Bill Gatewood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bill Gatewood |
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Gatewood in 1909
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| Pitcher / Manager | |||
| Born: August 22, 1881 San Antonio, Texas |
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| Died: December 8, 1962 (aged 81) Columbia, Missouri |
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| debut | |||
| 1906, for the Cuban X-Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1929, for the Gatewood Browns | |||
| Teams | |||
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William Miller "Big Bill" Gatewood (born August 22, 1881 – died December 8, 1962) was an important baseball player. He was a pitcher and manager in the Negro Leagues. These leagues were for African American players. They played when they were not allowed to play in Major League Baseball. Bill Gatewood played for many teams. He was known for his tall height and his skills on the field.
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Bill Gatewood's Baseball Journey
Bill Gatewood was a very talented pitcher. He stood very tall at 6 feet 7 inches. He played baseball for many years. He was active before the first Negro National League started. He also played in its early seasons.
Early Days and Key Teams
In 1909, a sportswriter named Harry Daniels picked Gatewood for his "All American Team." This showed how good he was. Bill played for teams like the Leland Giants and the Chicago Giants. He also played for the St. Paul Colored Gophers.
In June 1920, when he was 38, Gatewood joined the Detroit Stars. He later moved to the Cuban Stars.
Pitching Achievements
Bill Gatewood was known for his "spitball" pitch. This was a special way of throwing the ball. On June 6, 1921, he made history. He pitched the first "no-hitter" in the Negro National League. A no-hitter means the other team did not get any hits. He did this against the Cincinnati Cuban Stars.
Becoming a Manager
As Bill Gatewood got older, his pitching skills changed. But he still loved baseball. So, he became a manager. He managed teams like the St. Louis Stars and the Birmingham Black Barons.
Helping Other Stars
Bill Gatewood helped many other famous baseball players. He gave James "Cool Papa Bell" his famous nickname. He also convinced Bell to learn to switch hit. This means hitting with both hands. It helped Bell use his great speed.
Gatewood also taught Satchel Paige a special pitch. It was called the "hesitation pitch." He taught Paige this while managing him in Birmingham.
Remembering Bill Gatewood
After Bill Gatewood passed away in 1962, he was buried in an unmarked grave. For about 48 years, his grave did not have a proper headstone. In 2010, a group called the Negro Leagues Baseball Grave Marker Project helped. They installed a proper gravestone for him. This made sure he was remembered.
