For 11 years, Gibson was a full-time or platooned Pirate catcher. He set a Pittsburgh record with 1,113 games caught from 1905 through 1916. The burly Canadian was a surprisingly light hitter. Named Pirate manager by owner Barney Dreyfus in 1920, the team folded down the stretch in 1921 and Gibson quit in mid-1922. He was rehired by new owner Bill Benswanger ten years later, guided the Pirates to second-place finishes in 1932-33, but was fired after a slow start in 1934. Though he compiled a .546 career winning percentage, Gibson reputedly was unable to maintain discipline.
