Professional Baseball Player. Born in Swansea, Wales. His father, Alfred, was a shipbuilder who decided to come to the United States in 1885 in search of higher wages. Alfred Austin began work with the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company, and he was able to bring his family to Ohio in 1887 once he had saved enough money. Jimmy was to see his first baseball game at the age of 14, he wanted to teach his new friends the game of Rugby until he saw that first baseball game. After leaving school Jimmy became an apprentice machinist with Westinghouse. After finishing his four-year apprenticeship, Westinghouse went on strike. He took up an offer of $40 a month, plus a job, to play independent ball in Warren, Ohio. He returned to Westinghouse that fall, but in the spring of 1904, he signed with the Central League's Dayton, Ohio club. Jimmy made his major league debut with New York in April, 1909. He played two seasons in New York, but was traded to the St. Louis Browns in 1911 by new Highlanders manager Hal Chase, thus beginning a thirty year career with the Browns as player and coach. His 1911 season with the Browns was his career best in hits (141), doubles (25), and RBI (45), while leading the American League with 34 sacrifices. In 1913, Jimmy set a career high with 37 stolen bases. During that same season, he served the first of three stints as temporary manager of the Browns, guiding the club for eight games in September between the firing of George Stovall and the naming of Branch Rickey as his replacement. In 1920, the 40-year-old became a part-time player, posting a career high .271 batting average in 83 games. Jimmy became a full-time coach with the Browns beginning in 1923, but he did come back to play in exactly one game in the 1923, 1925, 1926, and 1929 seasons, before officially finishing his playing career at age 49. He remained with the Browns through the 1932 season, when Depression-era belt-tightening forced the franchise to let him go. He then joined the Chicago White Sox for an eight-year coaching career in 1933. In 1936, Jimmy resigned his post as a full time coach in order to care for his chronically ill wife, Josie, but still served the White Sox as a spring training instructor. After 32 years in the major leagues, he finished his coaching career in 1940 at age 60. Following his retirement, he returned to Laguna Beach, California, where he had made his home since 1913. He served as mayor of the town during the 1940s. He and his wife Josie were married for 45 years, they had no children. Jimmy would die before the book by Lawrence Ritter "The Glory of Their Times" was published. He was 85 years old.
Professional Baseball Player. Born in Swansea, Wales. His father, Alfred, was a shipbuilder who decided to come to the United States in 1885 in search of higher wages. Alfred Austin began work with the Cleveland Shipbuilding Company, and he was able to bring his family to Ohio in 1887 once he had saved enough money. Jimmy was to see his first baseball game at the age of 14, he wanted to teach his new friends the game of Rugby until he saw that first baseball game. After leaving school Jimmy became an apprentice machinist with Westinghouse. After finishing his four-year apprenticeship, Westinghouse went on strike. He took up an offer of $40 a month, plus a job, to play independent ball in Warren, Ohio. He returned to Westinghouse that fall, but in the spring of 1904, he signed with the Central League's Dayton, Ohio club. Jimmy made his major league debut with New York in April, 1909. He played two seasons in New York, but was traded to the St. Louis Browns in 1911 by new Highlanders manager Hal Chase, thus beginning a thirty year career with the Browns as player and coach. His 1911 season with the Browns was his career best in hits (141), doubles (25), and RBI (45), while leading the American League with 34 sacrifices. In 1913, Jimmy set a career high with 37 stolen bases. During that same season, he served the first of three stints as temporary manager of the Browns, guiding the club for eight games in September between the firing of George Stovall and the naming of Branch Rickey as his replacement. In 1920, the 40-year-old became a part-time player, posting a career high .271 batting average in 83 games. Jimmy became a full-time coach with the Browns beginning in 1923, but he did come back to play in exactly one game in the 1923, 1925, 1926, and 1929 seasons, before officially finishing his playing career at age 49. He remained with the Browns through the 1932 season, when Depression-era belt-tightening forced the franchise to let him go. He then joined the Chicago White Sox for an eight-year coaching career in 1933. In 1936, Jimmy resigned his post as a full time coach in order to care for his chronically ill wife, Josie, but still served the White Sox as a spring training instructor. After 32 years in the major leagues, he finished his coaching career in 1940 at age 60. Following his retirement, he returned to Laguna Beach, California, where he had made his home since 1913. He served as mayor of the town during the 1940s. He and his wife Josie were married for 45 years, they had no children. Jimmy would die before the book by Lawrence Ritter "The Glory of Their Times" was published. He was 85 years old.
Bio by: Shock
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