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Miller James Huggins
Miller Huggins was born on March 27, 1878 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He grew up in a rough local neighborhood, attended the city’s public schools and the University of Cincinnati and called the city home, on and off, until his passing.
Miller’s parents were James T. Huggins and Sarah, nee Reid. James was born in England circa 1844 and immigrated to the United States in 1866 when he was 22 years old. He played cricket growing up. In Cincinnati he supported his family working as a grocer. Sarah, two years younger than James, was born in Ohio. The Hugginses lived not far from Sarah’s family. Sarah passed away some time between having her last child in 1882 and the 1900 U.S. Census; unfortunately, as many know, much of the 1890 Census no longer exists.
Huggins had three siblings: Arthur, four years older; Clarence, two years older; Myrtie, four years younger. All his siblings survived him.
James Huggins wanted his son to get an education. Miller wanted to play baseball. So, Miller did both until it became clear that he could do well on a professional diamond. After high school, Huggins enrolled at the University of Cincinnati circa 1896. In 1902 he graduated with a law degree at age 24. He passed the Ohio bar but never practiced law because of his other driving interest.
BASEBALL
As a teenager, Miller played amateur and eventually semi-pro ball in and around Cincinnati. He also played for his university and would use an alias while playing pro ball to protect his amateur status. He played semi-pro ball around Cincinnati for the Shamrocks and Hamilton Krebs, among others.
In 1899 Huggins played his first year of pro ball, under the alias of William Proctor, for the Mansfield (Ohio) Haymakers of the Interstate League. His Brother Clarence played for the team as well. Miller played in the outfield until Clarence came up lame one day; he then moved to Clarence’s spot at shortstop and played the rest of the season at short or third base. Along his baseball travels, Huggins met Max and Julius Fleischmann, sons of leading Cincinnati businessman Charles Fleischmann.
The Fleischmann family of Cincinnati had a profound influence over Huggin’s early baseball career. Charles Fleischmann, and his brother Max, began a yeast production company in 1868. He eventually made millions selling yeast, flour, other bakery products and distilling whiskey and other liquors. The Fleischmann Yeast Company still thrives today. From http://famousbrandnames.blogspot.com...eishmanns.html
In 1883 Fleischmann purchased land and built a resort community near the Catskills in New York State. The area today is known as Fleischmann, New York. Fleischmann had an interest in baseball and erected a ballpark and put together a semi-pro outfit called the Mountain Athletic Club to entertain and attract wealthy vacationers. The Fleischmann’s ran a first class baseball operation, paying their men well and providing a posh atmosphere.
The club began playing in June each year after the vacation season started. Honus Wagner played for the club in 1895. The Fleischmann’s signed Huggins, still under the pseudonym Proctor, to play in 1900. Incidentally, 1900 was the year Julius Fleischmann became mayor of Cincinnati.
By 1901, Huggins had entered law school after graduating with his undergraduate degree. He joined St. Paul of the Western League that year, this time using his real name. He only hit .210 (70 games) though. At the end of each season with St. Paul, Huggins would join semi-pro clubs around Cincinnati to make some extra cash. Huggins also worked in skating rinks during the off-season and developed a life-long fascinating with roller skating and its economic potential.
With St. Paul again in 1902 (now in the independent American Association) Huggins did much better, posting a .328 batting average in 129 games. This brought Huggins to a fork in the road. He now knew he could do well in professional baseball; his father though wanted the degree (and of course the intended career). Huggins spoke to one of his professors about the dilemma. Supposedly, the professor – future U.S. President William Howard Taft – advised him to pursue his passion.
Huggins did just that and told his father of his choice; however, he would graduate as well. In fact, American League Washington National manager Tom Loftus was interested in signing Huggins in 1902, but Huggins decided to remain out west and complete his studies.
He played for St. Paul (AA now a Class-A league) again in 1903, hitting .309 in 124 games. By this time, Max and Julius Fleischmann had purchased the Cincinnati Reds with local political kingpins Garry Herrmann and Boss Cox. In September the Reds purchased Huggins from St. Paul for $3,000. He made his major league debut on April 15, 1904.
LIFE OUTSIDE THE LINES
Huggins was a life-long bachelor. He lived much of his later life with his sister Mrytie. She lived with him in, Cincinnati, St. Louis, New York and during the winters in Florida. New York sportswriters referred to her as his “constant companion.” He also lived with, at times, and supported his mother’s sister Matilda.
In 1914 Huggins was part of an unsuccessful attempt to purchase the Buffalo club of the International League. More successfully, Huggins began to speculate in real estate and the stock market, especially after drawing substantial salary and bonus checks with the New York Yankees.
