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Great Baseball Showman Continued from Page A-L Salary of $30,000

Great Baseball Showman Continued from Page A-L Salary of $30,000

THE EVENING STAR, Washington, D. C. A-6 niMT, ocToaaa ta. i»ea Dies at 85, Great Showman Continued From Page A-l salary of $30,000. Cronin man- aged the Red Sox through the Ington baseball for 43 years. At 1947 season, then was promoted the bedside was his adopted son, to general by Yawkey. , the club's vice The custom of the President of president, who now is destined the throwing out to head the Senators' opera- the first ball officially inaugurat- tions. ing the season was established Together with , two years before Griffith came •2-year-old former owner of the to Washington. President Wil- Athletics, Mr. Grif- liam Howard Taft had thrown fith symbolized the vanishing out the first ball In 1910 and old guard of baseball men who 1911, but it was Griffith who made the sport their lifelong perpetuated the idea. ¦ careers. exciting When be first came to Wash- “Mr. Griffith lived an ington In the winter of 1911-12 life and he loved every minute manager, of it,” said Calvin. "He had a to serve as Griffith wonderful life and a peaceful marched .to the White House, death. No man could ask for presented l Mr. Taft with a season Invited the President to jSll7, „ \\ \ more.’’ pass and IH M# * I opening p j msgmj widow, attend the American j®ir*. * , Survivors include the League game and throw out the Mrs. Ann Robertson Griffith; an first ball. Mr. Taft agreed. \ adopted daughter, Joseph Mrs. Taft, Haynes, lane, Presidents Woodrow Wil- 7207 Brennan son, Chevy Chase, Md„ Warren Harding, Calvin and these Hoover, nephews and nieces: Mrs. Joseph Coolidge, Herbert Frank- Roosevelt, Harry Center, Mass.; lin Delano S. Cronin of Newton Eisenhower, Sherrard, Jimmy and BillyTruman and Dwight Robertson, all of Washington; who threw out first balls, thus Mrs. Harold Neill, Middletown. aided In the establishment of Ohio; Mrs. George W. Woolver- baseball acquiring the title of ton, 3410 Thirty-ninth street America’s national pastime. N.W.; Shirley V. Griffith, 6315 .Civic-Minded and Charitable. Cedar lane, Bethesda. Md., and Away from the baseball scene. Earl H. Griffith, jr- Wadsworth, Griffith was a kindly, civic- ?\T: .' ' 5; v Kans. minded, charitable man. No large I ON ms LAST BlßTHDAY—Surrounded by his “grandchildren,” Griffith Helped Form League sports banquet or gathering was Stadium last No- complete without him. Childless cut his 85th birthday anniversary cake at a party in Griffith One of a select few men to rise himself, legally adopted vember 20. They are (left to right, front) Jimmy Robertson, Joanne Robert- player Griffith from ranks to club owner, two children. In 1921, when his Calvin GriffithRobertson (in Mr. Griffith's arms) and Kevin Cronin. In played prominent I son, Mr. Griffith a brother-in-law was In difficulty, second row (from left) are Maureen Cronin, Corinne Griffith and Shirley Ann part in the formation of the Griffith took two of his children, . Calvin and Thelma. Three years i|| | Robertson. In rear row are Clark Griffith II(left) and Thomas Cronin.—Star It was Mr. Griffith, bom in a later, when the brother-in-law i StaffPhotos. log cabin at Clear Creek. Mo., on died and left five ether children, November 20, 1869, who helped Griffith brought them and their era, "Washington, first In war.! Philadelphia, a wealthy exporter : Pirates in the , the supervise the strategy and led in mother to Washington and sup- first In peace and last in the i and lover of baseball. 1 Nats dropped three straight League games lost the title. combating the National ported them. American League." Griffith con- Get Four-fifths of Stock and in a struggle for existence. Calvin Griffith became vice ferred with Washington stock- 1 This club began to fade in Hi w start, Possessed of Ingenuity, un- president of the ball club. Thel- holders and was told he was ex- From the Richardson 1926. It was a good team, but quenchable ambition and fierce ma married , then a pected to buy into the club. emphasized his confidence in,not good enough. It finished in' Sdx Griffith. Together they ac- ( several more devotion to the game, Mr. Grif- White who Put City on Baseball Map. the first division fith rose from the state of a later came to the Senators. Mil- quired four-fifths of the Wash- ; years, but in 1928 Griffith be- penniless young man to that of dred Robertson married Cronin. ON GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY—The Clark Griffiths pose on their The friendly co-operation of ington stock. Griffith and I gan another rebuilding cam- 50th wedding possible for equal a comparatively