A native of Terre Haute, from age 13 to 19, he attended Fort Wayne Theological Seminary and played baseball in town. After graduating, he was signed by a Central League team from South Bend. He started his Major League career in 1910 and it lasted until 1929, helping the Pirates win the 1925 World Series. He also finished with 738 steals, a National League record until Lou Brock broke it in 1974. He finished with a .285 career batting average with 2,665 hits and 802 RBIs. He was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961.