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Clark Griffith

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with his nephew, Canadian-born team ownerCalvin Griffith(1911–1999).

Clark Griffith
Pitcher/Manager/Owner
Born:(1869-11-20)November 20, 1869
Clear Creek, Missouri,U.S.
Died:October 27, 1955(1955-10-27)(aged 85)
Washington, D.C.,U.S.
Batted:Right
Threw:Right
MLB debut
April 11, 1891, for the St. Louis Browns
Last MLB appearance
October 7, 1914, for the Washington Senators
MLB statistics
Win–loss record237–146
Earned run average3.31
Strikeouts955
Managerial record1,491–1,367
Winning %.522
Teams
As player

As manager

As owner

Career highlights and awards
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction1946
Election methodOld-Timers Committee

Clark Calvin Griffith(November 20, 1869 – October 27, 1955,[1]), nicknamed "the Old Fox",was an AmericanMajor League Baseball(MLB)pitcher,managerand team owner. He began his MLB playing career with theSt. Louis Browns(1891),Boston Reds(1891), andChicago Colts/Orphans(1893–1900). He then served asplayer-managerfor theChicago White Stockings(1901–1902) andNew York Highlanders(1903–1907).

He retired as a player after the 1907 season, remaining manager of the Highlanders in 1908. He managed theCincinnati Reds(1909–1911) andWashington Senators(1912–1920), making some appearances as a player with both teams. He owned the Senators from 1920 until his death in 1955. Sometimes known for being a thrifty executive, Griffith is also remembered for attracting talented players from theNational Leagueto play for the upstartAmerican Leaguewhen the Junior Circuit was in its infancy. Griffith was elected to theNational Baseball Hall of Famein 1946.

Early life

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Clark Calvin Griffith was born on November 20, 1869, inClear Creek, Missouri,to Isaiah and Sarah Anne Griffith. His parents were of Welsh ancestry. They had lived in Illinois before Clark Griffith's birth. The family took a covered wagon west toward theOklahoma Territory.Along the way, the family encountered hungry and disenchanted people returning from the Oklahoma Territory, so they decided to settle in Missouri. Griffith grew up with five siblings, four of them older.[2]

When Griffith was a small child, his father was killed in a hunting accident when fellow hunters mistook him for a deer.[3]Sarah Griffith struggled to raise her children as a widow, but Clark Griffith later said that his neighbors in Missouri had been very helpful to his mother, planting crops for her and the children. Fearing amalariaepidemic that was sweeping through the area, the Griffith family moved toBloomington, Illinois.[4]

A childhood incident taught him about the money side to baseball, Griffith recalled. When he was 13, he and a few other young boys had raised $1.25 to buy a baseball. They sent one of the boys 12 miles on horseback to make the purchase. The ball burst the second time that it was struck. Griffith later found out that the boy who purchased the ball only spent a quarter, keeping the leftover dollar.[5]At the age of 17, Griffith had made $10 pitching in a local baseball game inHoopeston, Illinois.[6]

Professional career

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St. Louis Browns and Boston Reds (1891)

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Griffith entered theAmerican Associationin 1891, pitching226+1⁄3innings and winning 14 games for theSt. Louis BrownsandBoston Reds.

Chicago Colts / Orphans (1893–1900)

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Griffith began the following season with theChicago Colts.In 1893, the pitchers box was moved back; it had been 55 feet from home plate and was moved to the modern distance of 60 feet, six inches. Following that change, offensive numbers increased across baseball and many pitchers had to adjust their approaches.[7]

Griffith in 1903

Cap Ansonwas the player-manager of the Colts during Griffith's tenure and he utilized a rotation of only three starting pitchers. Just before Griffith's arrival on the team, pitcherBill Hutchisonhad thrown more than 600 innings in a single season for Anson, which may have contributed to a decline in Hutchison's career. Griffith tried a new pitch to increase his longevity. By modifying the grip of acurveball,he threw a pitch similar to thescrewballthatChristy Mathewsonhad developed. He also often scuffed balls with his spikes or rubbed them in the grass.[7]

In 1894, Griffith began a string of six consecutive seasons with 20 or more victories, compiling a 21–14 record and 4.92earned run average(ERA). Griffith lowered his ERA over the following years to a low of 1.88 in 1898, the lowest mark in the league.

