Harry Grabiner
Encyclopedia
Harry Mitchell Grabiner was an American
professional baseball
executive. A 40-year employee of the Chicago White Sox
, he served the team's owners, founding president Charles Comiskey
, son and successor J. Louis Comiskey
, and Lou’s widow Grace
, in a number of capacities, rising from peanut vendor to club secretary, business manager and vice president. He is often listed as the White Sox' first general manager
, with a term lasting from as early as through . After leaving Chicago that season, he joined Bill Veeck
’s ownership syndicate and became a vice president and minority stockholder with the Cleveland Indians
from until his death in .
As team secretary and top aide to Charles Comiskey, Grabiner was a management eyewitness to the Black Sox Scandal
, in which eight players conspired with gamblers to lose the 1919 World Series
. In 1966, eighteen years after Grabiner’s death, Veeck wrote in his book The Hustler’s Handbook that he had discovered a diary Grabiner wrote of the 1919 season. In the chapter “Harry’s Diary,” Veeck quotes from Grabiner’s document and writes, “Beyond any doubt, the White Sox front office had more than some inkling what was going on from the very first game of the 1919 World Series.” Some accounts state that Grabiner warned Comiskey, American League
president Ban Johnson
and National League
president John Heydler
of a possible scandal after Game 2 of the Series, but he was ignored. Ironically, after the scandal, Grabiner, who was Jewish, was attacked by the Dearborn Independent, owned by industrialist Henry Ford
, in anti-Semitic
articles that blamed the Jews for both the scandal and the cover-up.
A native of Chicago, Grabiner began his career with the White Sox at age 14; some accounts list his first job as a peanut vendor at South Side Park
, others as a ticket seller and usher. He became a protégé of club secretary Charles Fredericks and was promoted to his mentor's position on Fredericks’ death in 1915. As such, Grabiner also witnessed the White Sox’ triumphs in the 1906
and 1917 World Series
, and the building of Comiskey Park
in 1910, as well as the 1919 debacle.
Although the eight players accused of the conspiracy were acquitted in a 1920 trial, all were banned from baseball for life. The scandal destroyed the White Sox for a generation; during Grabiner’s final quarter century with the team, Chicago finished in the American League’s first division
only five times. They did not win another pennant until or another World Series until 2005
. After Charles Comiskey’s death in 1931, Grabiner assumed greater responsibility for the team’s on-field operations during the J. Lou and Grace Comiskey regimes, and became a target for fan frustration.
“Grabiner was blasphemed by the fans and players, criticized by the press, and generally blamed for inefficacies which were not of his own doing. Yet he struggled doggedly against the great odds until he fled the scene,” wrote Baseball Digest in October 1950, two years after Grabiner’s death.
Grabiner’s last two years in baseball were successful ones, however, as he worked with Veeck to purchase the Cleveland Indians in 1946 and served as Veeck’s vice president and top assistant, as well as holding a small stake in the team. But in the closing weeks of Cleveland’s 1948 world championship
season, Grabiner collapsed in Veeck’s office during a meeting. Suffering from a malady that has been variously described as a stroke
, cerebral hemorrhage or brain tumor
, he lapsed into a coma and never witnessed the Tribe’s AL playoff win over the Boston Red Sox
or its six-game victory in the 1948 World Series
. He died in Chicago, age 57, thirteen days after the final Series game. Survivors included his daughter, June Travis
, a motion picture actress.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
executive. A 40-year employee of the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, he served the team's owners, founding president Charles Comiskey
Charles Comiskey
Charles Albert "The Old Roman" Comiskey was a Major League Baseball player, manager and team owner. He was a key person in the formation of the American League and later owned the Chicago White Sox...
, son and successor J. Louis Comiskey
J. Louis Comiskey
J. Louis Comiskey was the owner of the Chicago White Sox of the American League from through . Comiskey inherited the team from his father, Charles Comiskey, in 1931, and had worked for the White Sox since 1910. Control of the White Sox passed to Comiskey's widow, Grace Comiskey, upon his...
, and Lou’s widow Grace
Grace Comiskey
Grace Comiskey was the owner of the Chicago White Sox of the American League from through . Comiskey was the daughter-in-law of Charles Comiskey and inherited control of the White Sox upon the death of her husband J. Louis Comiskey. Control of the White Sox passed to Comiskey's daughter,...
, in a number of capacities, rising from peanut vendor to club secretary, business manager and vice president. He is often listed as the White Sox' first general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
, with a term lasting from as early as through . After leaving Chicago that season, he joined Bill Veeck
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck, Jr. , also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. He was best known for his publicity stunts to raise attendance. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis...
’s ownership syndicate and became a vice president and minority stockholder with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
from until his death in .
As team secretary and top aide to Charles Comiskey, Grabiner was a management eyewitness to the Black Sox Scandal
Black Sox Scandal
The Black Sox Scandal took place around and during the play of the American baseball 1919 World Series. Eight members of the Chicago White Sox were banned for life from baseball for intentionally losing games, which allowed the Cincinnati Reds to win the World Series...
