Description
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Red Kleinow
Born: July 20, 1877 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
October 9, 1929 (aged 52) in New York, New York
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 165 lbs.
Positions: Catcher
Played For:
New York Highlanders (1904–1910)
Boston Red Sox (1910–1911)
Philadelphia Phillies (1911)
Biography:
He was born in Milwaukee as John Peter Kleinow on July 20, 1877, his father Johann and his mother Regina both immigrants from Germany. Johann Kleinow was a saloon keeper and must have done well enough; he was listed in the census as a coal merchant in 1900. By 1910 Regina is listed alone (Johann is presumably deceased) and she was able to list “own income” as her source of money. There were four children in the household. Two younger brothers – Robert and George both labored at Harvester Works, part of International Harvester. The youngest, their sister Teckla, did housework. John was already a well-established ballplayer, and had attended St. Edward’s University.
He played first base, second base, third base, catcher, and the outfield in the major leagues, but 558 of his 568 games in the field were behind the plate. Red Kleinow hit for a .213 average, playing at a time that any contribution at all from a catcher was considered a bonus.
More info:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Kleinow
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kleinre01.shtml
https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/c971bfe5