Managerial career

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Chicago White Stockings (1901–1902)

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WhenBan Johnson,a longtime friend, announced plans to form theAmerican League,Griffith was one of the ringleaders in getting National League players to jump ship. Using the cover of his post as vice president of the League Protective Players' Association (a nascent players' union), Griffith persuaded 39 players to sign on with the new league forthe 1901 season.Griffith himself signed on with theChicago White Stockingsasplayer-manager.He won 20 games for the final time in his career and led the White Stockings to the first AL pennant with an 83–53 record.

New York Highlanders (1903–1908)

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Griffith atHilltop Park,1909

At Johnson's suggestion, Griffith left Chicago in1903to take over as manager of theNew York Highlanders.The Highlanders had just moved fromBaltimore,and Johnson knew that for the league to be successful, it needed a strong franchise in the nation's biggest city. Griffith's last year as a regular player was1907after he nearly suffered a breakdown from overwork in April 1907.[8]

After a falling-out with the Highlanders' ownership, Griffith was fired during the 1908 season. The team had started strong, but the team's pitching faltered as the season progressed and Griffith was criticized for trading awayJimmy Williamsin exchange for a disappointing prospect.[9]

He made brief appearances as a player for the Reds (1909–1910) and Senators (1912, 1913 and 1914).[10]

Cincinnati Reds (1909–1911)

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Griffith returned to the National League as manager of theCincinnati Redsin1909.

Managers Griffith andChance

Washington Senators (1912–1920)

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Late in the1911season, the American League'sWashington Senatorsneeded to raise money to pay for the construction of their new park, National Park, which had been hurriedly built just days before the start of the season after its predecessor,Boundary Park,burned down. Principal ownerThomas C. Noyeshad been friends with Griffith, and asked one of his minority partners, Ed Walsh, to come to Washington as manager in1912.At the same time, he also bought stock in the team as part of an effort to finance the construction of National Park. By selling the cattle on his Montana ranch, then mortgaging the ranch, Griffith was able to acquire a 10 percent stake in the Senators in two separate transactions totaling $27,000 ($852,455 in 2023 dollars), making him the team's largest single shareholder.[11]At the time, the franchise had little going for it other than star pitcherWalter Johnson.In the American League's first 12 years, the Senators had never had a winning record or finished higher than sixth.

To entertain the fans, Griffith hiredNick Altrockas a first base coach in his first season with Washington. Described as a "natural buffoon", Altrock engaged in lighthearted fun while coaching first base. He wrestled with himself, copied the motions of the pitcher and made the fans laugh with other antics.[12]Griffith also engineered one of the biggest turnarounds in major league history, leading the Senators to second place. In nine years, his Washington teams only twice finished below fifth in the eight-team league.

Through this time, Griffith frequently clashed with the Senators executives, who were sometimes unwilling to spend the money he felt necessary to make the team a consistent winner. Noyes had died in the middle of the 1912 season and was succeeded as president byBenjamin Minor.Unlike Noyes, Minor insisted that Griffith clear all transactions with him. Griffith began an effort to increase his interest in the team. Along the way, he used his ties withSecretary of WarNewton D. Bakerto keep the baseball season going past July after the government issued a "work or fight" order requiring all able-bodied men to either serve in the military or work in an essential occupation. Griffith persuaded Baker to allow ballplayers to perform military drills on the field with bats rather than rifles, allowing the season to go on through Labor Day.[11]

In late 1919, frustrated by continued resistance on the board, Griffith joined forces withPhiladelphiagrain broker William Richardson, a close friend of Mack's, to buy controlling interest in the Senators.[11]Minor was more than willing to sell, believing he could no longer devote attention to the team.[13]Griffith boosted his holdings to 44 percent, while Richardson bought a 40.4 percent stake. Richardson and Griffith quickly came to an agreement that allowed Griffith to vote Richardson's shares as well, effectively giving Griffith a commanding 84 percent controlling interest.[11]This all but assured his election as team president that November. At the same time, the Senators' home park, National Park, was renamedGriffith Stadium.

Griffith stepped down as manager after the 1920 season to devote all his energy to the front office. He finished his managerial career with a 1,491–1,367 record. His 1,491 wins ranked 19th all-time as of 2005. During his managing tenure, Griffith had a tradition of treating the fans to a farce game as the final game of the season. This tradition is a factor in the inflation of Walter Johnson's minuscule ERA from 1.09 to 1.14 in 1913.

