Bill veeck biography

American baseball executive (1914–1986)

For his papa, see William Veeck Sr.

William Louis Veeck Jr. (VEK; Feb 9, 1914 – January 2, 1986), also known as "Sport Shirt Bill"^[1] and "Wild Bill",^[2] was an Dweller Major League Baseball franchise owner point of view promoter. Veeck was at various multiplication the owner of the Cleveland Indians, the St. Louis Browns, and high-mindedness Chicago White Sox.

Veeck was rendering last owner to purchase a ball franchise without an independent fortune viewpoint was responsible for many innovations prep added to contributions to baseball.^[3] As owner direct team president of the Indians extract 1947, Veeck signed Larry Doby, for this reason beginning the integration of the English League, and the following year won a World Series title.

Unable journey compete in the new era penalty salary escalation ignited by arbitration innermost free agency, Veeck sold his right interest in the White Sox rear 1 the 1980 season. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Designation posthumously in 1991.

Early life

Bill Veeck was born on February 9, 1914, in Chicago. While Veeck was healthy up in Hinsdale, Illinois, his holy man, William Veeck Sr., became president refreshing the Chicago Cubs. Veeck Sr. was a local sports writer who wrote numerous columns about how he would run the Cubs differently, and ethics team's owner, William Wrigley Jr., took him up on the implied maintain. While growing up, the younger Veeck worked as a popcorn vendor reach the Cubs and also as out part-time concession salesman for the cross-town Chicago White Sox. Later, in 1937, he came up with the notion of planting ivy on the walls of Wrigley Field.^[4] Veeck attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. In 1933, when his father died, Veeck left-wing Kenyon College and eventually became baton treasurer for the Cubs. In 1935, he married his first wife, Eleanor.^[5]

Franchise owner

Minor League Baseball

Milwaukee Brewers

In 1940, Veeck left Chicago and, in a trust bank with former Cubs star and director Charlie Grimm, purchased the then-struggling Triple-AMilwaukee Brewers of the American Association. Funds winning three pennants in five seasons Veeck sold his Milwaukee franchise birdcage 1945 for a $275,000 profit.^[6]

According correspond with his autobiography Veeck – As form Wreck, Veeck claimed to have installed a screen to make the sunlit field target a little more toilsome for left-handed pull hitters of loftiness opposing team. The screen was avow wheels, so any given day rich might be in place or jumble, depending on the batting strength disregard the opposing team. There was maladroit thumbs down d rule against that activity as specified, but Veeck then took it difficulty an extreme, rolling it out while in the manner tha the opponents batted, and pulling enter into back when the Brewers batted. Veeck reported that the league passed far-out rule against it the very following day. However, extensive research by unite members of the Society for Land Baseball Research (SABR) suggests that that story was made up or undeniably exaggerated by Veeck. The two researchers could not find any references get in touch with a moveable fence or any allusion to the gear required for neat as a pin moveable fence to work.^[7]

While a co-owner of the Brewers, Veeck served friendship nearly three years in the Pooled States Marine Corps during World Combat II in an artillery unit. About this time a recoiling artillery shred crushed his right leg, requiring amputation first of the foot, and before long after of the leg above illustriousness knee. Over the course of sovereignty life he had 36 operations put the accent on the leg.^[3] He had a sequence of wooden legs and, as be thinking about inveterate smoker, cut holes in them to use as ashtrays. Veeck further used the wooden leg in props such as a recreation of iconic Revolutionary War soldiers during the Bicentenary year of 1976. At other multiplication, engaged in intensive trade talks stay alive competing owners, Veeck would complain they were demanding "an arm and undiluted leg" in negotiations, then unbuckle significance leg and throw it on description desktop for dramatic effect.

Major Coalition Baseball

Attempted purchase of Philadelphia Phillies

Veeck difficult to understand been a fan of the Foul leagues since his early teens. Explicit had also admired Abe Saperstein's Harlem Globetrotters basketball team, which was family unit in Chicago. Saperstein saved Veeck stranger financial disaster early on in Metropolis by giving him the right perfect promote the Globetrotters in the psychedelic Midwest in the winter of 1941–42.

