Doc Gessler

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Doc Gessler

|image=Docgessler.jpg

|position=Right fielder

|birth_date={{Birth date|1880|12|23}}

|birth_place=Indiana, Pennsylvania, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|1924|12|27|1880|12|23}}

|death_place=Indiana, Pennsylvania, U.S.

|bats=Left

|throws=Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=April 22

|debutyear=1903

|debutteam=Detroit Tigers

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=October 7

|finalyear=1911

|finalteam=Washington Senators

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.280

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=14

|stat3label=Runs scored

|stat3value=363

|teams=

As player

Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|1903}})
Brooklyn Superbas ({{mlby|1903}}–{{mlby|1906}})
Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|1906}})
Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|1908}}–{{mlby|1909}})
Washington Senators ({{mlby|1909}}–{{mlby|1911}})

As manager

Pittsburgh Stogies ({{Baseball year|1914}})

}}

Henry Homer "Doc" Gessler (December 23, 1880 – December 27, 1924) was a Major League Baseball player born in Indiana, Pennsylvania, who began his eight-season career, at the age of 22, with the Detroit Tigers in {{Baseball year|1903}}. He played mainly as a right fielder in a career that totaled 880 games played, 2969 at bats, 831 hits, 363 RBIs and 14 home runs. Doc died of tuberculosis in his home-town of Indiana at the age of 44, and is interred in Saint Bernard Cemetery in Indiana, Pennsylvania.{{cite web| title = Doc Gessler's Stats | work = retrosheet.org | url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/G/Pgessd101.htm | accessdate = 2008-02-11 }}

College years

Before his baseball career, he attended Ohio University, Washington & Jefferson College,{{cite web| title = Doc Gessler's Stats | work = baseball-reference.com | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/g/gessldo01.shtml | accessdate = 2008-02-11 }} and became a physician, graduating from Johns Hopkins Medical School. He was one of three doctors in the 1906 World Series (with Doc White and Frank Owen).{{cite web | title = Doc Gessler Biography | work = baseballbiography.com | url = https://baseballbiography.com/doc-gessler-1880 | accessdate = 2008-02-11 }}

Career

After his short stay with Detroit, he then moved on to the Brooklyn Superbas in an unknown transaction. For Brooklyn, he became a good hitter, batting .290 in both of his full seasons with them. After a slow start in {{Baseball year|1906}}, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Hub Knolls on April 28.

He did not play in the Majors for the {{Baseball year|1907}} season, but reappeared for the {{Baseball year|1908}} Boston Red Sox and batted .308, hit 14 triples, and led the American League in on-base percentage. The following season, manager Fred Lake announced that Doc would be team's Captain for the {{Baseball year|1909}} season.{{cite news| title = Gessler To Be Captain of The Red Sox | work = New York Times, 01-19-1909 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1909/01/19/archives/gessler-to-be-captain-of-red-sox.html | accessdate = 2008-02-11 | date=January 19, 1909}} This situation did not last the season, as he was traded to the Washington Senators on September 9, 1909 in exchange for Charlie Smith. He played three seasons for the Senators and retired after the {{Baseball year|1911}} season.

In eight seasons, Gessler posted a .280 batting average with 370 runs, 127 doubles, 50 triples, 14 home runs, 142 stolen bases, 333 bases on balls, .370 on-base percentage and .370 slugging percentage. He finished his career with a .959 fielding percentage playing at right field and first base.

Managerial stint

Doc became the manager of the Pittsburgh Stogies of the upstart Federal League in {{Baseball year|1914}}, but after 11 games, and a 3 win 8 loss record, was replaced by Rebel Oakes. The team soon adopted the nickname Rebels after their new manager, who remained their manager through the 1914 season, and the entire {{Baseball year|1915}} season.