Dummy Leitner Explained

Dummy Leitner
Width:300px
Position:Pitcher
Birth Date:19 June 1871
Birth Place:Parkton, Maryland
Death Place:Baltimore, Maryland
Bats:Left
Throws:Right
Debutleague:MLB
Debutdate:June 29
Debutyear:1901
Debutteam:Philadelphia Athletics
Finalleague:MLB
Finaldate:August 25
Finalyear:1902
Finalteam:Chicago White Sox
Statleague:MLB
Stat1label:Win–loss record
Stat1value:0–2
Stat2label:Earned run average
Stat2value:5.34
Stat3label:Strikeouts
Stat3value:4
Teams:

George Michael "Dummy" Leitner (June 19, 1871 – February 20, 1960) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for two seasons for the Philadelphia Athletics (1901), New York Giants (1901), Cleveland Bronchos (1902), and Chicago White Sox (1902).[1]

Leitner was deaf, and like other deaf baseball players of his era, was nicknamed "Dummy".[2] Three members of the 1901 Giants pitching staff shared that nickname: Leitner, Deegan, and Taylor.

Leitner had a deaf sister, Lydia (died at 21), and a deaf brother, Frank, who was active in Pittsburgh. He married a deaf woman named Helen (née Wells) and had two children, a deaf daughter named Helen who was later married to deaf August Wriede, and a hearing son named Clarence Wells Leitner who was known for his intelligence in writing and editing for the Evening Sun and North East newspaper for the city of Baltimore. George and Clarence Leitner and August Wriede all worked for The Baltimore Sun. Leitner died in Baltimore at the age of 88.

Notes and References

  1. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/leitndu01.shtml "Dummy Leitner Statistics and History"
  2. Doxsie, Don. Iron Man McGinnity: A Baseball Biography (McFarland, 2009), p. 74.