Jake Gettman
From BR Bullpen
Jacob John Gettman
- Bats Both, Throws Left
- Height 5' 11", Weight 185 lb.
- Debut August 20, 1897
- Final Game May 19, 1899
- Born October 25, 1875 in Frank, Russia
- Died October 4, 1956 in Denver, CO USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Jake Gettman was the first Russian-born player in the Majors. As a rookie, he tied the major league record for the most consecutive hits (10), a record which was later tied but not broken until 1952. At age 21, he was the third youngest player on the 1897 Washington Senators, a bit older than 18-year-old Roger Bresnahan and 16-year-old Joe Stanley.
He was born in the village of Frank, Russia, which has an interesting history. The name "Gettman" is a German rather than a Russian name, and Frank was originally settled in the 1700's by German immigrants at the invitation of Catherine the Great. A hundred years later, when the political climate in Russia was not favorable for German immigrants, many of the residents of Frank came to the United States. Source: Village of Frank.