wealthy citizen Sherrard Robertson played with celebrated with big Sixteenth Tom made it Richardson held shares. ] paign. He released his man- by Washington nearly years, anniversary, which they a party at their street Griffith to put Washington on but Richardson preferred the ager, Harris, and appointed who was honored former for 10 Noyes President Truman in an unprec- and his brothers, Jimmy and home December 3,1951. the baseball map. was background and left the - . He began to edented tribute. Billy, supervise Griffith Sta- chief stockholder of the Senators ning of the chib to Griffith. , acquire fresh young players, While he acquired controlling dium’s concessions. A. seventh pitcher before he achieved fame age of 2 when his 33-year-old , who maintained that the game and a good friend of Griffith. It Griffith capitalized on the op- . among them . was Noyes who brought him to acquired a Interest in the Washington club, child, Bruce, died. [ln the major leagues. father accidentally was killed by needed another big league. portunity. He young Washington out con- Washington and it was Noyes Bucky turned mainly through the aid qf Griffith provided for an Eng-! ! His love for the old West never a boy hunter. Although he long had been a named , sistently good clubs, but not un- Thomas C. Noyes, then executive llsh child whose father was killed ebbed, just as his zest for base- ’s climate didn’t agree star in the , who smoothed the way for Grif- Harris. He bought an ‘ buy 10,000 stock, til 1933, when Griffith made In World War n. He once read, was as the age of with Clark Griffith, an under- Griffith was discontented and fith to shares of named from the ( player-manager, editor of The Star and former ball keen at making Cronin his did president of a family being evicted from 85 as It was in his boyhood days. sized, wan boy. When he was 13 dissatisfied with the manner in him one-tenth owner. Sally League for $6,000. He re- of the Washington Griffith off a poor his ball club win another pen- club, Mr. Griffith its horn* here and Invited the ! Years ago, before he became his mother, who valiantly sup- which officials were treating was to start tired from a managerial role and youngster never was a 1912, Washington club nant. Cronin was a among mother and three children live club owner, he bought land in ported the struggling family, , players. The feeling was shared in but the bent all his efforts toward build- the rich club owners of to finished the season with a flour- from the American Association. baseball. in his home for three weeks. He Montana, which was to have moved to joinrelatives In Bloom- by many other players and be- ing. ] He not a regular with ington, Improvement increasingly ish. That was the year Walter was even Unable to match the purchas- got the mother a home, a job been his ranch on retirement HI. of came bad when George Mcßride, the Senators’ i Kansas City, but Joe En- Clark's health was the motive. Griffith, serving as vice president Johnson woh 16 games in a row ing power of many other teams, and saved the family from dis- from the game. He sold this year long-time , managed; gel took a liking to the young integration. part money of the Ball Players’ Protective and 32 for the season. That bought Mr. Griffith was forced to rely on to raise of the for Started Fro Career at 17. the Senators won 17 straight the team in 1921 and finished i man and him. strategy to cope with rival Amer- The life of Clark Griffith ranks buying into the Senators. Association, led a futile fight fourth. Another Washington With Washington and under Although It was In Missouri | with National League club own- victories, 16 on a Western trip, ican League clubs. At times he among the fullest and most fan- One of his hobbies was the Washington veteran, the late , the tutelage of Griffith, Cronin that Griffith became aware of ers and officials for higher and no club since traded shrewdly and always ciful of modem sports figures. "Lone and his radio wages took over the next season and became a star. At 26, a year Ranker” baseball, serving mascot for ' and uniforms supplied by the has eclipsed that record. The drove close bargains. He was When the Washington chapter programs. Not long ago the as a wound up sixth. In 1923 Donie younger than Harris in 1924, a was not until ; dub. In those days the players team had left for the road tour fearless in taking chances and it of the Baseball Writers' Associ- Lone Ranger sent him a phono- town team. It in eighth place and it returned Bush, for years star shortstop: he duplicated the success of ation paid tribute to him at a his early days in , were required to purchase their Tigers, managed Griffith’s first young player- was that trait which brought graph record greeting, which Illinois that he own uniforms.