Harry Heilmann,in a poorly executed slide, is tagged out by Washington Senators' third basemanHoward Shanks,1921.

Griffith was known for running the Senators on a shoestring. This was almost out of necessity; unlike most other owners, he had no income other than the Senators and Griffith Stadium. However, theWashington Redskins(who moved into the stadium in 1937 from Boston) and other tenants enabled him to turn a profit for 21 straight years.

He was known for his faith in young players. He twice entrusted 27-year-old players to manage his teams—Bucky Harrisin1924andJoe Croninin1933.Griffith's wagers appeared to pay off, as the Senators won the pennant in both years under their new youthful managers. In Harris' case, they won the1924 World Series.Cronin came to the team as a player when Griffith's friendJoe Engel,a former Senators pitcher, was placed in charge of theChattanooga LookoutsatEngel Stadium.Engel was the first to scout Cronin for the club and said, "I knew I was watching a great player. I bought Cronin at a time he was hitting.221. When I told Clark Griffith what I had done, he screamed," You paid $7,500 for that bum? Well, you didn't buy him for me. You bought him for yourself. He's not my ballplayer – he's yours. You keep him and don't either you or Cronin show up at the ballpark. "Cronin later married Griffith's niece, Mildred June Robertson.[14]He also leaned heavily onJoe Cambria,a scout who frequently found talented Cuban players for Griffith.[11]

Ironically given his faith in young players, Griffith either would not or could not spend money on afarm system,preferring to mine prospects from independent minor league teams. For a time, the Senators had only three minor league teams–the Class A1 (nowDouble-A) Lookouts, the Class B (equivalent to a short-season A team before 2021, and aLow-Ateam since 2021)Charlotte Hornets,and the Class D (equivalent to a Rookie-level team today)Orlando Senators.This was a major reason why the Senators were unable to put together a consistent winner, especially after World War II.[11]

Through all of this, Griffith's hold on the team appeared secure. When Richardson died in 1942, his twin brother,George,inherited his stake and voiced full confidence in Griffith. However, George died in 1948, triggering a series of events that almost cost Griffith control of the team. In1949,after a string of mostly humdrum seasons, the Richardson estate sold its stake toJohn Jachym,a businessman who had been a scout for theSt. Louis CardinalsandDetroit Tigers.Griffith long believed he had the right to match any offer made by the Richardson estate, and was surprised when Jachym arrived at Griffith Stadium as part-owner. Jachym had no intention of being a silent partner, but Griffith was able to persuade his board to rebuff Jachym's effort to have any say in team affairs. He was particularly angered when Jachym expressed his fondness for longtime Cardinals general managerBranch Rickey,whom Griffith had long detested. When Jachym proposed buying theBuffalo Bisonsof theInternational League,which would have given the Senators a Triple-A team for the first time, Griffith turned the request down out of hand.[11]

Frustrated at being shut out, Jachym sold his stake toH. Gabriel Murphysix months later.[11]However, Griffith understood that unless the team improved, the next vote would go against him.

The 1937 All-Star game, played atGriffith Stadium,featuring seven Hall of Fame American League players. (Lou Gehrig,Joe Cronin,Bill Dickey,Joe DiMaggio,Charlie Gehringer,Jimmie Foxx,andHank Greenberg)

To protect himself, Griffith persuaded Murphy to sell him enough stock to give him 52 percent of the club, making Griffith majority owner in name as well as in fact. In return, Griffith gave Murphy right of first refusal on his shares should the Griffiths ever decide to sell. However, Griffith stubbornly resisted all efforts to modernize. For example, it would be 1955 before he hired as manager anyone who wasn't a current Senators or ex-Senators player.[15]Additionally, he actively supported theSt. Louis Browns' move toBaltimore,a mere 30 miles north, as theBaltimore Orioles,even though it would have almost certainly cut into the Senators' attendance.[11]

