Chief Zimmer
Encyclopedia
Charles Louis Zimmer was a catcher
in Major League Baseball
for 19 seasons from to , playing for the Detroit Wolverines
(1884), New York Metropolitans
(1886)
Cleveland Blues/Spiders
(1887–1899), Louisville Colonels
(1899), Pittsburgh Pirates
(1900–1902), and Philadelphia Phillies
(1903). He was also the player/manager for the Phillies in 1903. Zimmer played in 1280 major league games, including 1239 as a catcher. He had a career batting average of .269 with a .339 on base percentage, 1227 hits, 617 runs scored, 222 doubles, 76 triples, 26 home runs, 625 RBIs, 151 stolen bases, and 390 bases on balls. His career fielding percentage as a catcher was .952 (16 points higher than the average catcher of his era) with 4883 putouts, 1580 assists and 135 double plays.
Zimmer is credited with being the first catcher (in 1887) to play directly behind the plate on every play. Prior to 1887, catchers typically positioned themselves farther back of the plate with runners on base. Zimmer was considered one of the finest defensive catchers of his day. He led the National League in putouts in 1891 and 1900 and in assists in 1890 and 1891. In 1895 he batted a career-high .340.
In 1894, Zimmer became one of the first hitters to get six hits in a single game, off Win Mercer
. He also helped Cleveland win the 1895 Temple Cup
, the equivalent at that time of the World Series.
While playing for Cleveland, Zimmer was Cy Young
's catcher for the first half of Young's career, and a close friend of Young.
Despite his nickname, "Chief" Zimmer was not of American Indian descent. Zimmer said he got the nickname while playing for Poughkeepsie as captain and manager. "Since we were fleet of foot, we were called the Indians. As I was the head man of the Indians, somebody began to call me 'Chief.' It stuck."http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Zimmer.Chief.Obit.html
After retiring from baseball, Zimmer worked as a cabinet-maker, cigar roller, and owned and managed at least two minor league baseball teams. He is prominently featured in "Zimmer's Base Ball Game," a baseball table game that was popular in the 1890s and which is now a valuable collectible.http://robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2005/676.html#photos Although his name is affixed to the game, Zimmer, nor did the game-making behemoth McLoughlin Bros. It was a man named Joseph A. Meaher of Cleveland who got the idea patented in February 1893, according to Tom Shieber, senior curator for the Baseball Hall of Fame. While Meaher was likely responsible for the game’s set-up as well as the painting of the field and the children peeking over the one-and-a-half inch outfield wall, it was no doubt McLoughlin Bros. – revered for their lithographs – that created the instructions along with the image of Zimmer and 18 other portraits, including 11 Hall of Famers.http://www.examiner.net/homepage/x1191424030/A-great-save
While a good but not great baseball player (he was not a Hall of Famer), Zimmer was one of the first athletes to actively pursue self-marketing. In addition to the board game, Zimmer endorsed a line of cigars.
Zimmer died in Cleveland, Ohio at age 88.
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for 19 seasons from to , playing for the Detroit Wolverines
Detroit Wolverines
The Detroit Wolverines were a 19th century baseball team that played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 in the city of Detroit, Michigan. In total, they won 426 games and lost 437, taking their lone pennant in 1887. The team was disbanded following the 1888 season.-Franchise...
(1884), New York Metropolitans
New York Metropolitans
The Metropolitan Club was a 19th-century professional baseball team that played in New York City from 1880 to 1887...
(1886)
Cleveland Blues/Spiders
Cleveland Spiders
The Cleveland Spiders were a Major League Baseball team which played between 1887 and 1899 in Cleveland, Ohio. The team played at National League Park from 1889 to 1890 and at League Park from 1891 to 1899.- 1887-1891 :...
(1887–1899), Louisville Colonels
Louisville Colonels
The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that played in the American Association throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891, first as the Louisville Eclipse and later as the Louisville Colonels , the latter name derived from the historic Kentucky colonels...
(1899), Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1900–1902), and Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1903). He was also the player/manager for the Phillies in 1903. Zimmer played in 1280 major league games, including 1239 as a catcher. He had a career batting average of .269 with a .339 on base percentage, 1227 hits, 617 runs scored, 222 doubles, 76 triples, 26 home runs, 625 RBIs, 151 stolen bases, and 390 bases on balls. His career fielding percentage as a catcher was .952 (16 points higher than the average catcher of his era) with 4883 putouts, 1580 assists and 135 double plays.
Zimmer is credited with being the first catcher (in 1887) to play directly behind the plate on every play. Prior to 1887, catchers typically positioned themselves farther back of the plate with runners on base. Zimmer was considered one of the finest defensive catchers of his day. He led the National League in putouts in 1891 and 1900 and in assists in 1890 and 1891. In 1895 he batted a career-high .340.
In 1894, Zimmer became one of the first hitters to get six hits in a single game, off Win Mercer
Win Mercer
George Barclay "Win" Mercer was a pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1894 to 1902. Born in Chester, West Virginia, he played primarily with the National League Washington Senators , winning 20 games twice with the club...
. He also helped Cleveland win the 1895 Temple Cup
Temple Cup
The Temple Cup was a trophy awarded to the winner of a best-of-seven, post-season championship series in the National League, from 1894–1897. The 30-inch-high silver cup was donated by coal, citrus, and lumber baron William Chase Temple, the owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates at the time...
, the equivalent at that time of the World Series.
While playing for Cleveland, Zimmer was Cy Young
Cy Young
Denton True "Cy" Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-year baseball career , he pitched for five different teams. Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937...
's catcher for the first half of Young's career, and a close friend of Young.
Despite his nickname, "Chief" Zimmer was not of American Indian descent. Zimmer said he got the nickname while playing for Poughkeepsie as captain and manager. "Since we were fleet of foot, we were called the Indians. As I was the head man of the Indians, somebody began to call me 'Chief.' It stuck."http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Zimmer.Chief.Obit.html
After retiring from baseball, Zimmer worked as a cabinet-maker, cigar roller, and owned and managed at least two minor league baseball teams. He is prominently featured in "Zimmer's Base Ball Game," a baseball table game that was popular in the 1890s and which is now a valuable collectible.http://robertedwardauctions.com/auction/2005/676.html#photos Although his name is affixed to the game, Zimmer, nor did the game-making behemoth McLoughlin Bros. It was a man named Joseph A. Meaher of Cleveland who got the idea patented in February 1893, according to Tom Shieber, senior curator for the Baseball Hall of Fame. While Meaher was likely responsible for the game’s set-up as well as the painting of the field and the children peeking over the one-and-a-half inch outfield wall, it was no doubt McLoughlin Bros. – revered for their lithographs – that created the instructions along with the image of Zimmer and 18 other portraits, including 11 Hall of Famers.http://www.examiner.net/homepage/x1191424030/A-great-save
While a good but not great baseball player (he was not a Hall of Famer), Zimmer was one of the first athletes to actively pursue self-marketing. In addition to the board game, Zimmer endorsed a line of cigars.
Zimmer died in Cleveland, Ohio at age 88.