* in second, climbing out of the of the Detroit i Washington world cham- “pight"on August 17,1948, Pres- pleased gentleman player. the team and wound up fourth manager. its first the old im- became active as a He Bo Utter did the feeling be- second division for the first time pionship team in 1924. In 1925 ident Truman lauded Griffith as l mensely? One of the last letters High 1 in 11 years. after bringing in more new ma- The Nationals won the 1939 great enrolled at Normal School I come that In the winter of Griffithconstructed another pen- “a citizen of Washington; lof encouragement on the day Bloomington, Washington terial. pennant, but lost the World Series and a shining example of whatj in tried catching | 1900-01 a new league, the Ameri- finished second in nant winner, although the Na- of his death was a letter from and later shifted to pitching. can, was formed. , a 1913, too, winding up behind Won World Title in 1924. to the New York Giants in a tionals lost the World Series that this great country of ours can; the Ranger, wishing his re- 17 began five-game series. In 1934 an produce." At Griffith to build I former newspaperman who had the Philadelphia Athletics. It The reconstruction program year. In 1933 Washington again covery. a reputation for himself. He had served as president of the West- was in August of that year that appalling series of injuries League pen- On that occasion, also attended earning game i began to pay rich dividends in the club and Washington fin- won the American by Ancestors Came Fran Wales been 910 a and em Association, was named Orifflth offered to buy Outfielder the late Chief Justice Vinson. Ty Tigers. 1924. In a startling move he ap- ished seventh. Cronin married nant under Griffith. Griffith Griffith’s ancestors played » railroad fare by pitching for an i president of the American Cobb from the Detroit sat on the President's » independent team Hoopeston The 27-year-old second the boss’ daughter, and the Great Baseball Showman. right during the ball game prominent parts in the early at t League. Eight franchises were manager of the Senators: pointed his at when he signed by the league offered SIOO,OOO fpr Cobb, which ; baseman, Harris, manager of the boss, Griffith, promptly swung The Old Fox. nickname he Mr. request. settling of America, coming from , was ! allotted but the new j a Truman's It was one Bloomington then a fabulous price the historic sale. He dispatched as a pitcher, Wales late in the 17th century. team of the Central lacked players. was for a:’club. That year, when the acquired and later of the happiest moments of Grif- , 1 Cronin to for $250,000 grandparent of Isaiah Grif- i later known Raided Rival League. ball player. jNats weren't figured to go a manager and club owner, wrote fith’s later years, for his former! |A as the Three-Eye League. and Shortstop . a of baseball history. outstanding players returned fith, father of Clark, was Gen. Griffith, who jumped from the Griffith had neither the money ; anywhere, they won the first vast amount Griffith defeated Danville, HI., authority pennant history It seemed only natural that. among from all points John Ward Griffith, a com- ' to Chicago nor the to make the In Washington He was the most colorful of the United . 3-2, his first game for Bloom- Cubs the new White year 1935, Bucky was back States mander under George Washing- in Sox. by , ideal, but he propositioned Frank; and in the fall of that de- In Harris players, managers and presidents to honor him. ¦ ington and became something of I owned Navin, at the helm of the Washington ton in the Revolutionary War of raiding owner of the Tigers. feated the New York Giants in of all time. He was one of base- Cow Puncher as a Youth. , a sensation his first undertook the task the a thrilling, dramatic, club. After spending five years greatest The mother of Clark Griffith wag season, win- National League for players. Navin professed interest and seven- ball's showmen. Griffith ran the gamut , ning 10 games and losing 4 with a game as pilot of the Tigers and an- ol descended from the Starbucks Griffith himself was the first to Griffith tendered check for World Series to become Griffith was proud of the fact trades and professions. As a boy England, . Bloomington in 1888 before shift- SIOO,OOO, promising to raise champions. other season as manager of of New who 4 had emi- ! jump. To him the jump meant the world that he sold "only one real he once held the horses of the grated from England with the » ing to that same money in two weeks. Washing- Griffith tendered his the Red Sox. Harris returned to life," a step