In the fall of 1942, Veeck met with Gerry Nugent, president cosy up the Philadelphia Phillies, to discuss high-mindedness possibility of buying the struggling Municipal League team. He later wrote mop the floor with his memoirs that he intended pressurize somebody into buy the Phillies and stock depiction team's roster with stars from primacy Negro leagues. Although no formal earmark barred African-American players from the conference, none had appeared in organized ballgame since the 1890s.

Veeck quickly destined financing to buy the Phillies, give orders to agreed in principle to buy primacy team from Nugent. While on jurisdiction way to Philadelphia to close bear in mind the purchase, Veeck decided to heedful MLB CommissionerKenesaw Mountain Landis of cap intentions.

Veeck did not believe Landis would dare say black players were unwelcome while blacks were fighting mend World War II. However, when Veeck arrived in Philadelphia, he was stunned to discover that the National Association had taken over the Phillies contemporary was seeking a new owner (the Phillies were ultimately sold to clump baron William D. Cox).

The authors of a controversial article in prestige 1998 issue of SABR's The Municipal Pastime argued that Veeck invented ethics story of buying the Phillies obscure filling their roster with Negro leaguers, claiming Philadelphia's black press made ham-fisted mention of a prospective sale tell apart Veeck.

Subsequently, the article was criticized by historian Jules Tygiel, who reviewed it point-by-point in an article scheduled the 2006 issue of SABR's The Baseball Research Journal,^[8] and in nickel-and-dime appendix, entitled "Did Bill Veeck Perjure About His Plan to Purchase depiction '43 Phillies?", published in Paul Dickson's biography, Bill Veeck: Baseball's Greatest Maverick.^[9] In the SABR article, Tygiel explained that Veeck and others had count on the alleged scheme to buy have a word with stock the Phillies up to 15 years before the publication of Veeck's memoir, but conceded that, "In accomplished of these accounts the only tone telling the story remains Veeck's."^[10] Prestige Tygiel article also conceded, "The panoramic assessment of Jordan, et al. - that Veeck's notion of buying greatness Phillies and fielding a team prescription Negro League stars never quite alert as far from the drawing diet as Veeck claimed - may tea break be true. We still lack working-class solid evidence that confirms that Veeck had not only conceptualized this je ne sais quoi, but made a firm offer limit buy the Phillies and met trim rebuff by Landis and (then-National Confederacy president Ford) Frick."^[10]

Cleveland Indians

In 1946, receipt sold his interest in the Lineage AAA Milwaukee Brewers, Veeck became significance owner of a major league body, the Cleveland Indians. He immediately formulate all the team's games on receiver (previously, only limited games had archaic broadcast). He also moved the arrangement to Cleveland Municipal Stadium permanently observe 1947. The team had split their games between the larger Municipal Square and the smaller League Park owing to the 1930s. However, Veeck concluded zigzag League Park, which had been strenuous in its final form in 1910, was far too small and degenerate to be viable.^[11]

In July of range year, he signed Larry Doby, position first black player to play revel in the American League.^[12] Doby's first undertaking was on July 5 and hitherto the game, Doby was introduced simulation his teammates by player-managerLou Boudreau. "One by one, Lou introduced me lambast each player. 'This is Joe Gordon,' and Gordon put his hand victimize. 'This is Bob Lemon,' and Inoperative put his hand out. 'This evaluation Jim Hegan,' and Hegan put consummate hand out. All the guys frame their hand out, all but span. As soon as he could, Expenditure Veeck got rid of those three", Doby said.^[13] The following year Veeck signed Satchel Paige to a deal, making him the oldest rookie at any point in Major League Baseball history.^[14][15]

To cloud advantage of the large size work out Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Veeck had clean up portable center field fence installed identical 1947, which he could move remit or out depending on how honourableness distance favored the Indians against their opponents in a given series.^{[citation needed]} The fence moved as much restructuring 15 feet (5 m) between series opponents. Following the 1947 season, the Indweller League countered with a rule have emotional impact that fixed the distance of brainchild outfield wall for the duration stencil a season.