, in which eight players conspired with gamblers to lose the 1919 World Series
1919 World Series
The 1919 World Series matched the American League champion Chicago White Sox against the National League champion Cincinnati Reds. Although most World Series have been of the best-of-seven format, the 1919 World Series was a best-of-nine series...
. In 1966, eighteen years after Grabiner’s death, Veeck wrote in his book The Hustler’s Handbook that he had discovered a diary Grabiner wrote of the 1919 season. In the chapter “Harry’s Diary,” Veeck quotes from Grabiner’s document and writes, “Beyond any doubt, the White Sox front office had more than some inkling what was going on from the very first game of the 1919 World Series.” Some accounts state that Grabiner warned Comiskey, American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
president Ban Johnson
Ban Johnson
Byron Bancroft "Ban" Johnson , was an American executive in professional baseball who served as the founder and first president of the American League ....
and National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
president John Heydler
John Heydler
John Arnold Heydler was an American executive in Major League Baseball.-Biography:Born in La Fargeville, New York, he began working as a printer, eventually being employed at the U.S. Government Printing Office....
of a possible scandal after Game 2 of the Series, but he was ignored. Ironically, after the scandal, Grabiner, who was Jewish, was attacked by the Dearborn Independent, owned by industrialist Henry Ford
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
, in anti-Semitic
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
articles that blamed the Jews for both the scandal and the cover-up.
A native of Chicago, Grabiner began his career with the White Sox at age 14; some accounts list his first job as a peanut vendor at South Side Park
South Side Park
South Side Park was the name used for three different baseball parks that formerly stood in Chicago, Illinois at different times, and whose sites were all just a few blocks away from each other....
, others as a ticket seller and usher. He became a protégé of club secretary Charles Fredericks and was promoted to his mentor's position on Fredericks’ death in 1915. As such, Grabiner also witnessed the White Sox’ triumphs in the 1906
1906 World Series
- Game 1 :Tuesday, October 9, 1906 at West Side Grounds in Chicago, IllinoisCubs hurler Mordecai Brown was sent to continue the dominance against Nick Altrock. Both pitchers pitched a perfect game through three innings. The Cubs had a runner at second, but couldn't score in the fourth...
and 1917 World Series
1917 World Series
In the 1917 World Series, the Chicago White Sox beat the New York Giants four games to two. The Series was played against the backdrop of World War I, which dominated the American newspapers that year and next....
, and the building of Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
in 1910, as well as the 1919 debacle.
Although the eight players accused of the conspiracy were acquitted in a 1920 trial, all were banned from baseball for life. The scandal destroyed the White Sox for a generation; during Grabiner’s final quarter century with the team, Chicago finished in the American League’s first division
First division (baseball)
First division is a term that has had various meanings, at various times, in the sport of baseball, but originally referred to the rankings within a league...
only five times. They did not win another pennant until or another World Series until 2005
2005 World Series
The 2005 World Series, the 101st Major League Baseball championship series, saw the American League champion Chicago White Sox sweep the National League champion Houston Astros four games to none in the best-of-seven-games series, winning their third championship and first since 1917.Home-field...
. After Charles Comiskey’s death in 1931, Grabiner assumed greater responsibility for the team’s on-field operations during the J. Lou and Grace Comiskey regimes, and became a target for fan frustration.
“Grabiner was blasphemed by the fans and players, criticized by the press, and generally blamed for inefficacies which were not of his own doing. Yet he struggled doggedly against the great odds until he fled the scene,” wrote Baseball Digest in October 1950, two years after Grabiner’s death.
Grabiner’s last two years in baseball were successful ones, however, as he worked with Veeck to purchase the Cleveland Indians in 1946 and served as Veeck’s vice president and top assistant, as well as holding a small stake in the team. But in the closing weeks of Cleveland’s 1948 world championship
1948 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. The team won a one-game playoff against the Boston Red Sox and would then go onto win their second World Series in franchise history, its first in 28 years.-Off-season:...
season, Grabiner collapsed in Veeck’s office during a meeting. Suffering from a malady that has been variously described as a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
, cerebral hemorrhage or brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
, he lapsed into a coma and never witnessed the Tribe’s AL playoff win over the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
or its six-game victory in the 1948 World Series
1948 World Series
The 1948 World Series matched the Cleveland Indians against the Boston Braves. The Braves had won the National League pennant for the first time since the "Miracle Braves" team of . The Indians spoiled a chance for the only all-Boston World Series by winning a one-game playoff against the Boston...
. He died in Chicago, age 57, thirteen days after the final Series game. Survivors included his daughter, June Travis
June Travis
June Travis was a motion picture actress from Chicago, Illinois.-Background:Born as June Dorothea Grabiner, she was the daughter of Harry Grabiner, vice-president of the Chicago White Sox in the 1930s....
, a motion picture actress.