in walks and had an OPS + of 107. The Dodgers won the pennant and lost the series to the Yankees.

                     Over his time as a coach, Gilliam took great care to mentor the younger players. Maybe it was because of his own shyness that he did so to get the players acclimated to major league life. He used to take players on a tour of now defunct colored-only hotels. Giving them a taste of what his generation of black players had to face. Still hoping for that managerial chance, he soldiered on with the Dodgers. He never would get that call. 

                   On September 15th, 1978, with the Dodgers coasting to another NL West title, Gilliam drove Lasorda to the ballpark early so they could about setting up the game. He dropped him off and then went home to get some rest. A little later he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and fell into a coma from which he never woke up. He died on October 8th at age 49, the day after the Dodgers won the NL pennant. He was just 7 days shy of his 50th birthday. 

                     Over 2,000 people attended his funeral, including Yankee slugger Reggie Jackson, and the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson who gave the eulogy. Davey Lopes, like Gilliam the Dodger lead-off hitter and second baseman, dedicated the series to Gilliam. His two homers and 5 driven in led the Dodgers to a 11-5 win in game one. On his home run trot after his first homer, he pointed to the sky. LA would lose the series in six games. The Dodgers would retire d his #19, two days after he passed. He and Fernando are the only non-Hall of Famers so honored by the Dodgers. 

                   His final line was .266/65/625 with 219 stolen bases. He had a .360 OBP. He never struck out more than 39 times in any season. He finished with 1102 walks and just 416 strikeouts. He was as steady a player as I have ever seen. Totally unselfish and mostly forgotten by Dodger fans and some baseball people. But having seen that play at third on TV in 65, I can tell you, I will never forget #19.