Clark Griffith
From SoSH
| Born: | November 20,1869 |
| Birthplace: | Clear Creek, Missouri |
| Height: | 5' 6" |
| Weight: | 165 lbs |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Drafted: | |
| College: | |
| High School: | |
| Teams: | St. Louis Browns 1891 Boston Reds 1891 Chicago Orphans 1893-1900 Chicago White Sox 1901-1902 NY Highlanders 1903-1907 Cincinnati Reds 1909 Washington Senators 1912-1914 |
| Managed: | NY Highlanders 1903-1908 Cincinnati Reds 1909-1911 Washington Senators 1912-1920 |
Contents |
Overall Career
Clark Calvin Griffith (born November 20, 1869 in Clear Creek, MO) is a former Major League Baseball manager for the New York Highlanders (1903-1908) , Cincinnati Reds (1909-1911) and Washington Senators (1912-1920).
Remembered mainly as the tight-fisted owner of the Washington Senators, Clark Griffith spent over 60 years in baseball as a pitcher, manager and owner, as well as owning several minor-league affiliates. In 1891 he began his career as a pitcher in the American Association, compiling an 11-8 record for the St. Louis Browns and a 3-1 mark for the Boston Red Stockings. He then latched on with the Chicago Colts and the Chicago Orphans from 1892 through 1900 before jumping over to Charlie Comiskey's Chicago White Stockings in 1901, compiling a 24-7 record and limiting opponents to a 2.67 ERA. He was the first star of the National League to jump over to the upstart American League, credited in his lifetime for being a key player in the league's early days. Also serving as manager, Griffith led the White Stockings to a 83-53 record and the pennant.
He then managed the New York Highlanders to a 419-370 record between 1903 and 1908, never finishing higher than second and basically retiring as a active pitcher after the 1906 season. After managing the Cincinnati Reds to three mediocre finishes, Griffith was hired as manager of the Washington Nationals (also known as the Senators) for the 1912 season. Despite having a mediocre record (693-646) as manager, Griffith positioned himself to buy 10 percent of the Nationals in 1920 after mortgaging his farm, eventually controlling the rest of the team with other owners.
Awards
- Elected to Hall of Fame by Veterans Committee in 1946
Achievements
Player
- 1897 National League Complete Games Leader
- 1898 National League ERA Leader
- 1901 American League Winning Percentage Leader
- 2-time League Shutouts Leader (1900/NL & 1901/AL)
- 15 Wins Seasons: 8 (1894-1899, 1901 & 1902)
- 20 Wins Seasons: 7 (1894-1899 & 1901)
- 25 Wins Seasons: 1 (1895)
- 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 11 (1891 & 1894-1903)
- 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 5 (1895-1899)
Manager
- AL Pennants: 1 (1901)
Trivia
- Two of his daughters married ballplayers, Mildred married Joe Cronin and Thelma married Joe Haynes.
- Nickname: The Old Fox
Transactions
- March 27, 1891: Jumped from the Milwaukee (Western) to the St. Louis Browns.
- July, 1891: Released by the St. Louis Browns.
- August, 1891: Signed as a Free Agent with the Boston Reds. (Exact date is uncertain.)
- August, 1893: Signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Colts.
- Before 1901 Season: Jumped from the Chicago Orphans to the Chicago White Sox.
- Before 1903 Season: Sent from the Chicago White Sox to the New York Highlanders in an unknown transaction.
External Links
- Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
- Baseball-Reference.com - Career Managerial Record
- Clark Griffith: Hall of Fame Page
- 1946 Hall of Fame Class
