| Doc Gessler | |
| Position: | Right fielder |
| Birth Date: | 23 December 1880 |
| Birth Place: | Indiana, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Indiana, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Bats: | Left |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | April 22 |
| Debutyear: | 1903 |
| Debutteam: | Detroit Tigers |
| Finalleague: | MLB |
| Finaldate: | October 7 |
| Finalyear: | 1911 |
| Finalteam: | Washington Senators |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Batting average |
| Stat1value: | .280 |
| Stat2label: | Home runs |
| Stat2value: | 14 |
| Stat3label: | Runs scored |
| Stat3value: | 363 |
| Teams: | As player
As manager |
Henry Homer "Doc" Gessler (December 23, 1880 – December 27, 1924) was a Major League Baseball player born in Indiana, Pennsylvania, who began his eight-season career, at the age of 22, with the Detroit Tigers in . He played mainly as a right fielder in a career that totaled 880 games played, 2969 at bats, 831 hits, 363 RBIs and 14 home runs. Doc died of tuberculosis in his home-town of Indiana at the age of 44, and is interred in Saint Bernard Cemetery in Indiana, Pennsylvania.[1]
Before his baseball career, he attended Ohio University, Washington & Jefferson College,[2] and became a physician, graduating from Johns Hopkins Medical School. He was one of three doctors in the 1906 World Series (with Doc White and Frank Owen).[3]
After his short stay with Detroit, he then moved on to the Brooklyn Superbas in an unknown transaction. For Brooklyn, he became a good hitter, batting .290 in both of his full seasons with them. After a slow start in, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Hub Knolls on April 28.[1]
He did not play in the Majors for the season, but reappeared for the Boston Red Sox and batted .308, hit 14 triples, and led the American League in on-base percentage.[1] The following season, manager Fred Lake announced that Doc would be team's Captain for the season.[4] This situation did not last the season, as he was traded to the Washington Senators on September 9, 1909 in exchange for Charlie Smith.[1] He played three seasons for the Senators and retired after the season.[1]
In eight seasons, Gessler posted a .280 batting average with 370 runs, 127 doubles, 50 triples, 14 home runs, 142 stolen bases, 333 bases on balls, .370 on-base percentage and .370 slugging percentage. He finished his career with a .959 fielding percentage playing at right field and first base.
Doc became the manager of the Pittsburgh Stogies of the upstart Federal League in, but after 11 games, and a 3 win 8 loss record, was replaced by Rebel Oakes.[1] The team soon adopted the nickname Rebels after their new manager, who remained their manager through the 1914 season, and the entire season.