He purchased property mainly in Florida, especially around St. Petersburg where he maintained a winter residence (until his death). Huggins spent a great deal of time and energy managing his portfolio of stocks and real estate.
Among his favorite activities wintering in Florida was fishing and roller skating. He also spent quite a few vacations at Dover Hall, the Georgian winter retreat owned by Yankees’ magnate Col. Huston.
In February 1926 Huggins decided that he was spending too much time with his investments, so he sold most of his real estate holdings – orange groves in the Indian Rock district of St. Petersburg - to a Brooklyn businessman for $150,000.
DEATH
Huggins was a small, wiry guy. He was often irritable due in large part to insomnia, constant worrying, perpetual headaches and struggles to maintain his appetite. At the onset of September 1929 Huggins was suffering from the above and a persistent cold and looking particularly haggard. He also developed a small boil under his left eye. He was also fretting over the Yankees who were trailing the Philadelphia Athletics in the standings; in fact, on the 4th Huggins virtually conceded the pennant in an interview.
After Labor Day, Huggins missed three games due to illness, turning over the club to his closest companion on the club Charlie O’Leary and Art Fletcher. The A’s clinched the pennant on September 14. In the 15th Huggins left the dugout in the middle of the first game of a doubleheader to sit under a heat lamp and try to lance his persistent boil. After then, his time with the club was intermittent as his eye worsened.
On September 20 Huggins woke with his eye nearly swollen shut. He was also running a fever and fighting off a cold. He called his personal doctor (and Yankee consulting physician) Dr. Edward A. King. Huggins was then admitted to St. Vincent’s Hospital where he was found to be suffering from the effects of influenza and erysipelas, a skin disease.
At the hospital his fever spiked at upwards of 106 and never really fell to any acceptable level. Unfortunately, antibiotics were not available in September 1929. He was given three or four blood transfusions to no avail. The infection spread and Dr. King held little hope for a recovery. Huggins became delirious and fell in and out of consciousness. Family, friends and baseball associates were constantly at his bedside. He knew the end was near and called for his lawyer at some point to discuss his will and get his affairs in order.
On September 25 at approximately 3:15 in the afternoon Huggins passed away at age 51. The word reached the Yankees via telegram fifteen minutes later during the fifth inning of a game in Boston. The flag was dropped to half-mast and both clubs met at home plate for a minute of silence. Seven thousand fans stood as well. The Yankees ended up winning in eleven innings, 11-10.
All American League games were cancelled on September 26. The funeral took place at 2 pm on the 27th at the Church of the Transfiguration in New York City. Over 500 people attended, most of which were baseball associates. Some estimates suggest that as many as 10,000 people lined the streets, over 2,000 of which passed the coffin to take a final look at the Yankees’ manager. The pallbearers were: Fletcher, O’Leary, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Earl Combs, Tony Lazzari, Bob Shawkey (his replacement as manager) and Herb Pennock.
At 4 pm the body was placed on a train headed to Cincinnati. Huggins was accompanied by his sister, his brother Arthur (Clarence lived in Tennessee and made his own way to Cincinnati), personal friend and business associate Bob Connery, Jacob Ruppert, Ed Barrow, Pennock, and sportswriters Ford Frick, Marshall Hunt, William Slocum and Charlie Segar.
The party arrived in the morning of the 28th. There was another public viewing and a service. Huggins was interred at the Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati in a plot at section 53, lot 172.
Huggins’ will (written on 8/1/1927) was read on October 14 in St. Petersburg. He left an estate worth approximately $250,000, of which $200,000 went to his sister.
On May 30, 1932 the Yankees dedicated a monument to Huggins and placed it in the cavernous centerfield at Yankee Stadium; it was the first of many. He was later inducted into the National Baseball and University of Cincinnati Hall of Fames.
Miller Huggins was born on March 27, 1878 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He grew up in a rough local neighborhood, attended the city’s public schools and the University of Cincinnati and called the city home, on and off, until his passing.
Miller’s parents were James T. Huggins and Sarah, nee Reid. James was born in England circa 1844 and immigrated to the United States in 1866 when he was 22 years old. He played cricket growing up. In Cincinnati he supported his family working as a grocer. Sarah, two years younger than James, was born in Ohio. The Hugginses lived not far from Sarah’s family. Sarah passed away some time between having her last child in 1882 and the 1900 U.S. Census; unfortunately, as many know, much of the 1890 Census no longer exists.
Huggins had three siblings: Arthur, four years older; Clarence, two years older; Myrtie, four years younger. All his siblings survived him.
