Benjamin Raymond Geraghty (July 19, 1912 – June 18, 1963) was an American

infielder An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field. Standard arrangement of positions In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles. ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

and one of the most successful and respected

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in No ...

managers Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...

of the 1950s. A

Jersey City Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.Villanova University Villanova University is a private Roman Catholic research university in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Augustinians in 1842 and named after Saint Thomas of Villanova. The university is the oldest Catholic university in Pennsy ...

to the

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Californi ...

, appearing in 51 games with the team in his

rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...

season. He appeared in 19 more games with the

Boston Braves The Atlanta Braves, a current Major League Baseball franchise, originated in Boston, Massachusetts. This article details the history of the Boston Braves, from 1871 to 1952, after which they moved to Milwaukee, and then to Atlanta. During it ...

over the 1943 and 1944 seasons, compiling a

batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...

of .199 in 146

at bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...

s with 29

hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album s ...

in 71 career games. In 1946, he survived a horrific bus crash that killed nine of his

Spokane Indians The Spokane Indians are a Minor League Baseball team located in Spokane Valley, the city immediately east of Spokane, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest. The Indians are members of the High-A Northwest League (NWL) as an affiliate of the Colo ...

teammates. As he wound up his playing career, Geraghty started managing. He was part of the

Milwaukee Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bos ...

system for nine years from 1953 through 1961, during which time

Hank Aaron Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. One of the gre ...

played for him. Aaron considered Geraghty the best manager he ever had. In his 18-year managing career, Geraghty won 1,432 games and lost 1,154 (.554). He won five pennants in seven years (1953–59) while piloting Braves affiliates. In the ten seasons of 1953 through 1962, a Geraghty-managed team never finished lower than second place. He was managing the

Jacksonville Suns The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Jacksonville, Florida, and are named for shrimp caught in the area. The team pla ...

in 1963 when he suffered a fatal

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

on June 18, just shy of his 51st birthday.

Early life

Benjamin Raymond Geraghty was born on July 19, 1912, in

Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark. He was the youngest of eight children of Patrick and Ida Geraghty, Irish immigrants to the United States. Patrick held several jobs during Ben's childhood; he was employed for over ten years as a teamster, then as a chauffeur for a tea factory, and finally as a night manager at the garage for the National Grocery Company. The Geraghtys lived on 157 Grand Street in Jersey City, along with two of Ida's brothers, the four-member Greaves family, and a boarder from Sweden. Patrick died in an accident not long after Ben's 14th birthday, when he was crushed between two trucks at work. Thomas, the second-oldest boy who worked as a policeman in the community, helped raise the younger children after Patrick's death. During his freshman and sophomore years of high school, Geraghty attended

St. Peter's Preparatory School Saint Peter's Preparatory School ("Saint Peter's Prep" or "Prep") is a private, all-male, Jesuit, college-preparatory school located in Jersey City, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. T ...

in Jersey City, where he played

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

as a

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...

and also was part of the

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

team. He transferred to St. Benedict's Preparatory School in Newark as junior. By this time, he had begun playing

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

as well, though his high school yearbook implied that basketball was his best sport. He graduated in 1932. Geraghty then attended

Villanova University Villanova University is a private Roman Catholic research university in Villanova, Pennsylvania. It was founded by the Augustinians in 1842 and named after Saint Thomas of Villanova. The university is the oldest Catholic university in Pennsy ...

, majoring in

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the " news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (p ...

. He continued to play baseball and basketball, both of which were coached by George Jacobs. Standing tall and weighing , Geraghty was shorter than average for a basketball player, but he scored a great deal of points and was named the team

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

as a senior. For the baseball team, he played

third base A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...

, though he had to battle

Frank Skaff Francis Michael Skaff (September 30, 1910 – April 12, 1988) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) infielder, coach, manager and scout. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1935 and for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1943, and served as act ...

for playing time.

Brooklyn Dodgers (1936)

While Geraghty was playing baseball for Villanova, scout Mel Logan recommended him to the

. Geraghty attended

spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...

for the Dodgers in 1936 and made a strong impression with manager

Casey Stengel Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel (; July 30, 1890 – September 29, 1975) was an American Major League Baseball right fielder and manager, best known as the manager of the championship New York Yankees of the 1950s and later, the expansion New Y ...

Lonny Frey Linus Reinhard Frey (August 23, 1910 – September 13, 2009) was an American infielder in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1933–1936), Chicago Cubs (1937, 1947), Cincinnati Reds (1938–1943, 1946), New Y ...

