| Rollie Zeider | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Infielder | |
| Born:(1883-11-16)November 16, 1883 Hoover, Indiana, U.S. | |
| Died: September 12, 1967(1967-09-12) (aged 83) Garrett, Indiana, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 14, 1910, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 11, 1918, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .240 |
| Home runs | 5 |
| Runs batted in | 253 |
| Stolen bases | 223 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
)_LOC_27653893071.jpg)
Rollie Hubert Zeider (November 16, 1883 – September 12, 1967) was an American professionalbaseball player. Aninfielder, he played nine seasons in the major leagues for theChicago White Sox (1910–13),New York Yankees (1913),Chicago Chi-Feds/Chicago Whales in theFederal League from 1914 to 1915, andChicago Cubs (1916–18).
He is one of only a few players to play for three differentChicago teams in his career, and one of two to do it in the 20th century. He is the only player to hithome runs for all three Chicago major league teams in the 20th century.[citation needed] Along withDutch Zwilling he is the only 20th-century player to play in the same city in three different major leagues:American League (White Sox), Federal League (Chi-Feds/Whales), and theNational League (Cubs).[1]
Zeider contributed to another odd record along with Zwilling. The1916 Cubs were one of the few teams in history, and the most recent until 1999, to have three players whose last names begin with "Z": Zeider, Zwilling, andHeinie Zimmerman. The 1999Texas Rangers were the first and only since then withJeff Zimmerman,Todd Zeile, andGregg Zaun.
He earned the nicknameBunion, the result of a spike wound whenDetroit Tigers outfielderSam Crawford spiked his "bunion" during a play.[a] Zeider's bunion became a news item when he was traded after the injury and his new club, the Yankees, which he would captain during his brief tenure, later protested that the White Sox had not informed them that Zeider was injured at the time of the trade.
Zeider began his professional career in 1905, which he split between theCrookston Crooks andWinnipeg Maroons of theNorthern League. In 1909, he played third base for theSan Francisco Seals of thePacific Coast League.[2] On August 17, 1909, the Seals traded Zeider to the White Sox for twoplayers to be named later and $5,500 (equivalent to $192,480 in 2024).[3]
Playing for the New York Yankees in 1913, he would replaceFrank Chance as team captain, becoming the sixthYankee captain. He would hold the captaincy for the remainder of the year.[4]
After the 1918 season, Zeider returned to the minor leagues. He played for theToledo Mud Hens in 1919,[5] and finished his career in 1924 with theParis North Stars of the class-DEast Texas League.
In a nine-season career, hebatted .240 with 5home runs and 253runs batted in during 941 games. He stole 223 bases in his career and scored 393runs. He had 769hits in 3210at bats. In his onlyWorld Series appearance (1918 with the Cubs), Zeider had two plate appearances andwalked twice.
The right-handed Zeider was one of the fastest players in the game, even at the time.[citation needed] With the White Sox, as arookie, Zeiderstole 49 bases, his career high, which was also a modern-day major league record for rookies at that time.[b]
He reached the top five in stolen bases twice (his 1910 rookie season, and 1912). Besides those two seasons, Zeider's early career came as a utility player. Not until 1914 did he begin to play regularly every year. By that time, his speed had decreased, but he still was eighth in the league in steals with 35 that year (tied withTom Downey andBaldy Louden) in what would be arguably his best full season.
Zeider was born in the small town of Hoover nearLogansport inCass County, Indiana, where his father was a farmer. He grew up inAuburn, Indiana, where his father took a job in asawmill. Zeider was married twice, first to Alberta Doyle, who died of tuberculosis in 1916, then to Margaret Pilgrim.
After retiring from professional baseball, he ran a restaurant inGarrett, Indiana, called Polly's Tavern. ("Polly" was his local nickname.) He moved toOrland, Indiana, in neighboringSteuben County in 1959.[citation needed] Zeider was inducted into the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association Hall of Fame in 1965.[7]
Zeider died in a hospital in Garrett, aged 83, and was interred beside his first wife in Woodlawn Cemetery inAuburn.
· Baseball Almanac