James Huggins wanted his son to get an education. Miller wanted to play baseball. So, Miller did both until it became clear that he could do well on a professional diamond. After high school, Huggins enrolled at the University of Cincinnati circa 1896. In 1902 he graduated with a law degree at age 24. He passed the Ohio bar but never practiced law because of his other driving interest.
BASEBALL
As a teenager, Miller played amateur and eventually semi-pro ball in and around Cincinnati. He also played for his university and would use an alias while playing pro ball to protect his amateur status. He played semi-pro ball around Cincinnati for the Shamrocks and Hamilton Krebs, among others.
In 1899 Huggins played his first year of pro ball, under the alias of William Proctor, for the Mansfield (Ohio) Haymakers of the Interstate League. His Brother Clarence played for the team as well. Miller played in the outfield until Clarence came up lame one day; he then moved to Clarence’s spot at shortstop and played the rest of the season at short or third base. Along his baseball travels, Huggins met Max and Julius Fleischmann, sons of leading Cincinnati businessman Charles Fleischmann.
The Fleischmann family of Cincinnati had a profound influence over Huggin’s early baseball career. Charles Fleischmann, and his brother Max, began a yeast production company in 1868. He eventually made millions selling yeast, flour, other bakery products and distilling whiskey and other liquors. The Fleischmann Yeast Company still thrives today. From http://famousbrandnames.blogspot.com...eishmanns.html
Charles Fleischmann came to the United States during the Civil War from Austria, where he managed a distillery. There were many things he found agreeable about his adopted land but one thing he could not tolerate was the deplorable taste of American bread. Bread was baked at the time with yeast made from fermented potato peelings.
He returned to Austria to gather samples of yeast used in the baking of his beloved Austrian bread. With the yeast cultures Fleischmann also brought back his brother Maximilian. The brothers quickly formed a partnership with a Cincinnati distiller, James Gaff and in 1868 America had its first standardized yeast. The baking industry was revolutionized. The partners later opened a subsidiary named the Fleischmann Distilling Company and America had its first distilled gin as well.
Both products gained immediate acceptance, and at the the Great Centennial Exposition in 1876 in Philadelphia the Fleischmann’s “Vienna Bakery” overwhelmed the visitors. Demand for the yeast needed to make the warm, fresh bread handed out from the Fleischmann’s booth caused the partners to build a fourth factory in Peekskill, New York.
James Gaff died in 1879 and Fleischmann bought his share of the business for $500,000. He became a leading citizen of Cincinnati, a director in two dozen companies and was elected to the State Senate. He was also well-known for his extravagances, often hosting elegant parties on his $80,000 yacht, Hiawatha.
He returned to Austria to gather samples of yeast used in the baking of his beloved Austrian bread. With the yeast cultures Fleischmann also brought back his brother Maximilian. The brothers quickly formed a partnership with a Cincinnati distiller, James Gaff and in 1868 America had its first standardized yeast. The baking industry was revolutionized. The partners later opened a subsidiary named the Fleischmann Distilling Company and America had its first distilled gin as well.
Both products gained immediate acceptance, and at the the Great Centennial Exposition in 1876 in Philadelphia the Fleischmann’s “Vienna Bakery” overwhelmed the visitors. Demand for the yeast needed to make the warm, fresh bread handed out from the Fleischmann’s booth caused the partners to build a fourth factory in Peekskill, New York.
James Gaff died in 1879 and Fleischmann bought his share of the business for $500,000. He became a leading citizen of Cincinnati, a director in two dozen companies and was elected to the State Senate. He was also well-known for his extravagances, often hosting elegant parties on his $80,000 yacht, Hiawatha.
The club began playing in June each year after the vacation season started. Honus Wagner played for the club in 1895. The Fleischmann’s signed Huggins, still under the pseudonym Proctor, to play in 1900. Incidentally, 1900 was the year Julius Fleischmann became mayor of Cincinnati.
By 1901, Huggins had entered law school after graduating with his undergraduate degree. He joined St. Paul of the Western League that year, this time using his real name. He only hit .210 (70 games) though. At the end of each season with St. Paul, Huggins would join semi-pro clubs around Cincinnati to make some extra cash. Huggins also worked in skating rinks during the off-season and developed a life-long fascinating with roller skating and its economic potential.
With St. Paul again in 1902 (now in the independent American Association) Huggins did much better, posting a .328 batting average in 129 games. This brought Huggins to a fork in the road. He now knew he could do well in professional baseball; his father though wanted the degree (and of course the intended career). Huggins spoke to one of his professors about the dilemma. Supposedly, the professor – future U.S. President William Howard Taft – advised him to pursue his passion.
Huggins did just that and told his father of his choice; however, he would graduate as well. In fact, American League Washington National manager Tom Loftus was interested in signing Huggins in 1902, but Huggins decided to remain out west and complete his studies.
