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Post by dave on Jun 2, 2012 8:07:47 GMT -5
A close-up. For some reason it strikes me Mike has an attitude in this photo. Maybe he just heard about the management reneging on their offer. More likely, he's impatient to have the photo session over. ![]() www.windsweptpress.com/images/MG attitude.jpg[/img] |
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Post by bobbbiez on Jun 2, 2012 12:41:03 GMT -5
 Well Dave, your uncle Mike had quite a great career in baseball. I am surprised we didn't hear more of him before since he was a big part of sport's history in Utica. That's a shame. Thank you for sharing his story with us. Really enjoy hearing about uncle Mike. 
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Post by dave on Jun 3, 2012 8:22:44 GMT -5
Thanks, Bz. Yes, it's surprising Uncle Mike was not better known among Utica baseball fans. The Herald Dispatch reporter caught up with Mike before he caught the train at Union Station to travel down and negotiate his contract. Click to enlarge the articles below. Twice if Firefox. The bottom article may be the only readable piece, but it's the one I wanted show. With reporters chasing after him, as the following shows, he must have been quite popular. But fame fades quickly. ![]() www.windsweptpress.com/images/mg trip.jpg[/img] |
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Post by dave on Jun 3, 2012 8:25:34 GMT -5
This should be easier to read.   |
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Post by dave on Jun 4, 2012 5:00:21 GMT -5
 "Mike" Griffin has decided to retire from the baseball field. "Mike" did not like his being sold by Brooklyn to St. Louis. His career on the diamond started wwith Utica in 1885. In 1887, "88 and "89 he ws with Baltimore of the American Association and in 1890 with Philadelphia Brotherhood team. In 1891 he went to Brooklyn and remained there until last season. |
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Post by dave on Jun 5, 2012 9:16:09 GMT -5
Firefox browser users click twice to enlarge.  |
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Post by dave on Jun 5, 2012 9:19:15 GMT -5
Click to enlarge. Twice for firefox. This one is hard to read.  |
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Post by dave on Jun 5, 2012 9:19:44 GMT -5
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Post by bobbbiez on Jun 5, 2012 17:18:45 GMT -5
Dave, is uncle Mike mentioned in any history hall of fame here in Utica? If not, you might want to contact someone to add his name to the many list of those in the past that brought fame to Utica.
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Post by dave on Jun 5, 2012 21:41:10 GMT -5
Meanwhile, and to digress a bit, Great Uncle Mike's father, Patrick was having a success of it during the last decade or so of the 19th century. In addition to his business and fraternal activities and a term in the State Assembly, he became Utica's lone IRS agent after his time as Utica's City Treasurer. Click to enlarge, twice for Firefox. ![]() www.windsweptpress.com/images/pg treas.jpg[/img] |
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Post by dave on Jun 5, 2012 21:42:24 GMT -5
The next year, 1892, Mike's sister, Anna, was married. I don't know why the nuptials took place at St. Agnes Church rather than St. John's. ![]() www.windsweptpress.com/images/pg anna.jpg[/img] |
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Post by dave on Jun 5, 2012 21:43:04 GMT -5
Oratory or Irish song, my great grandfather was evidently quite the guy! Here he is in the Knights of Honor. Patrick appears to be retired from the tobacco business at this time. Probably his other pursuits took up much of his time. Get your glasses on for this one. ![]() www.windsweptpress.com/images/pg john.jpg[/img] |
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Post by dave on Jun 5, 2012 21:44:52 GMT -5
In 1900, Patrick evidently got up at a meeting of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and made a spirited speech in support of the Boers in the Transvaal. The membership was persuaded to send $100 to the Boer Guerrillas in their fight against England for control of the South African gold mines during the 2nd Boer War. You will probably not be able to read this without some difficulty. ![]() www.windsweptpress.com/images/pg aoh.jpg[/img] Boer Guerrillas |
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Post by dave on Jun 5, 2012 21:45:57 GMT -5
I'm searching among the newspaper clippings at FultonHistory for information on where the Ancient Order of Hibernians met at the time my great grandfather and Great Uncle Mike were members. So far, I've been unable to find any references, but the Internet is a big place.
They may not have had a separate building at that time (or ever.) According to the Daily Press in September of 1915, the AOH was in the process of moving their meetings from St. Patrick's Hall (evidently the church) to Huron Hall on Seneca Street, between Layfayette and Columbia. During that last meeting in September, "an able address was made by E. Charles McCarthy, who said that "Come Back To Erin" should be the sentiment of every young Irishman. His talk was liberally applauded." But I'll bet few wanted to leave their relative success, jobs and homes to go back to a nation that in the early 1900's may have had less amenities than Zimbabwe.
Other than pretty girls, of course.
At the time of Patrick’s funeral in 1907, a notice in the paper asked Hibernians to meet at the K of C. I assume by then the Knights were in their building on Genesee Street near the Public Library.
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Post by dave on Jun 5, 2012 21:47:19 GMT -5
And so Great Uncle Mike married in a "brilliant ceremony in St. John's Church," to Miss Margaret Esther Barney, the sister of his business associate, William Barney. One wonders what the new Mrs. Griffin thought of having her marriage announcement cluttered up with paragraphs about baseball. Click to enlarge, Firefox users click twice. ![]() www.windsweptpress.com/images/MG wedding readable.jpg[/img] |
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Well Dave, your uncle Mike had quite a great career in baseball. I am surprised we didn't hear more of him before since he was a big part of sport's history in Utica. That's a shame. 