As in Milwaukee, Veeck took a unique approach to booms, hiring Max Patkin, the "Clown King of Baseball", as a coach. Patkin's appearance in the coaching box joyful fans and infuriated the front put in place of the American League.^[16] Although Veeck had become extremely popular, an be similar to in 1947 to trade Boudreau give permission the St. Louis Browns led motivate mass protests and petitions supporting Boudreau. Veeck, in response, said he would listen to the fans, and re-signed Boudreau to a new two-year contract.^[17] Veeck claimed later that the profession talks had already broken down in advance they became public, but he la-di-da orlah-di-dah the opportunity to promote the idea he had dropped the idea chastisement the trade in response to overwhelm outcry.

By 1948, led by Boudreau's .355 batting average, Cleveland won neat first pennant and World Series on account of 1920 (as of 2023, this remnants the team's, now known as rank Guardians, last World Series title).^[18] Smoothly, the following season Veeck buried class 1948 flag, once it became mathematically certain the team could not echo its championship in 1949. Later digress year, Veeck's first wife, Eleanor, filed for divorce. Most of his income was tied up in the Indians, so he was forced to handle the team to fund the disunion settlement.^[19] One year later, in 1950, Veeck married his second wife, Form Frances Ackerman. He had met become known the previous year while in Cleveland.^[20]

St. Louis Browns

After his second marriage, Veeck bought an 80% stake in say publicly St. Louis Browns in 1951.^[21] Anxious to force the NL's St. Prizefighter Cardinals out of town, Veeck chartered Cardinal greats Rogers Hornsby and Marty Marion as managers, and Dizzy Clergyman as an announcer; and he beautiful their shared home park, Sportsman's Feel embarrassed, exclusively with Browns memorabilia.^[3] Ironically rendering Cardinals had been the Browns' tenants since 1920, even though they locked away long since passed the Browns by reason of St. Louis' favorite team.

Some addendum Veeck's most memorable publicity stunts occurred during his tenure with the Browns, including the appearance on August 19, 1951, by Eddie Gaedel, who difficult dwarfism and stood 3 feet 7 inches (1.09 m) tall, and is the shortest particularized to appear in a Major Association Baseball game. Veeck sent Gaedel persevere with pinch hit in the bottom concede the first inning of the in two shakes game of a double header. Tiresome "1/8" as his uniform number, Gaedel was walked on four straight pitches and then was pulled for smart pinch runner.^[22]

Shortly afterwards "Grandstand Manager's Day" – involving Veeck, Connie Mack, concentrate on thousands of regular fans, enabled illustriousness crowd to vote on various in-game strategic decisions (i.e., steal, bunt, convert pitchers) by holding up placards: probity Browns won, 5–3, snapping a four-game losing streak.^[23]

After the 1952 season, Veeck suggested that the American League clubs share radio and television revenue wrestle visiting clubs, a proposal anathema contract the powerful Yankees, whose broadcasting mean dwarfed all the other AL franchises. Outvoted, he refused to allow integrity Browns' opponents to broadcast games false against his team on the traditional person. The league responded by eliminating picture lucrative Friday night games in Infringe. Louis.

A year later, Cardinals p Fred Saigh was convicted of forbidding evasion. Facing certain banishment from ballgame, he was forced to put goodness Cardinals up for sale. At final, the only credible offers came disseminate out-of-town interests, and it appeared wind Veeck would succeed in driving grandeur Cardinals out of town. However, legacy as Saigh was about to barter the Cardinals to interests who would have moved them to Houston, Texas, he instead accepted a much decline bid from St. Louis-based brewing soaring Anheuser-Busch, who entered the picture fitting the specific intent of keeping rendering Cardinals in town.^[24] It has wriggle been claimed that Saigh was positive to accept Anheuser-Busch's bid more refresh of civic duty than money. On the contrary, according to Anheuser-Busch historian William Knoedelseder, Saigh's first preference all along was to sell the Cardinals to interests who would keep the team renovate St. Louis.^[25]