Managerial record

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Team Year Regular season Postseason
Games Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
CWS 1901 136 83 53 .610 1st in AL – – – No postseason
CWS 1902 134 74 60 .552 4th in AL – – – –
CWS total 270 157 113 .581 0 0 –
NYH 1903 134 72 62 .537 4th in AL – – – –
NYH 1904 151 92 59 .609 2nd in AL – – – –
NYH 1905 149 71 78 .477 6th in AL – – – –
NYH 1906 151 90 61 .596 2nd in AL – – – –
NYH 1907 148 70 78 .473 5th in AL – – – –
NYH 1908 56 24 32 .429 fired – – – –
NYH total 789 419 370 .531 0 0 –
CIN 1909 153 77 76 .503 4th in NL – – – –
CIN 1910 154 75 79 .487 5th in NL – – – –
CIN 1911 153 70 83 .458 6th in NL – – – –
CIN total 470 222 238 .483 0 0 –
WSH 1912 152 91 61 .599 2nd in AL – – – –
WSH 1913 154 90 64 .584 2nd in AL – – – –
WSH 1914 154 81 73 .526 3rd in AL – – – –
WSH 1915 153 85 68 .556 4th in AL – – – –
WSH 1916 153 76 77 .497 7th in AL – – – –
WSH 1917 153 74 79 .484 5th in AL – – – –
WSH 1918 128 72 56 .563 3rd in AL – – – –
WSH 1919 140 56 84 .400 7th in AL – – – –
WSH 1920 152 68 84 .447 6th in AL – – – –
WSH total 1339 693 646 .518 0 0 –
Total[16] 2858 1491 1367 .522 0 0 –

National Baseball Hall of Fame

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T206Griffithbaseball card

In 1939, sportswriterBob Considineexpressed disappointment that Griffith had not already been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He referred to Griffith as "the real father of the American League", citing the fact that Griffith had been a key force in attracting National League players to join the American League teams in their initial years. He wrote that Griffith "belongs in any hall of fame where the elective body is composed of sports writers, for no other reason than that no sports writer ever came away from the old guy without a story. Some of them were even kindly stories."[17]

Griffith had appeared on ballot for the secondBaseball Hall of Fameelection (1937), but he received 2% of the possible votes.[18]In 1938, he received votes on only 3.8% of the submitted ballots.[19]He received votes on 7.3% of ballots the next year.[20]The Hall of Fame held only triennial elections for a few years.[21]In 1942, 30.5% of voters submitted Griffith's name.[22]

Griffith was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Old Timers Committee in1946.He was honored at the induction ceremony the following year. According to author Dennis Corcoran, Griffith had attended the initial Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 1939 but that there is no evidence that Griffith came to the 1947 induction or any other ceremony.[23]

Death and legacy

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Memorial to Griffith atTinker FieldinOrlando

In October 1955, Griffith was in the hospital withneuritiswhen he suffered a stomach hemorrhage.[24]Though he appeared to be improving, Griffith died a few days after he was hospitalized. He was nearing his 86th birthday.[25]

After his death, newspaper accounts described Griffith's longtime relationships with U.S. presidents. DuringWorld War I,he successfully petitionedWoodrow Wilsonto allow the continuation of baseball. He did the same withFranklin D. RooseveltduringWorld War II.He had also begun a tradition of presidents throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at a season's firstOpening Daygame, which started withWilliam Howard Taft.[25]When the Baseball Hall of Fame was being built and was looking for baseball memorabilia, Griffith donated several photographs of these presidential first pitches.[26]

League presidentWill Harridgecalled Griffith "one of the game's all-time great figures."[27]Griffith was survived by his wife, who died of aheart attacktwo years later.[28]He and his wife had no children, but they raised several relatives.[29]One of those relatives wasCalvin Griffith,who was informally adopted by Clark and Addie at the age of 11. Calvin took over the team after his uncle's death and led efforts to have the club moved to Minnesota and become the Twins. The younger Griffith held on to the team until 1984, when he sold it toCarl Pohlad–ending the Griffith family's 65-year ownership of the franchise. Another nephew,Sherry Robertson,played infield and outfield for the Senators and thePhiladelphia Athleticsin the 1940s and 1950s.[30]

A monument was erected in honor of Griffith at Griffith Stadium. After the stadium was demolished in 1964, the obelisk was moved toRobert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium,where theWashington Nationalsplayed between 2005 and 2007.[31]A collegiate baseball league, the National Capital City Junior League, was renamed in honor of Griffith after his death.[32]The league suspended operations in 2010.[33]

