Books and articles about Clark Griffith

A native of the prairie, Griffith was a professional trapper at age ten, emulating his father, a commercial hunter. When the Griffiths relocated to Bloomington, IL, young Clark discovered organized baseball. He signed his first pro contract in 1888 with Milwaukee of the Western League, and jumped to the American Association, pitching for both St. Louis and Boston in 1891 before the league collapsed.

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In 1893 Griffith assembled a 30-18 record for the Oakland Oaks (Pacific Coast League). When the Oaks' owners, in mid-season, did not come up with back pay owed the players, Griffith organized his teammates to strike. Needing employment, several of them, including Griffith, audaciously found work as itinerant vaudevillians in San Francisco's Barbary Coast district. When the owners found enough money, the greasepaint was abandoned and the season was completed.

Griffith was signed by Cap Anson for his NL Chicago Colts (later Cubs) in 1893. Griffith's eight years in Chicago were the high point of his playing career, and Anson's tutelage added a dimension to his ambitious personality. The Old Fox earned his nickname by utilizing a six-pitch arsenal, including the screwball (which he claimed to have invented), a silencing quick-pitch delivery, and the ruse of hiding the ball in the plane of his body before delivering. Griffith scuffed, scratched, cut, and spit upon nearly every pitch without hesitation, yet when the call came to make these tactics illegal in 1920, Griffith led that bandwagon. Young Clark claimed it was bad luck to pitch a shutout, and avoided doing so until 1897.

Griffith served as vice president of the League Protective Players' Association, and in 1900, he led the members in baseball's first universal strike. The players wanted the minimum salary raised to $3,000 and their uniforms paid for by the owners. Honorable demands aside, The Old Fox had the ulterior motive of helping old friend Ban Johnson establish his rival American League. He contrived to get every player to pledge not to sign a new contract without LPPA approval. This tactic crippled NL owners. Griffith persuaded 39 NL stars to jump to the AL; for his efforts, he was rewarded with the player/managership of the new Chicago franchise in 1901 and 1902, before moving on to the same duties with the newborn New York Highlanders (later Yankees) from 1903 to 1908. A tremendous animosity grew between Griffith and the New York owners. Oddly enough, the NL took him back with open arms to manage the Cincinnati Reds from 1909 to 1911. But when Johnson convinced him to rebuild the ailing franchise in Washington, Griffith had a home for life.

Placing himself in debt (a position from which he never strayed far), Griffith purchased control of the lackluster Senators over the years 1912-20. His financial ills forever kept him at odds with his players. It was probably an economic motivation that brought about a change in his racial views. As early as 1911, with the Reds, Griffith began signing Cuban ballplayers, the first to do so. The often-broke Griffith sometimes combined sentimentality with a nose for box-office attractions. During the Depression, Griffith sold star outfielder Goose Goslin to Detroit, asserting he could no longer afford him. But when the aging Goslin was released by the Tigers some years later, Griffith found a spot for him on the Senators' roster. War hero Bert Shepard had potential as a pitcher, but lost a leg in combat. Griffith signed him anyway. Wartime blackout restrictions did not prevent him from obtaining government approval to hold more night games than other franchises in order to provide more "R-and-R" for the dayworkers of the Washington bureaucracy. The ex-vaudevillian always knew what drew a crowd. In 1946 he installed the first device to record pitch speed (borrowed from the U.S. Army) so that visiting flamethrower Bob Feller could give the fans a pre-game thrill.

