 McGraw, John J.
New York N.L.
Baseball Hall of Fame inductee -1937.
# 2 all-time career wins as manager
JOHN McGRAW
McGraw, John Joseph "Mugsy" or "Little Napoleon"
b: 4/7/1873, Truxton, N.Y. d: 2/25/34, New Rochelle, N.Y.
BL/TR, 5'7", 155 lbs. Deb: 8/26/1891 MH
==============================================================================
YEAR TM/L G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1891 Bal-a 33 115 17 31 3 5 0 14 12 17 .270
1892 Bal-N 79 286 41 77 13 2 1 26 32 21 .269
1893 Bal-N 127 480 123 154 9 10 5 64 101 11 .321
1894 *Bal-N 124 512 156 174 18 14 1 92 91 12 .340
1895 *Bal-N 96 388 110 143 13 6 2 48 60 9 .369
1896 *Bal-N 23 77 20 25 2 2 0 14 11 4 .325
1897 *Bal-N 106 391 90 127 15 3 0 48 99 .325
1898 Bal-N 143 515 143 176 8 10 0 53 112 .342
1899 Bal-N 117 399 140 156 13 3 1 33 124 .391
1900 StL-N 99 334 84 115 10 4 2 33 85 .344
1901 Bal-A 73 232 71 81 14 9 0 28 61 .349
1902 Bal-A 20 63 14 18 3 2 1 3 17 .286
NY-N 35 107 13 25 0 0 0 5 26 .234
1903 NY-N 12 11 2 3 0 0 0 1 1 .273
1904 NY-N 5 12 0 4 0 0 0 0 3 .333
1905 NY-N 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 --
1906 NY-N 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 16 1099 3924 1024 1309 121 70 13 462 836 ? 74 .334
Little Napoleon, one of baseball's all-time greatest managers, managed 30 years and brought 10 pennants to
the NY Giants. McGraw's stormy managerial career was characterized by his dictatorial and abrasive manner
with his rivals, the umpires and even his own players. He was, however, a brilliant tactician and played
the game of the dead ball era with consummate skill (the 'inside game'). These skills came about after finishing
a brilliant playing career at third base for the legendary Baltimore Orioles (the National League O's of the 1890's).
Baltimore's brash style of playing and its' swagger were attributed in large part to McGraw.
McGraw was a revolutionary. He gave the game the 'hit and run' play. He modernized the use of the
bunt in the contemporary strategies of the game. He was the first manager to hire a player for the sole purpose
of pinch-hitting. He also utilized pitchers exclusively out of the bullpen.
McGraw was the 'George C. Patton' of baseball. His strategies were not unlike the skilled army general
surveying the battlefield, looking for the enemy's weaknesses and preparing his troops for victory.
As manager of the NY Giants, McGraw' authority was never questioned when he once fined one of his players,
Red Murray, $100 for missing a bunt sign. Murray had missed the sign and hit a homerun.
McGraw had a compassionate side as demonstrated by his unwavering support for Fred Merkle
even after the famous 'Merkle Incident". He had his obstinate side by refusing to have the Giants meet
the American League Champs, Boston Pilgrims, in the 1904 World Series. (Apparently, McGraw had a dislike
for the AL president, Ban Johnson and the 'junior circuit'.)
McGraw built his teams from the ground up. He took over the lowly NY Giants in 1902 and in one season reached
second place. He traded, purchased and sold more players than any other manager in baseball history.
He once traded for one player, Buck Herzog, three times.
McGraw's all-time All-Star choices:
|
Honus Wagner, SS and leadoff |
|
Ty Cobb, CF |
|
Willie Keeler, RF |
|
Babe Ruth, LF |
|
Lou Gehrig, 1B |
|
Rogers Hornesby, 2B |
|
Jimmy Collins, 3B |
|
Roger Bresnahan, C |
|
Christy Mathewson, RHP |
|
Walter Johnson, LHP |
|
Player Index