John McGraw

CooperstownExpert.com
Birthdate 4/7/1873
Death Date 2/25/1934
Debut Year
Year of Induction 1937
Teams Giants, Orioles, Orioles (NL)
Positions Manager, Second Base, Third Base

John McGraw holds the record for most wins by a National League manager and is third in MLB history behind Connie Mack & Tony LaRussa.

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In the collection:

Program from McGraw day, June 18, 1917

Program from McGraw day, June 18, 1917

In the collection is a souvenir program from McGraw day from nearly 100 years ago signed neatly by the longtime Giants’ skipper. His 30 seasons at the helm of the Giants and lone season with the National League Baltimore Orioles netted an NL-record 2,669 wins. His overall win total of 2,763 r
The day was put together by Wellsville, McGraw's first professional stop

The day was put together by Wellsville, McGraw's first professional stop

The program reads, “His first professional engagement was with the Wellsville Club in 1891 when but 17 years old.” McGraw would go on to have a stellar playing career that would last nearly two decades. His .466 career on-base percentage ranks behind only Ted Williams and Babe Ruth.
Schedule of events for McGraw Day, 1917

Schedule of events for McGraw Day, 1917

The inside of the program offers a look at the day’s schedule. After the 9:00 breakfast at the country club, guests were granted the the treat of an “Auto Sight Seeing Trip at 9:45. Rail was the primary form of transport in 1917 with only a few Americans owning cars. You can only imagine
John McGraw set the mark for career ejections; Giants captain Larry Doyle took over in his absence

John McGraw set the mark for career ejections; Giants captain Larry Doyle took over in his absence

John McGraw was known for his fiery temper and competitive nature. On the ballfield that often translated into early exits for the Giants manager. Indeed, McGraw set held the record for career ejections more than 75 years after his death. From 1910-1916 each time McGraw got the thumb New York captai
HoFer George Kelly calls McGraw the greatest manager of all time

HoFer George Kelly calls McGraw the greatest manager of all time

George Kelly played first base for the New York Giants and John McGraw for eleven seasons. In this handwritten letter, Kelly states, “As you know I had quite a few thrills playing in the big leagues and my first was playing for the NY Giants and the greatest manager of all time, John J. McGraw
John McGraw was the fourth recipient of the William J. Slocum Award

John McGraw was the fourth recipient of the William J. Slocum Award

The New York chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America created the William J. Slocum Award in 1930. Named after a beloved sportswriter who covered the game for two decades, the honor has been given to the most influential men in the game’s history. The recipients include more than

Stories about John McGraw

A white elephant? The Athletics turned an insult into a a team logo in 1902

September 15th, 2021 Leave a comment

Connie Mack White Elephant

Today the Oakland Athletics sport a white elephant on their uniform. They also use the pale pachyderm in sales and marketing.

What is the link between the A’s and a white elephant?

It all began because of a feud at the dawn of a new century during the inception of the American League.

John McGraw, Ban Johnson, and Connie Mack – Cooperstown men all – were at the center of the battle. What could’ve been a debacle is today an enduring part of baseball history.

America’s National Pastime has a long and glorious history separates it from every other North American sport.

Enjoy the article that links three baseball titans to the present day.

You gotta love baseball!

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The William J. Slocum Award is one of MLB’s most prestigious honors

October 3rd, 2020 Leave a comment

William J. Slocum Award

The oldest professional sport in the United States, baseball remains America’s National Pastime to this day. The game’s current leagues were flourishing soon after the end of the 1800s. Every city with a team had multiple newspapers reporting their games. Sportswriters worked from stadium press boxes describing their team’s contests in great detail. The widespread news coverage helped grow the game.
In 1908 writers banded together to form the Baseball Writers Association of America. The BBWAA’s founding mission was to “ensure professional working conditions for beat writers at all MLB ballparks and to promote uniformity of scoring methods.
Early in the 1900s New York City boasted three big league teams, the Giants and Dodgers of the National League, and the Highlanders – who later became the Yankees – in the American League. The Big Apple soon became the hub of the baseball world.
One of the writers who covered the New York teams was William J. Slocum. Respected for his baseball knowledge and writing ability, Slocum quickly rose to the top of his profession. Well-liked, he helped organize the New York chapter of the BBWAA.
The Bill Slocom Award is one of the most prestigious awards baseball has to offer. The little-known honor has been given to more than 50 members of the Hall of Fame.

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One response to “John McGraw”

  1. David Behrmann says:

    I particularly enjoyed this page and George “HIgh Pockets” Kelly’s recollections of John McGraw! My Great Uncle Lee King played on those 1921 and 1922 Championship Giants teams along with High Pockets and according to his nephew, my father, Lee King considered John McGraw just a couple of steps below G*d! No offense to G*d just to put his regard for John McGraw into perspective!

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