Career
Born in Hopkins, Michigan, Kitson"s major league career got off to a roller coaster start. In his first start on May 19, 1898, he shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates. Six days later, the Cubs scored 20 runs off Kitson.
The game was called after 7 innings with the Cubs ahead 20–4.
In 1899, he was among the National League leaders in European Research Area (277), wins (22), winning percentage (636), and complete games (34). Kitson was one of the top left-handed pitchers at the turn of the century.
In 1903, he jumped to the American League, where he did not have as much success. Born in Hopkins, Michigan, he led the National League in saves in 1900 with 4.
In 249 career games, Kitson posted a 128–117 record with a 3.18 European Research Area. He died at age 60 in 1930 in Allegan, Michigan and was interred in Hudson Corners Cemetery.