Griffith's major strategic contribution to the game was the development of the relief pitcher. While in New York, he yielded to the pressures from his Tammany Hall owners and pitched his two premier starters, Jack Chesbro and Jack Powell, a staggering 845 combined innings in 1904. In 1905 both were markedly less effective, and completed many fewer games. The Old Fox finished many games for them personally, making a career-high 18 relief appearances that season. Along with John McGraw, Griffith revolutionized baseball with his reliance on the bullpen. He subsequently developed the first great relievers, Allan Russell and Fred Marberry. He turned relief strategy into a weapon against McGraw's Giants in the 1924 World Series. In Game Seven, Griffith sent in a succession of relief pitchers that led McGraw, committed to the lefty-righty percentages, to remove star first baseman Bill Terry from the game. When Griffith finished up with the great Walter Johnson, the Senators went on to win the Series with a 12-inning triumph. (ASN)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 20, 1895: Chicago P Clark Griffith goes 5-for-6 as he and his teammates rout Philadelphia 24–6. Rookie 3B Bill Everett contributes with four hits and five runs. » May 8, 1896: In the top of the 9th inning, Philadelphia's Billy Nash starts to argue with the umpire over a called strike. Clark Griffith throws a pitch in the midst of the argument which nicks Nash's bat, resulting in a DP. Griffith's quick thinking helps the Chicago Colts take a 5–3 victory. » May 24, 1898: Pitcher Clark Griffith of Chicago, ejected from the Baltimore game, spews obscene language at umpire Tom Lynch, who threatens him with the Board of Discipline. Sporting Life notes "the only witness appears to be catcher Bowerman of Baltimore, who is hardly likely to testify against Griffith." » June 19, 1900: In the year’s best pitching duel, Clark Griffith of the Chicago Colts and Rube Waddell of the Pirates match shutouts for 13 innings, before Griffith’s double in the last of the 14th drives in the only run. Waddell strikes out 12. » August 2, 1900: Following a disputed call in a 7–6 loss to Chicago, New York manager George Davis leads the crowd in an assault on umpire William Terry. Clark Griffith emerges with the win for Chicago. » April 24, 1901: Three rain postponements give Chicago the honor of hosting the first game of the new AL. Roy Patterson’s 8-2 win over the Cleveland Blues is the first of his 20; with manager Clark Griffith’s 24, the White Stockings will win the AL’s first pennant. » May 2, 1901: Under overcast skies at Chicago, the Tigers score five runs in the top of the 9th to take a 7-5 lead over the Sox. Clark Griffith then decides to stall, hoping that rain will wash out the last inning out and the score will revert to the eight inning total. Umpire Tom Connolly is in no mood for the slowdown tactics and forfeits the game to Detroit, the first forfeit in the AL. Detroit will win a forfeit against Baltimore on May 31st. » May 23, 1901: In Chicago, the A's score two in the 9th to close to an 11-7 deficit with the White Stockings. Sox manager Clark Griffith relieves with the sacks filled and no outs and pays the supreme compliment to Philadelphia’s Nap Lajoie-he issues him an intentional walk. Griff then gets three ground outs and Chicago wins. Not until (possibly) Mel Ott, on the last day in 1929, and Swish Nicholson in 1944, will a batter be passed intentionally with the sacks filled. » June 2, 1902: The Senators unload three homers in the 3rd inning against the White Sox Clark Griffith as Ed Delahanty, Bill Coughlin and George Carey belt the Old Fox, though not consecutively. After Wyatt Lee doubles, Griffith takes himself out. » August 25, 1902: Ban Johnson announces the AL's intention to have a New York team in 1903, with Clark Griffith as manager. The Baltimore franchise will be moved. » May 17, 1903: With Sunday baseball banned in Cleveland, the Blues and Highlanders play at Columbus, Ohio. with Cleveland's Addie Joss defeating Clark Griffith , 9-2. Dave Fultz is not in New York's lineup today because he opposes Sunday baseball. » June 16, 1903: Against the White Sox, Clark Griffith tosses a 1-0 shutout to give the New York Highlanders their first shutout ever. » May 7, 1906: Umpire Tim Hurst strikes New York Highlander manager Clark Griffith in the mouth. Hurst is suspended for five days. » May 26, 1907: Chicago's Ed Walsh hurls a rain-shortened 5-inning no-hitter against New York. In a steady drizzle, New York is down 4-1 when Manager Clark Griffith lifts