He played for St. Paul (AA now a Class-A league) again in 1903, hitting .309 in 124 games. By this time, Max and Julius Fleischmann had purchased the Cincinnati Reds with local political kingpins Garry Herrmann and Boss Cox. In September the Reds purchased Huggins from St. Paul for $3,000. He made his major league debut on April 15, 1904.
LIFE OUTSIDE THE LINES
Huggins was a life-long bachelor. He lived much of his later life with his sister Mrytie. She lived with him in, Cincinnati, St. Louis, New York and during the winters in Florida. New York sportswriters referred to her as his “constant companion.” He also lived with, at times, and supported his mother’s sister Matilda.
In 1914 Huggins was part of an unsuccessful attempt to purchase the Buffalo club of the International League. More successfully, Huggins began to speculate in real estate and the stock market, especially after drawing substantial salary and bonus checks with the New York Yankees.
He purchased property mainly in Florida, especially around St. Petersburg where he maintained a winter residence (until his death). Huggins spent a great deal of time and energy managing his portfolio of stocks and real estate.
Among his favorite activities wintering in Florida was fishing and roller skating. He also spent quite a few vacations at Dover Hall, the Georgian winter retreat owned by Yankees’ magnate Col. Huston.
In February 1926 Huggins decided that he was spending too much time with his investments, so he sold most of his real estate holdings – orange groves in the Indian Rock district of St. Petersburg - to a Brooklyn businessman for $150,000.
DEATH
Huggins was a small, wiry guy. He was often irritable due in large part to insomnia, constant worrying, perpetual headaches and struggles to maintain his appetite. At the onset of September 1929 Huggins was suffering from the above and a persistent cold and looking particularly haggard. He also developed a small boil under his left eye. He was also fretting over the Yankees who were trailing the Philadelphia Athletics in the standings; in fact, on the 4th Huggins virtually conceded the pennant in an interview.
After Labor Day, Huggins missed three games due to illness, turning over the club to his closest companion on the club Charlie O’Leary and Art Fletcher. The A’s clinched the pennant on September 14. In the 15th Huggins left the dugout in the middle of the first game of a doubleheader to sit under a heat lamp and try to lance his persistent boil. After then, his time with the club was intermittent as his eye worsened.
On September 20 Huggins woke with his eye nearly swollen shut. He was also running a fever and fighting off a cold. He called his personal doctor (and Yankee consulting physician) Dr. Edward A. King. Huggins was then admitted to St. Vincent’s Hospital where he was found to be suffering from the effects of influenza and erysipelas, a skin disease.
At the hospital his fever spiked at upwards of 106 and never really fell to any acceptable level. Unfortunately, antibiotics were not available in September 1929. He was given three or four blood transfusions to no avail. The infection spread and Dr. King held little hope for a recovery. Huggins became delirious and fell in and out of consciousness. Family, friends and baseball associates were constantly at his bedside. He knew the end was near and called for his lawyer at some point to discuss his will and get his affairs in order.
On September 25 at approximately 3:15 in the afternoon Huggins passed away at age 51. The word reached the Yankees via telegram fifteen minutes later during the fifth inning of a game in Boston. The flag was dropped to half-mast and both clubs met at home plate for a minute of silence. Seven thousand fans stood as well. The Yankees ended up winning in eleven innings, 11-10.
All American League games were cancelled on September 26. The funeral took place at 2 pm on the 27th at the Church of the Transfiguration in New York City. Over 500 people attended, most of which were baseball associates. Some estimates suggest that as many as 10,000 people lined the streets, over 2,000 of which passed the coffin to take a final look at the Yankees’ manager. The pallbearers were: Fletcher, O’Leary, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Earl Combs, Tony Lazzari, Bob Shawkey (his replacement as manager) and Herb Pennock.
At 4 pm the body was placed on a train headed to Cincinnati. Huggins was accompanied by his sister, his brother Arthur (Clarence lived in Tennessee and made his own way to Cincinnati), personal friend and business associate Bob Connery, Jacob Ruppert, Ed Barrow, Pennock, and sportswriters Ford Frick, Marshall Hunt, William Slocum and Charlie Segar.
The party arrived in the morning of the 28th. There was another public viewing and a service. Huggins was interred at the Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati in a plot at section 53, lot 172.
Huggins’ will (written on 8/1/1927) was read on October 14 in St. Petersburg. He left an estate worth approximately $250,000, of which $200,000 went to his sister.
On May 30, 1932 the Yankees dedicated a monument to Huggins and placed it in the cavernous centerfield at Yankee Stadium; it was the first of many. He was later inducted into the National Baseball and University of Cincinnati Hall of Fames.
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