Doc Gessler made Washington his final MLB stop, and then began practicing medicine.
Henry H. "Doc" Gessler. "Brownie". Right fielder with the Washington Senators in 1909-1911. 831 hits and 142 stolen bases in 8 MLB seasons. He debuted with the Detroit Tigers in 1903. He led the AL in OBP in 1908. He led the AL in hit by pitches in 1910. One of his best seasons was his last in 1911 as he posted a .406 OBP with 78 RBI's and 29 stolen bases in 551 plate appearances. His career OBP was .370.
Excerpts from Gesler's SABR biography: . . . Gessler had another career going for him. A January 1907 note in the Washington Post said he was practicing medicine in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and that he had quit baseball. Several days later the Chicago Tribune reported that he had been traded to Cincinnati for pitcher Chick Fraser, being the last man thrown into a deal originally made in October. When the Reds learned that Dr. Gessler had retired from baseball, the trade was placed in jeopardy. Cash was sent for Fraser instead. However, Gessler sent in his contract to Cincinnati; the word that he’d planned to retire being false. He had, however, received his M.D. degree from Baltimore Medical College. . . .
. . . Gessler himself said, “I’ve played my last game. … I have a degree in medicine, you know, but I find I am too rusty to practice after my long connection with baseball. Therefore I am taking a special course at Johns Hopkins. When I have completed that, I shall go to Germany with a friend of mine and study 18 months. I figure that will prepare me to begin practicing on my return to this country.” . . .
. . . Doctor Gessler spent the next decade practicing medicine in Indiana, Pennsylvania, though he became quite ill in 1924 and finally expired at 9:30 on Christmas morning at his home. He was only 44 years and 2 days old.
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03-24-2022, 09:02 AM
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