Major League Baseball Player. Nicknamed "Junior" because he was the youngest member of the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro National League, he was a Negro League All-Star second baseman who signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951 and broke into Major League Baseball in 1953. As the Dodger second baseman, Gilliam was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1953, setting a league rookie record with 100 walks. He also led the league with 17 triples, and scored a career high 125 runs. He scored at least 100 runs in each of his first four seasons, and hit .300 in 1956, when he was also named to the National League All-Star team. Gilliam was a fan favorite in the Dodgers' first season in Los Angeles (1958), by leading the club in hits, doubles, steals, walks and fielding percentage. Switched to third base in 1959, he homered in the second 1959 All-Star Game. He retired in 1964 to become the Dodgers' third base coach, but came out of retirement in 1965 to hit .280 and help the Dodgers win the 1965 World Series. He retired again after the '65 season, but returned to the team once more to help the Dodgers repeat as National League champions in 1966. He retired after the '66 season and became a Dodger coach until his sudden death of a brain hemorrhage just before the start of the 1978 World Series. The Dodgers retired his uniform number 19.
Major League Baseball Player. Nicknamed "Junior" because he was the youngest member of the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro National League, he was a Negro League All-Star second baseman who signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951 and broke into Major League Baseball in 1953. As the Dodger second baseman, Gilliam was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1953, setting a league rookie record with 100 walks. He also led the league with 17 triples, and scored a career high 125 runs. He scored at least 100 runs in each of his first four seasons, and hit .300 in 1956, when he was also named to the National League All-Star team. Gilliam was a fan favorite in the Dodgers' first season in Los Angeles (1958), by leading the club in hits, doubles, steals, walks and fielding percentage. Switched to third base in 1959, he homered in the second 1959 All-Star Game. He retired in 1964 to become the Dodgers' third base coach, but came out of retirement in 1965 to hit .280 and help the Dodgers win the 1965 World Series. He retired again after the '65 season, but returned to the team once more to help the Dodgers repeat as National League champions in 1966. He retired after the '66 season and became a Dodger coach until his sudden death of a brain hemorrhage just before the start of the 1978 World Series. The Dodgers retired his uniform number 19.
Bio by: Craig Johnson
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In Loving Memory
Jim Gilliam
1928 - 1978
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