- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Chicago
- Team: Cubs
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
“The Reverend” (1859-1935). O’Day was a pitcher & occasional position player over 7 ML seasons for 5 teams. Hank then umpired for 30 years, interrupting his tenure twice: to manage the Cincinnati Reds in 1912 and the Chicago Cubs in 1914.
- Member of ’89 Champion Giants
- Umpired 10 World Series
- Officiated Merkle’s Boner
- Called 4 no-hitters in 4 decades
- Only person to play, manage & umpire in NL
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 2013
- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
John Joseph McGraw (1873-1934) was an innovative player (the hit-and-run, the “Baltimore chop”) but went on to true greatness as a manager for Baltimore and, most noteworthy, the NY Giants. Only Connie Mack’s teams won more games and no NL manager approached him. Not shabby as a hitter (ranks 3rd all time behind Ted Williams and Babe Ruth in OBP), has been called “the best player to become a great manager.”
- Played for and/or managed ten NL pennant winners
- Upon his death, McGraw’s wife discovered a list of all the African-American players he wanted to sign but was prevented
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1937
- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Washington, D.C.
- Team: Senators
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Clark Calvin Griffith (1869-1955) was a successful pitcher for over 20 years but had only just begun his baseball career. AL founder Ban Johnson prevailed on Griffith to take the helm of the NY entry into the new league in 1903. That began a tenure as manager and owner that lasted until Griffith’s death in 1955. With a showman’s touch and a veteran player’s savvy, Griffith turned around the D.C. franchise.
- Only one in history to be a player, manager and owner for over 20 years in each role
- Counted eight U.S. presidents as friends during his long tenure as owner of the Senators
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946
- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Chicago
- Team: American Giants
- League: Independent
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Andrew Foster (1879-1930) was “the foremost manager and executive in history of the Negro Leagues” according to his Cooperstown plaque. He is known by many as “the Father of Negro Baseball,” a title earned by decades of playing greatness on the mound, managing championship teams, and founding the Negro NL in 1920. John McGraw recruited Foster to instruct his pitchers. Foster is said to have taught Mathewson the screwball. His nickname may derive from his defeat of Waddell in one of many exhibitions with the “real” big leaguers.
- Honus Wagner said Foster was “one of the greatest pitchers of all-time”
- But it was his brilliance as an executive that left a legacy of greatness in African-American history as the league he founded finally gave a national platform for the talents of black players
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1981
- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Pittsburgh
- Team: Pirates
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Fred Clifford Clarke (1872-1960) broke into MLB in a big way, going 5 for 5 in his 1st game (never bettered.) This Hall-of-Famer starred with the Pirates along with Honus Wagner and Vic Willis, winning 4 of the 9 titles held by the Pittsburgh franchise. Was player-mgr most of his career.
- Hit over .300 eleven times, his .390 in ’97 was bested only by Wee Willie Keeler
- Honored at Cooperstown as the “first of the successful ‘boy managers’” at age 24
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1945
Ars Longa Store
Newsletter
