Jim Gilbert To Report at Georgia Camp

The Portsmouth Times, March 24, 1956, p. 17

Jim Gilbert is to begin spring training April 3 at the Pittsburgh Pirate minor league camp at Burnswick, Georgia.

The former Minford High School athlete is assinged to Grand Forks, North Dakota, of the Class C Northern League for the 1956 season.

Gilbert signed a contract with the Pirate organization last summer and finished the season with Burnswick in the Class D Georgia/Florida League.  He had a brief stay with Lincoln, Nebraska in the Class A Western League before going to Brunswick.

Gilbert played in the outfield at Brusnwick as the Pirate farm team won the loop pennant and post-season playoffs.  It's the same league in which Dick Bays of Wheelersburg played for Valdosta.

Gilbert, a two-sport star at Minford, was switched from the infield by Brunswick.  But he has played nearly every position on the field.  In high school and at Lincoln Memorial University at Harrogate, Tennessee, he played in the infield.  He played three years of varsity ball at LMU.

Gilbert also was an outstanding pitcher at Minford High and for the Minford Merchants in the independent Ohio Valley League.

He's a son of Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Gilbert of near Minford.  A brother, Dan, is first-string catcher at the University of Cincinnati and another, Ed, played first base last season for the Minford Merchants.