forward, for the Old Fox sensa- began player Inmy and that man. notorious Jesse James, and m Pilgrims and played important year to win 12 and lose 10. ton’s other nine stockholders tional "boy manager," Harris, Washington and Griffith Cronin, stag- life, t went to the White Sox as man- a again. Joe he sold for the later he was horror-stricken roles in the settling of Massa- With Milwaukee in 1889 Grif- objected, but it was Navin, not three-year calling to rebuild $250,000 ager. contract for gering sum of in cash when newspapermen threatened chusetts. fith won 18 games and lost 13. Griffith who held up the deal. $30,000 Bucky Baseball had speeded up by shortstop, Lyn Lary. So successfully did Griffith and a season. led the and a The to print the fact. He knew what As the Civil War came to a i and in 1890 he won 27 and lost 7. League He refused to part with Cobb. Washington this time. Extensive farm sys- the fall of 1934, others raid the National 1925 club to another deal, made in it was to face a wildcat in hand- close, Isaiah Griffith and nis wife,, It was this record which got him for players that in 1901 the Years later Griffith revealed he pennant but, after building up tems were in vogue. Multimil- came a few weeks after Cronin, to-hand combat. He tackled one majors. hoped SIOO,OOO the former Sarah Ann Wright, , a shot at the The St. American League opened its sea- had to raise in a a 3-1 lead over the Pittsburgh Continned on Page A-7, CoL X shortstop and manager of the in the dusk, believing it was a migrated West up ) Louis Browns of the American door-to-door campaign by re- to the to set The pennant winner the > ,j . *,*&¦>* Nats, Griffith's large eventually Association, son. was questing every had married raccoon, and a home. At Clear Creek. Mo., , then regarded as a White Sox, under the manage- one dollar from daughter. Mildred killed Washington adopted Miss it. near the Kansas border, the fam- ¦ major league, induced Griffith to ' ment of Griffith. That the citizen approached. Robertson. join was He dabbled in cow punching as ilystaked out 40 acres. Oklahoma i them. only pennant Griffith ever won In 1914 Griffith, as well as the buyer youth The was wealthy Tom a and took a fling at the had been the goal of Griffith's 5 Griffith encountered some > as manager. American League, was confronted Yawkey, owner of the Boston stage. He found a job as a card father, but at Clear Creek he snags in his climb up the ladder became the with a serious problem. Walter Sox, 5 In 1903 Griffith Red with whom Griffith ar- dealer in a Montana gambling abandoned the caravan of prairie: as a player after joining the i first manager of the New York Johnson, the game's greatest ranged a five-year contract for house. He knew what it was to schooners. Clark Griffith, fifth 1 Browns. He was traded to Bos- Highlanders, now the Yankees, pitcher, was lured to the newly Cronin calling for an annual be "washed up” as a baseball child, became fatherless at the ' ton. which won the pennant in i When the American League first formed . Johnson, 1891, but the American Assocl- was organized and peeved at the Washington stock- [ ation disbanded and Griffith,, Milwaukee held franchises. After holders after having won 32 I with a sore arm, was allowed to i the first season Milwaukee was games in 1912 and 36 In 1913, I slip back to the minors. replaced by St. Louis. After two agreed to jump the league and He moved all the way to the : years Baltimore dropped out and Join the Feds. I West Coast, transferred to Mon- a new team was installed in Got $10,006 From Comiskey. I tana, where he became a cow- New York. This was the club managed. It was a devastating blow to I puncher, and then returned to Griffith Griffith, as manager of the I baseball with the Tacoma team Although the Old Fox never pennant High- Senators. He tried in vain to I of the Pacific Northwest League. won a with the SIO,OOO landers. he came close to it in wrench from the Amer- | In Montana Griffith also turned ican League to reclaim Johnson, . to the stage and became a faro 1904. when his team held a half game who had accepted that amount I dealer in a gambling spot. a margin* over the Boston from the Federals for jumping. Red Sox with only five games desperation Not until 1894 did Orifflth be- remaining. In Griffith turned to ! major of the season All of Hr come squared away as a games Owner Comiskey of the White . ! league pitcher. the final were scheduled Ir,V ißf He had won 30 against Sox. •iRF L A* m i - I games with Oakland of the the Red Sox and Griffith ¦ Pa- saw the Highlanders nosed out Griffith pointed out that John- ip I ciflc Coast League in 1893 and on the final day of the season due son would play in Chicago