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James Robert "Loafer" McAleer (July 10, 1864April 29, 1931) was an American center fielder, manager, and stockholder in Major League Baseball who assisted in establishing the American League.〔 〕 He spent most of his 13-season playing career with the Cleveland Spiders,〔(【引用サイトリンク】 Jimmy McAleer )〕 and went on to manage the Cleveland Blues, St. Louis Browns, and Washington Senators. Shortly before his retirement, he became a major shareholder in the Boston Red Sox.〔 His career ended abruptly. During his brief tenure as co-owner of the Red Sox, McAleer quarreled with longtime friend and colleague Ban Johnson, president of the American League.〔 〕 In the wake of this disagreement, he sold off his shares in the Red Sox and broke off his relationship with Major League Baseball.〔 〕 McAleer's rift with Johnson, along with his sudden retirement, damaged his professional reputation, and he received little recognition for his contributions to baseball.〔 Today, he is most often remembered for initiating the customary request that the President of the United States throw out the first ball of the season.〔 ==Early years== McAleer was born in Youngstown, Ohio, an industrial center located near the border of western Pennsylvania. His father, Owen McAleer, died at a young age, leaving McAleer's mother, Mary, to support three children.〔 〕 The family lived on the city's west side, where the McAleer children were raised to value the concept of formal education. McAleer attended local public schools and graduated from Rayen High School.〔 In later years, all three of the McAleer brothers moved on to successful careers, and the oldest, Owen McAleer, Jr., served for a time as mayor of Los Angeles.〔 A "strapping six-foot 175-pound outfielder,"〔 McAleer won early recognition for his physical speed.〔 He became involved with a Youngstown minor league baseball club in 1882, remaining with the team until 1884.〔 In 1885, McAleer joined another minor league organization in Charleston, South Carolina; and in 1887, he played for a team based in Memphis, Tennessee.〔 His skill as a center fielder was recognized in 1888, while he was playing for a club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.〔 Although his primary focus was organized sports, McAleer was also drawn to the field of entertainment. During one season of his minor league career, he became part-owner of the DeHaven Comedy Company, a theatrical road troupe that was organized in Youngstown.〔 His interest in show business remained a constant, and in later years McAleer developed a strong friendship with Broadway composer and performer George M. Cohan.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Jimmy McAleer」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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