John McGraw: Dollar In His Pocket

John McGraw: Dollar In His Pocket

John McGraw the Hall of Famer who for almost thirty years managed the New York Giants was one of the most astute baseball minds of all time. However, his intellect went beyond the mere baseball field as he was also a shrewd businessman. In fact, he was constantly scheming on ways to make money or to come up with novel business ideas.

This most likely had to do with his impoverished childhood in Truxton, New York, in which the family often went without food. The experience left him with a terrible fear of failure and an overwhelming desire to secure enough financial security to leave him comfortable and without want.

McGraw’s fiery personality and showmanship connected him to many fascinating contemporaries and celebrities outside sports. Among his numerous friends were gamblers, show-business people, and politicians. He often used these contacts for business ventures and side activities that would bring him extra revenue.

In 1912, McGraw ventured into vaudeville for 15 weeks appearing with such acts as “Odiva the Goldfish Lady.” He once owned a poolroom in Manhattan with gambler Arnold Rothstein, who later became the principal financial backer of the Black Sox World Series fix. However, this was not McGraw’s first foray into billiards as he previously owned a pool hall in 1905 with partner Ted Sloan, one of America’s (if not the world’s) most famous jockeys of the era. It is interesting to note that in a photo of the two (above), the smallish McGraw towers over the latter.

McGraw and Brooklyn manager Wilbert Robinson owned a duckpin bowling alley together in Baltimore, Maryland, when both were baseball players. The sport was the precursor to regular bowling though the ball was much smaller without finger holes and the pins were of less weight.

McGraw also spent winters in Cuba, where he and Giants owner Charles Stoneham owned a share of a racetrack and casino. McGraw actually became a part-owner of the Giants in 1919. As part of the deal, McGraw became vice president of the Giants, with complete authority over the baseball side of the operation.

During the 1913–14 offseason, John McGraw and White Sox owner Charles Comiskey came up with a money-making plan to lead a world tour of American baseball players. Game sites included Australia, Japan, China, Ceylon, Egypt, Italy and England. The big draw was the inclusion of Olympic star Jim Thorpe on the roster whose appeal to spectators went beyond baseball itself but it was McGraw and Comiskey who took in most of the proceeds.

In 1913, McGraw also fielded an all-women’s New York Giants baseball team that netted him some extra revenue (read article entitled “Before A League of their Own” also on our Instagram site).

However, McGraw’s financial investments were not always good. He purchased heavily in Florida real estate of the 1920s especially around Sarasota where the Giants held spring training. It is said that he lost over $100,000 when the boom collapsed in 1926.

Regardless, McGraw unlike other baseball players of the era or managers (such as Connie Mack who had to sell his beloved Athletics to avoid bankruptcy), acquired quite a fortune of well over $1 million. True to his personal mission, he never was in financial need.