and W in 1894 he moved up to the front pitcher, offer competition to the White ' a by I to wild his ace I rank of National League , who had won 41 Sox, who had just spent $75,000 when he 20 games 1 I won and lost ' games that year. for Second Baseman Eddie Col- J|| Sk 11 with Charles A. Hart's Chi- I Left Club In 1908 lins. The shrewd Comiskey agreed I cago team, known at the time as | with Griffith's logic, wrote out I Pop Anson’s Colts. Griffith remained aa-fnanager a check for SIO,OOO and Griffith of the Yankees—the name since got Belonged With Great Pitchers. changed Johnson back into the fold. I had been from the The Federal League passed With Chicago 1908, out I the team Gris- ¦ Highlanders—until when year later, flth began carve of existence a or so - resigned. i I to out a record I he The New York club Comiskey got IL/ w WnX ' eighth place but never his which still compares favorably was and Griffith I in SIO,OOO back and Griffith always Bjfe ft . Jpl I with those of the great pitchers. . was not happy in Manhattan. ¦ games Jobless, feelings maintained that he wasn’t en- I In 1895 he won 25 and 1 he swallowed his a eight ; League titled to refund. 'lt was for I lost 13 and in seven of the toward the National and good spent to as manager the of the American I years he with the Colts i went of League,” explained I he won more than 20 games. the Reds. He stayed there three Griffith. ! Years that followed weren’t Ml ; ’4' ' x? , jCV He had a lifetime record of years. ¦r I 237 wins and 140 losses. The break in Griffith’s life too prosperous. Griffith decided Griffith, club owner and family ¦ came in the fall of 1911. The to dismantle his veteran club I man, rarely raised his voice in ( managerial berth on the Wash- and reconstruct with youngsters. I anger. As a tfitcher, however, he . ington club was open and Grif- The stockholders were dis- I gained the reputation as a fear- fith, anxious to return to the gruntled. Griffith's hands were I less baiter, superb com- American League, eagerly ac- tied by the close-fisted attitude I petitor and master at not-too- cepted a proposition to pilot the they took. He looked around genteel repartee with opposing Senators, who were responsible for a new partner and found I batters. for one of the stock jokes of the him in William Richardson of II Griffith never was a powerful * man, physically. He had no mi blinding speed, but relied chiefly Clark Griffith's Lifetime Record Ifej|tt *| | imui. Mo. Bom November 20. at Clear Creek |on a new-fangled invention Relent. 5.08 Welfht. ITS Threw mdbatted rleht-handed. Former Ditcher and alao manager. Chicago White Box. 1801-02: New York I called a curve and Invented a Highlanders. 11102- 04-05-0(1-07-08: Cincinnati. 1808-10-11: Washington Senatora. delivery which became known as 1812-I.')-] 4-15-16-17-15-18-20: president since 1920. I Outstanding performance—Led American League pltchera In winning per- I a . So expert was Grlf- centage. 1801. flth at outwitting |: hitters that the 1585 Bloomington, ?4 123 if- in' *4 .714 tag of "Old Fox" was plastered 1888 Milwaukee. 'Western 23 178 130 50 12 1.0 .545 1888 Milwaukee. Western 31 281 168 81 18 13 .680 on him. He received the nick- 1800 Milwaukee. Western ...... - 34 2HB 180 83 27 7 1784 ! name before was years 1801 Bt. Louls-feoston American Alan- 24 10.1 78 72 17 7 .708 WLmm jPSf he 30 old 1802 Tacoma. Pacific North Weat 24 153 114 55 13 7 .850 land never lost It. As the years 1803 Oakland. Paclflo Coast 48 455 151 lift 30 Ift .825 1804 Chicago. National 20 302 81 71 20 11 H-.r. went by and he rose in rank, 1885 Chicago. National 30 423 72 00 25 13 .850 Griffith built up his claim to the &HSd ,5$ §? i U ffl title through managerial sis1808 feChicago. National 34 281 02 55 25 12 .887 • •• r his dt " s 1888 Chicago. National 34 312 75 65 21 13 .817 cunning 215 48 MMP . J ability and his in vari- 1800 Chicago. National 27 42 14 13 .618 ' " ous player trades. , Jk # - j ». t * Griffith’s talent isil IRIHHnHnHHMP' > 5 « > t, ;:j ** as an executive p * f| wmm wifi ¦ and leader soon was evident. |i | HIS FAVORITE PITCHER—When Griffith talked of great pitchers he started When , as jj j| AS A YOUNG PlTCHEß—Griffith is shown at the represented only by the National finished with the late Walter Johnson (above, with Griffith),whose 1812 Washington. Amarlcan'”lTZ™ll 11 0 O 0 0 !000 age of 17, when he was a* pitcher for Bloomington, and entire League, began to wane in 1900, 1814 Washington. American ... 11 1 0 0 0 .000 pitching spent managed. career was with the Nats whom he later Griffith was one of the leaders Malor leagua totala 380 3348 863 "686 235 138 .630 111., in 1887.

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