Charlie Waitt
From BR Bullpen
Charles C. Waitt
- Bats Unknown, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 165 lb.
- Debut May 25, 1875
- Final Game September 18, 1883
- Born October 14, 1853 in Hallowell, ME USA
- Died October 21, 1912 in San Francisco, CA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Charlie Waitt was one of the first major leaguers (perhaps the very first) to wear a glove. Waitt was afraid that he would get criticized for doing so, so he wore a flesh-colored glove. In spite of that he was ridiculed for it.
A recent article about the glove, Charlie Waitt, is entitled Charlie Waitt: The Sissy that Changed Baseball.
He played for four different teams in four years in the majors.
He was one of several managers for Wilmington in 1883.
It was a much smaller world in Charlie's day. When he was looking for work, he apparently just contacted the trade paper - on June 17, 1885, Sporting Life stated "Charlie Waitt, the well-known player and manager, late of the Lancaster club, is open for an engagement as a manager or outfielder. He can be addressed at 131 Marshall St., Norristown, Pa." On January 27, 1886, the paper said: "Charlie Waitt is at present an employee of the Pennsylvania R.R. He thinks of re-entering the diamond this season."
