Clark Griffith MLB Hall of Fame 1946

Clark C Griffith was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame class of 1946 along with Jesse Burkett, Frank Chance, Jack Chesbro, John Evers, Thomas McCarthy, Joseph McGinnity, Edward Plank, Joseph Tinker, Rube Waddell, and Edward Walsh. Griffith was a RHP\OF with 21 seasons MLB experience playing with the St Louis Browns (1891), Boston Reds (1891), Chicago Colts (1893-1897), Chicago Orphans (1898-1900), Chicago White Sox (1901-1902), New York Highlanders (1903-1907), Cincinnati Reds (1909-1910) and Washington Senators (1912-1914). For his MLB career he hit .233/.318/.310 with 8 HR, 166 RBI, 202 R, 22 SB in 485 games. As a pitcher for his MLB career he was 237-146 with a 3.31 ERA, 955 K, 1.31 WHIP, 8 SV, 337 complete games, 22 shut outs in 3385.0 IP over 453 games. 

I believe his best three seasons were 1898 when he was 24-10 with a 1.88 ERA, 97 K, 1.13 WHIP, 36 complete games, 4 shut outs in 325.2 IP over 38 games, 1901 when he was 24-7 with a 2.67 ERA, 67 K, 1.22 WHIP, 1 SV, 26 complete games, 5 shut outs in 266.2 IP over 35 games and 1895 when he was 26-14 with a 3.93 ERA, 79 K, 1.49 WHIP, 39 complete games in 353.0 IP over 42 games. 

Griffith led the National League in ERA in 1898. He led the NL in shut outs in 1900 (4). He led the American League in shut outs in 1901.

As a manager he had a 1491-1367 record. He managed the Chicago White Stockings (1901-1902) with a 157-164 record, New York Highlanders (1903-1908) with a 490-370 record, Cincinnati Reds (1909-1911) with a 222-238 record and Washington Senators (1912-1920) with a 693-646 record. His win total ranks 21st all time.

However it was his career as a baseball executive that warranted his inclusion into the Hall of Fame. Griffith was vice-president of the League Protective Players' Association and that position as a labor leader helped as one of the founders of the American League in 1901. He was active in recruiting players National League players to switch leagues when the American League formed. Griffith was owner of the Washington Senators (1920-1955). He was a pioneer in the recruiting, developing and use of Latin players.

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