, the incumbent

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...

for the team, was error-prone and missed time in mid-March with an injury. At the close of spring training, Stengel decided to move Frey to second base and added Geraghty to the

Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...

roster. Jimmy Jordan made the first three starts of the year at shortstop; then, Geraghty played 15 straight games at the position. Making his MLB debut on April 17, he played all 10 innings of a game against the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

, recording two hits and a

run batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...

(RBI) in a 4–3 Dodger victory. He batted .429 in his first 10 games. On April 19, Jimmie Wilson of the Phillies kicked the baseball away from Geraghty as he stole second base. "He won’t pull that again on me. The next time I’ll just take that throw and tag him on the nose with the ball," Geraghty informed Stengel. Seven days later, also against Philadelphia, Geraghty became the first of a handful of players to reach first base on

catcher's interference In baseball, interference occurs in situations in which a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. Interference might be committed by players on the offense, players not currently in the game, catchers, umpires, or spec ...

twice during a game. Phillies

catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the cat ...

Earl Grace wrongly calculated that the rookie Geraghty and an inexperienced

umpire An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The term derives from the Old French nonper, ''non'', "not" and ''per' ...

would not notice him block Geraghty's swing. A hand injury caused Geraghty to miss five games in May. Upon his return, he struggled to hit. He made just one start at shortstop after June 9, though he began getting playing time at other

infield Infield is a sports term whose definition depends on the sport in whose context it is used. Baseball In baseball, the diamond, as well as the area immediately beyond it, has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-c ...

positions, such as second base and third base. After July 29, the Dodgers sent him to the Allentown Brooks of the Class A

New York-Penn League New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

. In 51 games with Brooklyn, he had batted .194 with 11

runs scored In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted bal ...

, 25

, and 9 RBIs. He hit no

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

s for the Dodgers; in fact, Geraghty would never hit a home run professionally. Later recalling his rookie year in 1963, Geraghty said, "I knew, the first month I was up with Brooklyn, that I was not good enough to play this game. I made up my mind that if I was going to stay in baseball I’d have to do it with my head."Jack Mann, "Henry Aaron: Bad Man with a Bat," ''Boys’ Life'', March 1972, 11. Finishing the 1936 season with Allentown, Geraghty batted .246 with 28 hits in 35 games. That fall, he returned to Villanova, finishing his journalism degree. He did not play at all in 1937. The exact reasons for this are unknown; though two articles from 1943 said he was in an automobile accident that year, the Dodgers placed him on their ineligible list in February. Geraghty had to appeal to commissioner

Kenesaw Mountain Landis Kenesaw Mountain Landis (; November 20, 1866 – November 25, 1944) was an American jurist who served as a United States federal judge from 1905 to 1922 and the first Commissioner of Baseball from 1920 until his death. He is remembered for his ...

for reinstatement in order to make his return in 1938. Meanwhile, Geraghty secured a job off the field as a cemetery superintendent, which would remain his offseason occupation for several years.

Washington Senators organization, break from the game (1937–42)

Geraghty's rights had been acquired by the

Trenton Senators Trenton may refer to: Places Canada *Trenton, Nova Scotia, a town * Trenton, Ontario, an unincorporated community *CFB Trenton, a Canadian Forces Base near Trenton, Ontario United States *Trenton, New Jersey, the capital of the state of New Jer ...

, a Class A

Eastern League Eastern League may refer to: Baseball in the United States ''Most recent leagues listed first'' * Eastern League (1938–present), a minor league established in 1923 and renamed Eastern League in 1938, at the Double-A level * Eastern League (1916� ...

affiliate of the Washington Senators, in August 1937. He debuted with the team in 1938, batting .264 with 117 hits in 120 games. Trenton moved to Springfield in 1939, and Geraghty played 38 games for them, batting .233. His time was limited by a broken elbow. Another injury occurred on July 28, against the

Williamsport Grays The Williamsport Grays were a minor league baseball team in Williamsport, Pennsylvania between 1923 and 1962. The club began play in 1923 in the New York–Pennsylvania League and were a charter member of the Eastern League in 1938. The team was ...

. Geraghty scored from first base on a dropped pop fly, but his celebration was short-lived, as he collapsed because of a hemorrhage."Eastern League," The Sporting News, August 3, 1939, 9. Williamsport purchased his contract after the game, and Baseball-Reference.com indicates he was under contract to the Grays in 1940, though no statistics are recorded. He sat out the 1941 and 1942 seasons, taking a job with a California shipyard before Stengel, now manager of the

encouraged him to return east and make a comeback in 1943.

Boston Braves (1943-44)

Due to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, all MLB teams except the St. Louis ones trained east of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...

and north of the Potomac and

Ohio River The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of ...

, not in the south like they normally did. Training in

Wallingford, Connecticut Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, centrally located between New Haven and Hartford, and Boston and New York City. The population was 44,396 at the 2020 census. The community was named after Wallingford, in En ...