What is beyond dispute report that as soon as Anheuser-Busch ancient history on its purchase of the Cardinals, Veeck knew he was finished keep St. Louis. He quickly realized delay with Anheuser-Busch's wealth behind them, righteousness Cardinals now had more financial fold over than he could even begin at hand match, especially since he had clumsy other source of income. Reluctantly, take steps decided to move the Browns to another place. As a preliminary step, he advertise Sportsman's Park to the Cardinals, who would eventually rename it as distinction first incarnation of Busch Stadium.^[26]

At supreme Veeck considered moving the Browns assert to Milwaukee (where they had high-sounding their inaugural season in 1901). Metropolis recently built Milwaukee County Stadium stop in full flow an attempt to entice a superior league franchise.

However, the decision was in the hands of the Beantown Braves, the parent team of high-mindedness Brewers. Under major league rules blond the time, the Braves held primacy major league rights to Milwaukee. Class Braves wanted another team with nobleness same talent if the Brewers were shut down, and an agreement was not made in time for nobility start of the 1953 season. Ironically, a few weeks later, the Braves themselves moved to Milwaukee.^[27] St. Prizefighter was known to want the band to stay, so some in Fair. Louis campaigned for the removal strip off Veeck.^[28]

Undaunted, Veeck got in touch eradicate a group that was looking bordering bring a major league franchise around Baltimore, Maryland. After the 1953 period, Veeck agreed in principle to market half his stock to Baltimore barrister Clarence Miles, the front man collide the Baltimore group, and his alcove partners. He would have remained class principal owner, with approximately a 40% interest. Even though league president Disposition Harridge told him approval was firm, only four owners—two short of nobleness necessary six for passage—supported it. End the other owners simply wanted him out of the picture (indeed, explicit was facing threats of having consummate franchise canceled), Veeck agreed to convey title his entire stake to Miles' set, who then moved the Browns call on Baltimore, where they were renamed reorganization the Orioles, which has been their name ever since.^[29]

Chicago White Sox

Taking supply of inter-familial friction within the Comiskey family, in 1959, Veeck became intellect of a group that purchased out controlling interest in the Chicago Chalky Sox. Following Veeck's acquisition of dignity team, the White Sox went musing to win their first pennant now 40 years.^[30][31] That year the Pale Sox broke a team attendance cloakanddagger for home games with 1.4 fortune. The next year the team penurious the same record with 1.6 billion visitors to Comiskey Park with class addition of the first "exploding scoreboard" in the major leagues – canada display electrical and sound effects, and critical fireworks whenever the White Sox beat a home run.^[3] The "exploding scoreboard" was carried over to the "new" Comiskey Park (now Rate Field) in the way that it opened in 1991.

One epoch later in 1960, Veeck and earlier Detroit Tigers great Hank Greenberg, jurisdiction partner with the Indians and Creamy Sox, reportedly made a strong demand for the American League expansion authorization in Los Angeles. Greenberg would receive been the principal owner, with Veeck as a minority partner.^[32] However Los Angeles Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley was not willing to compete with span team owned by Veeck, even on the assumption that he would only be a boyhood partner. When O'Malley heard of picture deal, he invoked his exclusive authorization rights for Southern California. Any viable owner of an American League place in the area would have locked away to have O'Malley's approval, and not in use was apparent that O'Malley would jumble allow any team to set source shop with Veeck as a main shareholder. Rather than try to hold his friend to back out, Polyglot abandoned his bid for what became the Los Angeles Angels.^[32]

In 1961, owed to poor health, Veeck sold rule share of the White Sox stage John and Arthur Allyn for $2.5 million.^[33] After selling the White Sox, Veeck worked intermittently as a cleave to commentator for ABC.^[34] Veeck then pompous to the Eastern Shore of Colony with his family to convalesce.

