He was their starting shortstop from 1902 until 1904, including the 1902 team that won the American League pennant in the year before the World Series began play.

After batting just .189 in 1904, Cross relinquished the starting role to 19-year-old rookie John Knight for much of 1905, when the Athletics won their second pennant.

In 1915, Cross played semiprofessionally for the Media, Pennsylvania, team in the Delaware County League at age 46.

An April 1916 article in the Lewiston Daily Sun said of Cross, "His easy-going, but nevertheless strict instructions and discipline, together with the knowledge of the inside features of the National game, and the manner in which he teaches them, make an everlasting impression on the students, players, and managers.

[3] In 1923, Cross hosted a show called "Real Baseball Dope" on WIP in Philadelphia, on Mondays and Fridays at 6:45 PM.