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Gibson was also a nephew of William Southam, founder of Southam Newspapers in 1904 and brother of Richard Southam, manager of the London Tecumsehs baseball team in 1877 . The highlight of Gibson's playing career was winning the World Series with Pittsburgh in 1909 by beating Ty Cobb 's Detroit Tigers . Arriving back at the train station of his hometown of London, Ontario after winning the World Series, Gibson found 5,000 cheering fans to greet him. At the time, the population of London was approximately 35,000. On September 9 , 1909, Mooney caught his 112th consecutive game, breaking Chief Zimmer's 1890 record. Gibson's streak came to an end at 140 consecutive games behind the plate. In 1921 , Gibson, as manager of Pittsburgh, led the Pirates to three first-division finishes. Born a stone's throw away from Tecumseh Park (today's Labatt Memorial Park ) in London West, Gibson gained the nickname, "Mooney," early in his career due to his round, moon-like face. Today, there is a commemorative plaque prominently displayed at the entrance to the main Grandstand at Labatt Park in Gibson's honour. TWENTY-NINE YEARS IN THE BIG LEAGUES Gibson first signed a pro contract in 1903 and joined the Pittsburgh Pirates two years later on July 2 , 1905 , at age 24. He had a strong throwing arm and led National League catchers in fielding percentage several times. Gibson played in the Major Leagues until August 20 , 1918 , 12 years with the Pirates and two years with the New York Giants, appearing in 1,213 games. Known as a developer of young pitchers, Gibson later managed the Pirates ( 1920 - 1922 , 1932 - 1934 ) and the Chicago Cubs ( 1925 ). POST-CAREER HONOURS Gibson was named Canada's Baseball Player of the half century in 1958 and was the first baseball player elected to the Canadian Sports Hall Of Fame . He was subsequently inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall Of Fame & Museum in 1987 and was one of the inaugural 10 inductees into the London Sports Hall of Fame in 2001 . HOME DEMOLISHED During his managing years, Gibson owned both a large farm near Delaware, Ontario , where he often entertained many of the major-league stars of the day during the off-season and a large home at 252 Central Avenue across from Victoria Park in downtown London. The home on Central Avenue was demolished by prominent London land developer Farhi Holdings Inc. after a protracted and heated public debate in 2003 . In exchange for the demolition permit from the City of London, Farhi Holdings President Shmuel Farhi promised to erect a plaque or statue in Gibson's honour at Labatt Park or at 252 Central Avenue, neither of which has occurred, notwithstanding that this condition was part of a council resolution. However, there has been a plaque at Labatt Park to Mooney Gibson since 1988, erected by the London Public Library Board's Heritage Sites Committee. The plaque went missing in 2000 and was replaced at the initiative of The Friends of Labatt Park and the LPL's Heritage Sites Committee in 2002 and placed on the wall of the park's new main grandstand, completed in the Spring of 2001 . CONNECTION TO LABATT BREWING FAMILY When Gibson lived at 252 Central Avenue in London during the 1920s and 1930s, his immediate neighbours to the east were members of the Labatt brewing family, with whom Gibson frequently socialized. It is believed that Gibson played a significant role in the decision by John and Hugh Labatt to purchase Tecumseh Park and donate it to the City (along with $10,000 for repairs and maintenance), which occurred on December 31 , 1936 , after which Tecumseh Park was officially renamed "The John Labatt Memorial Athletic Park." Gibson died at age 86 in London and is buried at Campbell Cemetery in Komoka, Ontario , not far from his Delaware farm. Near Gibson's former farm is a road named in his honour after Gibson donated some land for public use to the area conservation authority of the day. EXTERNAL LINKS
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