When his health improved, Veeck made eminence unsuccessful attempt to buy the Pedagogue Senators, then operated the Suffolk See-saw race track in Boston in 1969–70. He also tried to buy integrity Baltimore Orioles in 1974 but bed defeated due to troubles with the Agency. Veeck was not heard from improve in baseball ownership circles until 1975, when he repurchased the White Sox from John Allyn (sole owner because 1969).^[3] Veeck's return rankled baseball's confirmation, most owners viewing him as neat pariah after exposing industry politics additional maneuvering in his 1961 book Veeck As In Wreck. The owners were also unhappy with Veeck's extensive reproving discussion of the 1964 purchase draw round the New York Yankees by CBS in 1965's The Hustler's Handbook (a move Veeck felt exposed MLB manuscript dangerous antitrust liabilities and endangered representation antitrust exemption established in a 1922 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court). The White Sox were slated join move to Seattle, Washington for honourableness amount of $14 million while Ass O. Finley planned to move consummate Oakland Athletics to Chicago. However, state publicly was Andy McKenna who approached Veeck about the possibility of returning population to Chicago, which got Veeck stop at assemble an ownership group to brand name an offer for the team. Align December 16, 1975, Veeck's group purchased the team from Allyn.^[35][36]

Almost immediately puzzle out reassuming control of the Sox, Veeck unleashed another publicity stunt. He stall general manager Roland Hemond conducted quartet trades in a hotel lobby, nickname full view of the public; mother owners considered this undignified. Two weeks later, however, arbitrator Peter Seitz's vow struck down the reserve clause be first ushered in the era of natural agency, leading to dramatic increases terminate player salaries. Ironically Veeck had bent the only baseball owner to say in support of Curt Flood on his landmark court case, at which Flood had attempted to gain selfsupporting agency after being traded to illustriousness Philadelphia Phillies.^[3] Veeck had proposed systematic gradual transition to a free-agent tone in which players would gain sanitary agency rights after a certain quantity of service time. The owners gambled that Seitz would rule in their favor and maintain the reserve clause; he did not.

On the marker, Veeck presented a Bicentennial-themed "Spirit splash '76" parade on Opening Day blackhead 1976, casting himself as the peg-legged fifer bringing up the rear.^[3] Subtract the same year he reactivated Minnie Miñoso for eight at-bats, in instability to give Miñoso a claim so as to approach playing in four decades; he blunt so again in 1980, to increase the claim to five.^[37] He as well unveiled radically altered uniforms for birth players, including clamdigger pants and yet shorts, which the Sox wore keep the first time against the River City Royals on August 8, 1976.

In an attempt to adapt design free agency, he developed a "rent-a-player" model, centering on the acquisition bad buy other clubs' stars in their way out years. The gambit was moderately successful: in 1977 the White Sox won 90 games and finished in base place with additions such as Honour Gamble and Richie Zisk.^[38]

During this rearmost run, Veeck decided to have mc Harry Caray sing "Take Me Put forth to the Ball Game" during glory seventh inning stretch. Veeck asked Caray to sing for the entire extra, but he refused. Veeck replied dump he already had a recording, good Caray would be heard either mitigate. Caray reluctantly agreed to sing extinct live, accompanied by White Sox organist Nancy Faust, and went on oversee become famous for singing the modify, continuing to do so at Wrigley Field after becoming the broadcaster stir up the Chicago Cubs in 1982. That tradition has continued there ever thanks to, even after the death of Caray in 1998.^[39]

The 1979 season was all-inclusive with more promotions. On April 10, he offered fans free admission excellence day after a 10–2 Opening Date defeat by the Toronto Blue Jays. On July 12, Veeck, with backing from son Mike and radio disposition Steve Dahl, held one of fillet most infamous promotions, Disco Demolition Cursory, between games of a scheduled game, which resulted in a riot crisis Comiskey Park and a forfeit hinder the visiting Detroit Tigers.^[40]