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  • Woodrow Wilson opens the season at Griffith Stadium, April 20, 1916
    Woodrow Wilsonopens the season at Griffith Stadium, April 20, 1916
  • Griffith presents President Franklin D. Roosevelt with a gold pass
    Griffith presents PresidentFranklin D. Rooseveltwith a gold pass
  • Clark Griffith as Manager of the Washington Senators, 1913
    Clark Griffith as Manager of theWashington Senators,1913
  • W. M. Richardson, Judge Landis and Clark Griffith, 1924
    W. M. Richardson,Judge Landisand Clark Griffith, 1924
  • John F. Kennedy throws out the first ball, Opening Day, April 10, 1961 is incorrectly attributed to the original Senators, (Moved to MN, inaugural season was 1961) as the expansion Senators team who would become the Texas Rangers were in place.
    John F. Kennedythrows out the first ball, Opening Day, April 10, 1961 is incorrectly attributed to the original Senators, (Moved to MN, inaugural season was 1961) as the expansion Senators team who would become the Texas Rangers were in place.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^"Clark C. Griffith of Senators Dies"(PDF, fee required).The New York Times.October 28, 1955. p. 25.RetrievedOctober 12,2008.
  2. ^Leavengood, p. 9
  3. ^"Clark Griffith was raised near Sheldon".Nevada Daily Mail.October 11, 1911.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  4. ^Bradham, Kelly (June 3, 1973)."Clark Griffith: Baseball great".Nevada Daily Mail.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  5. ^Gilmore, Eddy (February 25, 1940)."Clark Griffith Continues Colorful Baseball Career".The Palm Beach Post.RetrievedSeptember 18,2013.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^Lenehan, Michael (August 1, 1981)."The Last of the Pure Baseball Men".The Atlantic.RetrievedSeptember 18,2013.
  7. ^abLeavengood, pp. 22-23.
  8. ^"Clark Griffith Ill; Highlanders' Player Manager on Verge of a Breakdown".Philadelphia, Inquirer.Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. April 9, 1907. p. 10.
  9. ^"Clark Griffith Never Had Chance to Resign, Was Summarily Dismissed from Highlanders".Duluth Daily Star.October 30, 1908.RetrievedSeptember 18,2013.
  10. ^The Duluth Daily Starvia Google News Archive Search
  11. ^abcdefghiAndrew Sharp (2017)."Washington Senators I team ownership history".Society for American Baseball Research.
  12. ^Kelly, John (September 20, 2011)."Nick Altrock: A life rich in the stuff of D.C. baseball lore".The Washington Post.Archived fromthe originalon September 18, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 18,2013.
  13. ^"History of baseball in D.C."Major League Baseball.September 29, 2004.
  14. ^Armour, Mark (2010).Joe Cronin: A Life in Baseball.University of Nebraska Press.p. 69.ISBN978-0803229969.
  15. ^"Washington Senators Managers (1901 - 1960) by Baseball Almanac".
  16. ^"Clark Griffith".Baseball Reference.Sports Reference LLC.RetrievedAugust 2,2016.
  17. ^Considine, Bob (November 23, 1939)."Griffith nominated for Hall of Fame".Deseret News.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  18. ^"1937 Hall of Fame voting".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  19. ^"1938 Hall of Fame voting".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  20. ^"1939 Hall of Fame voting".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  21. ^"Hall of Fame ballot history".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  22. ^"1942 Hall of Fame voting".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  23. ^Corcoran, Dennis (2010).Induction Day at Cooperstown: A History of the Baseball Hall of Fame Ceremony.McFarland. p. 50.ISBN978-0786491476.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  24. ^"Baseball's Griffith on Critical List".The Miami News.October 23, 1955.RetrievedSeptember 18,2013.[permanent dead link]
  25. ^ab"Baseball world mourns death of Clark Griffith".Times-News.October 28, 1955.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  26. ^Corcoran (2010), page 13.
  27. ^Altschull, Herb (October 28, 1955)."Clark Griffith, Great Figure in Baseball History, Dies".The Portsmouth Times.RetrievedSeptember 18,2013.
  28. ^"Mrs. Clark Griffith dies of heart attack".The Tuscaloosa News.October 14, 1957.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  29. ^"Clark Griffith, aged owner of Senators, dies".Gettysburg Times.October 20, 1936.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  30. ^"Sherry Robertson Statistics and History".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedJanuary 1,2015.
  31. ^Wood, Phil."A future moving experience".MASN.Archived fromthe originalon February 6, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 18,2013.
  32. ^"History of the Clark Griffith League".Clark C. Griffith Collegiate Baseball League. Archived fromthe originalon September 3, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 18,2013.
  33. ^"Clark Griffith Baseball".Clark C. Griffith Collegiate Baseball League. Archived fromthe originalon April 2, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 18,2013.

References

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