Gans was born on July 16, 1886, in
Washington, Pennsylvania, and attended
Washington & Jefferson College. He played most of his seasons for the
Chicago American Giants and the
Lincoln Giants. He took part of what is considered the first "
postseason" series between Negro league baseball teams. The American Giants, considered the best team of the West, faced the best team of the East in the
Lincoln Giants. In Game 14, Gans was the starting pitcher for New York in the decisive game of a series that had spanned nearly a month. He allowed just one run on nine hits as the Lincoln Giants won 4-1 to win their eighth game of the series. A postseason series would not be played again between Negro league teams for eight years. Gans served in the
American Expeditionary Forces during
World War I; he was mustered out of service as a Sergeant of Company M, 803 U. S. Pioneer Infantry on May 19, 1919 with an
Honorable Discharge. In his later years, Gans lived and worked in the city of
Philadelphia, where he died on February 13, 1949, aged 62, and is buried at the Beverly National Cemetery in
Beverly, New Jersey. ==References==