Life after baseball

Finding himself no longer able to financially compete in the free agent epoch, Veeck sold the White Sox occupy January 1981, albeit not without argument, as his first choice in Prince J. DeBartolo Sr. (owner of honesty NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins and the NFL's San Francisco 49ers) was rejected wedge a league vote (eight votes put back favor with ten required to pass). Veeck then sold the Sox telling off his second choice, Jerry Reinsdorf captain partner Eddie Einhorn for $20 million.^[41] When Einhorn stated his desire chance make the White Sox a "high-class operation", Veeck publicly transferred his fealty back to the Chicago Cubs, picture team his father had operated coach in his youth (at any rate, during the time that the White Sox won the 2005 World Series, the Veeck family ordinary championship rings from the organization). Veeck retired to his home in City but in summer could often just found in the Wrigley Field bleachers. Veeck also wrote occasional articles good spirits magazines and newspapers, usually opining expulsion the overall state of baseball.

Declining health and death

Veeck had been undiluted heavy smoker and drinker until 1980. In 1984, Veeck underwent two middle for lung cancer.^[6] Two years ulterior, on the day after New Year's Day, 1986, he died at influence age of 71 from cancer.^[3] Crystalclear was posthumously elected five years after to the Baseball Hall of Fame.^[42]

Veeck was survived by his wife, Enjoyable Frances, and eight of his niner children. Two of the surviving family, Peter and Ellen, were from government first marriage, and the others (Mike, Marya, Greg, Lisa, Julie and Chris) were from his second marriage. Illegal was predeceased by his eldest toddler, William III, who died in 1985.^[9] His body was cremated.^[43] Mike Veeck became a minor league and self-governing baseball executive and was the co-founder of the St. Paul Saints, straight successful charter member of the Boreal League. The younger Veeck emulated numerous of Bill Veeck's promotional stunts thug the Saints.^[44] Greg Veeck earned shipshape and bristol fashion Ph.D. at the University of Sakartvelo in 1988 and is a plan professor at Western Michigan University focussing on urban geology and East Asia.^{[citation needed][as of?]}

Mary Frances Veeck died inlet Hyde Park, Ill., on September 10, 2022, at the age of 102.

Books by Veeck

Veeck wrote three life works, each a collaboration with announcer and sportswriter Ed Linn. The chief two were reissued in updated editions in the 1980s following Veeck's transmit to baseball ownership. The books include:

• Veeck as In Wreck (1962) – a straightforward autobiography, later updated tail end Veeck's then-declining health forced him chisel sell his interest in the Pale Sox.
• The Hustler's Handbook (1965) – ingenious sequel and extension of Wreck, disloyalty his experiences in operating as swindler outsider in the major leagues, reading many episodes of behind-the-scenes drama gather baseball, including the 1965 acquisition atlas the New York Yankees by CBS and the maneuvering involved in grandeur move of the Milwaukee Braves cut into Atlanta, and also a recounting refreshing the 1919 Black Sox Scandal gore a diary by Harry Grabiner, break manager of the White Sox management 1919 and much later, an form a relationship of Veeck with the Indians scope 1948.
• Thirty Tons a Day (1972) – chronicling the time he spent handling Suffolk Downs racetrack in the typical 1960s and early 1970s. The name refers to the daily quantity lecture waste (horse excrement, used hay attend to straw, etc.) that required disposal.

Awards move honors

References

Book sources

• Tyler Omoth (2007). Story of the Baltimore Orioles. Mankato, Minnesota: Creative Education. ISBN .
• Russell Schneider (2004). The Cleveland Indians Encyclopedia. Down, Illinois: Sports Reference LLC. ISBN .
• Bill Veeck with Ed Linn (1962). Veeck though in Wreck: The Autobiography of Valuation Veeck. Chicago, Illinois: The University outline Chicago Press. ISBN .
• Paul Dickson (2012). Bill Veeck: Baseball's Greatest Maverick. New York: Walker & Company. ISBN .

External links