starter Al Orth and inserts himself. Hoping to have the game washed out, Griffith loads the bases and then serves a cripple to Walsh, who drives in two runs. The Sox figure two can play that game and, Billy Sullivan, who was on first with a walk, loafs home from 3rd and is tagged out. Umpire Jack Sheridan threatens a forfeiture if the shenanigans continue. Chicago scores two more in the 6th before rain washes out the game and the Sox win 8-1. » June 12, 1907: The Highlanders make it easy for the Tigers by committing 11 errors in the 14-6 win by Detroit. Shortstop Kid Elberfeld leads the bobble gang with four errors; 1B Hal Chase, 3B Frank LaPorte, 2B Jimmy Williams, LF Wid Conroy, and pitchers Al Orth and Bill Hogg each add a miscue. Following the game, New York manager Clark Griffith gets into a fracas with a fan and is charged with assault. Griffith later argues self defense and receives a fine. » June 24, 1908: Charging the Highlander owners with refusing to spend money to build the team, manager Clark Griffith resigns; Kid Elberfeld replaces him following today's 6-6 tie with the A's. New York fades fast and finishes last with 103 losses. » April 23, 1909: In the 6th inning of the Reds-Pirates game in Pittsburgh, Honus Wagner steps across the plate to the other batter's box as Reds P Harry Gaspar delivers the ball. Umpire Bill Klem refuses to call him out. The Pirates win 2-1, but Reds manager Clark Griffith protests and acting NL president John Heydler backs Klem. But the league will override Heydler and Klem and order the game replayed September 20th. The Pirates will win again, by a score of 4-3. » September 15, 1911: Washington manager Jimmy McAleer announces his resignation. Ban Johnson then arranges for McAleer and Robert R. McRoy buy a half-interest in the Red Sox for $150,000. Clark Griffith will take over as manager and, by purchasing 10% of the team, its largest single stock holder. » October 30, 1911: Clark Griffith is named manager at Washington, beginning a stand in the Capital as manager, then owner, that will last until his death in 1955. » August 21, 1912: Thomas C. Noyes, president and part owner of the Senators, dies, opening the way for Clark Griffith to eventually become club owner. » October 4, 1913: Washington manager Clark Griffith uses an unheard-of eight pitchers in an end-of-season farce game with Boston, including five in the 9th inning. At age 43, he pitches one inning himself, and coach John Ryan, also 43, catches. Griffith also plays RF, where he plays one off his head and misplays Hal Janvrin's liner into an inside-the-park homer. On the other end of the scale, 17-year-old Merito Acosta plays outfield alongside Walter Johnson in CF. Johnson then comes in the 8th inning to lob pitches to two hitters. Both batters, Clyde Milan and Steve Yerkes lace hits to send Johnson back to CF, and then, in relief, Nats catcher Eddie Ainsmith, in his only ML pitching appearance, gives up two triples to allow the base runners to score. The Sox score in the 9th on Janvrin's 2nd inside-the-park homer. Joe Gedeon, in his only pitching appearance, retires the last two batters as Washington wins, 10–9, beating Fred Anderson who goes the distance. The two runs "allowed" by Johnson will have historical repercussions: his ERA goes from 1.09 to 1.14, and Bob Gibson's 1.12 ERA in 1968 will put Johnson's ERA in 2nd place on the all-time list. The eight pitchers sets a major-league record that won't be matched until the Dodgers, September 25, 1946. » October 7, 1914: The Senators and the Red Sox wind up the season in a meaningless game in Boston. Washington manager Clark Griffith, 45, makes his final mound appearance, while Boston's star outfielder Tris Speaker does the only pitching of his career, giving up a run in an inning. Babe Ruth, in relief of starter Hugh Bedient, pitches three innings for Boston. » December 4, 1914: Walter Johnson accepts a $6,000 bonus from the FL Chicago Whales and signs a three-year contract for $17,500 per year. Clark Griffith threatens to take Johnson to court, claiming he has paid Johnson for the reserve option in his contract. American League Prexy Ban Johnson asserts that Johnson was on the market and is "damaged goods," worth getting rid of. Griffith travels to Coffeyville, KS, to persuade his franchise player that the option clause is legal and binding. Two weeks later Griffith signs Johnson for three years at $12,500 per year and returns the bonus to the Feds. » December 19, 1914: Washington manager Clark Griffith meets with Walter Johnson in KC and convinces the star to re-sign for $12,500, considerably less than his recent contract with the Chifeds, with the assurance that Griffith would convince the Washington management to spring for a bigger contract later. Washington will later sign Johnson to $16,000 a year for five years. Griffith gets $6,000 from Charles Comiskey to allow Johnson to repay his Chifed signing bonus. » September 26, 1916: Washington manager Clark Griffith excuses several regulars for the remaining games of the season so he can use some new players. Included in the excused is 25-game winner Walter Johnson. In a league-leading 371 IP, he did not give up a home run, an all-time record. » August 19, 1917: Coaching at 3B in a 1–1 game against Washington, Ty Cobb gives base runner "Tioga" George Burns a shove when Burns stops at 3B on a long hit; Burns keeps going and scores the winning run. Clark Griffith protests, and Ban Johnson upholds him, as the rules now ban coaches from touching a runner. The game is replayed, and Washington wins 2–0. » October 6, 1917: Before the World Series starts, Charles Comiskey offers one percent of his team's World Series share to Clark Griffith's Bat and Ball Fund for American soldiers in France. In Chicago, Happy Felsch's home run is the difference as Ed Cicotte beats the Giants' Slim Sallee 2–1 in the Series opener. » November 10, 1919: Clark Griffith becomes a club owner and president when he joins Philadelphia grain broker William Richardson in buying controlling interest in the Washington Senators for $175,000. Griffith, unable to get financial help from the American League, mortgages his Montana ranch to raise funds. » February 9, 1924: Washington owner Clark Griffith names SS Bucky Harris, last year's team captain as the new Nationals' manager. Harris had annoyed Griffith by playing pro basketball over the winter, in violation of his contract, but the owner still tabbed him the job. Harris, 28, team captain, was at spring training when he received the offer by letter. » December 13, 1927: Senators president Clark Griffith gains approval to have Washington open the American League season one day before the rest of the league, to celebrate a "National Day" with the U.S. president throwing out the first ball. The AL also installs Ernest S. Barnard as its president. » October 4, 1932: Clark Griffith announces that Walter Johnson will not be the manager of the Senators in 1933. » October 26, 1934: Washington player-manager Joe Cronin is sold to the Boston Red Sox for $225,000 and Lyn Lary. Recently married to Mildred Robertson, Clark Griffith's niece and adopted daughter, Cronin is signed to a 5-year contract. » February 26, 1943: The Phils sign Bucky Harris as manager. It is the 4th ML club Harris has led, not counting two stints—later 3—at Washington. Clark Griffith, Rogers Hornsby, Donie Bush, and Bill McKechnie have also managed four clubs. » May 15, 1951: At Fenway Park, the Red Sox celebrate the 50th anniversary of their first American League game in Boston. On hand are 29 old-timers who played, managed, or umpired in the AL in that first year including Connie Mack, Dummy Hoy, Cy Young, Hugh Duffy, Clark Griffith, Tom Connolly, Billy Sullivan, Wid Conroy, Bill Bradley, and Ollie Pickering. Eight of the 29 participated in the first AL game, played in Chicago on April 24, 1901. » May 19, 1952: Senators' owner Clark Griffith sells his nephew, C Sherry Robertson, to the A's. Robertson will return to the Senators' front office in 1953, and from 1958 to 1970, will serve as farm director. » March 16, 1953: The AL rejects Veeck's request to move the Browns to Baltimore because he is in control of the team. Spearheaded by Washington owner Clark Griffith, the vote is 6–2 against. The rejection is designed to force Veeck out of the AL. » October 5, 1956: Owner Clark Griffith of the Senators says the club is considering moving to the West Coast because of the delay in building a new Washington stadium. » August 27, 1958: Owner Clark Griffith says that the Senators will probably accept a good offer from Minneapolis/St. Paul, if one is made. » October 20, 1959: Clark Griffith of the Senators says the team will not move the franchise. » June 22, 1984: In a teary home plate ceremony before the Twins-White Sox game at the Metrodome, Calvin Griffith and his sister, Thelma Haynes, sign a letter of intent to sell their 52 percent ownership of the Twins to Minneapolis banker Carl Pohlad for $32 million. Griffith and his sister had been involved with the franchise since 1922, when they were adopted by owner Clark Griffith when the team was the Washington Senators.