Leonard Preston Gilmore

Leonard Preston Gilmore was born to Margaret and Sydney Gilmore on November 3, 1917 in Fairview Park, Indiana. He pursued his love of the game of baseball with a determined passion at a time when playing professional baseball meant working in steel mills or post offices or breweries during the off-season, which was the norm. He pitched for a number of minor league teams throughout the U.S. including Refugio Oilers (Texas Valley League) in 1938, Bisbee Bees (Arizona-Texas League) from 1939-40, Tucson Cowboys (Arizona-Texas League) affiliated with Cincinnati from 1940-42, Albany Senators - farm team to the Pittsburgh Pirates (Eastern League) from 1943-1944, Pittsburgh Pirates (National League) in 1944, Oakland Oaks (Pacific Coast League) in 1945, Milwaukee Brewers (American Association) in 1946, Oakland Oaks (Pacific Coast League) in 1946, Oklahoma City Indians (Texas League) affiliated with Cleveland from 1946-1948, Greenville Majors (Big State League) in 1949, Texarkana Bears (Big State League) in 1949 and the Oklahoma City Indians (Texas League) affiliated with Cleveland from 1949-50. He most especially enjoyed his time playing ball for Tucson and Texas. Leonard reached the major leagues as a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1944. At the end of his baseball career in 1950, Leonard went to work for the Oklahoma City Fire Department and retired a Captain in 1970. One day, while pitching for the Oklahoma City Indians, Leonard was riding a streetcar in downtown Oklahoma City and caught a glimpse of a beautiful young woman wearing a large-brimmed black hat walking down the street. He successfully pursued her as well, and they eventually married on September 5, 1950. Leonard and Virginia loved and were committed to each other in marriage until his recent death on February 18, 2011. Besides Virginia, also surviving are their two daughters, Lynne Gilmore Arnold (of Great Falls, Virginia) and Terri Gilmore Mason (of Wooster, Ohio) and two granddaughters, Jennifer and Kristin. Leonard was a devout Catholic, a loving husband, father and grandfather. May the Lord watch between me and thee while we are absent one from the other.