, the Braves tried to do most of their work indoors initially, but they ended this practice after Geraghty and two others suffered minor leg injuries because of the slick floor. Geraghty made the team and was still with them by the time the

All-Star Game An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or d ...

was played. However, he only appeared in eight games and only had one

. Mostly, he was utilized as a

pinch runner In baseball, a pinch runner is a player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing another player on base. The pinch runner may be faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been subs ...

; he scored two runs in this capacity. The Braves optioned him to the Eastern League's Hartford Bees on July 18, and Geraghty batted .312 in 39 games. Geraghty started 1944 with the Braves, appearing in seven games through mid-May before again getting sent to the minors, this time to the

Syracuse Chiefs Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York * Syracuse, Indiana *Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...

of the

Class AA Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League ...

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ( ...

. He played 84 games for the Chiefs, batting .224 with 22 RBI. Recalled by Boston in September, he played in four more games, the last appearances of his MLB career. His final game was against the Dodgers on September 14; pinch-running for

Buck Etchison Clarence Hampton "Buck" Etchison (January 27, 1915 – January 24, 1980) was an American professional first baseman who played for the Boston Braves in parts of two seasons spanning 1943–1944. At the end of the 1945 season, he was sent to the ...

, he scored to give the Braves the lead, though Boston allowed runs in the eighth and ninth and lost 5–4. After going hitless with the Braves in 1943, Geraghty had four hits in 16 at bats for them in 1944. He actually began the 1945 season on Boston's roster but was sent to the minors in mid-May without having played. In 70 total MLB games, he compiled a batting average of .199 in 146 at bats with 29 hits, four of which were

doubles Men's doubles, Women's doubles or Mixed doubles are sports having two players per side, including; * Beach volleyball * Doubles badminton * Doubles curling * Footvolley * Doubles pickleball * Doubles squash * Doubles table tennis * Doubles te ...

, and nine RBI.

Minor league player-manager (1945-48)

Indianapolis Indians

After being demoted in 1945, Geraghty finished out the year playing 117 games for the

Indianapolis Indians The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory Field, which opened ...

of the Class AA

American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...

. In 117 games, he batted .270 with 63 runs scored, 111 hits, and 25 RBI. Heading west in 1946, he joined the

Sacramento Solons The Sacramento Solons were a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Pacific Coast League during several periods (1903, 1905, 1909–1914, 1918–1960, 1974–1976). The current Sacramento River Cats began pl ...

of the

Class AAA Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL). ...

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Ba ...

but only lasted four games before getting released. Geraghty then signed with the

of the Class B

Western International League The Western International League was a mid- to higher-level minor league baseball circuit in the Pacific Northwest United States and western Canada that operated in 1922, 1937 to 1942 and 1946 to 1954. In 1955, the Western International Leagu ...

, with whom his life would be forever altered.

Survived 1946 Spokane bus tragedy

On June 24, 1946, Geraghty survived one of the greatest tragedies in baseball history, when the bus carrying the Spokane Indians crashed while attempting to avert an oncoming car on a rain-slicked mountain pass. Nine players were killed; Geraghty was among the injured. He sustained a severe head wound when he was thrown through a window before the bus burst into flames, but he was able to climb up the hillside and signal for help. The Spokane club was decimated and could only continue the season with players loaned from other teams and organizations. "I guess I'm pretty lucky", Geraghty told the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. new ...

the day after the crash. "I was thrown right out a window. I took the window frame right with me. I remember flying out the window, but I must have been knocked out because I don't remember landing." Geraghty's head wound required 28 stitches to close, and he was on crutches as the result of a broken kneecap. Despite his head injury, Geraghty was named the immediate replacement for Mel Cole—the team's catcher and

player-manager A player-coach (also playing coach, captain-coach, or player-manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. A player-coach may be a head coach or an assistant coach. They may make changes to the s ...

who perished in the crash—as the Indians' first post-accident skipper. But his injuries were too serious, and former big-leaguer Glenn Wright assumed the reins for the rest of 1946. Geraghty was able to return to Spokane to play for and manage the Indians in 1947. He appeared in 31 games for the Indians, batting .348. Meanwhile, he led them to a second-place finish and 87 victories. His health, however, would never be the same. He would manage in the minors for the next 16 seasons, but he was troubled by

heart disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, h ...

cardiovascular disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, hea ...

and

ulcer An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected organ. According to Robbins's pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caused by sloughing o ...

s, and developed a reputation as a heavy drinker.

1947-48

Geraghty was released after the 1947 season. He had come into conflict with team owner Sam Collins when he criticized the release of an

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...

, but his popularity with the fans had helped him last the rest of the season before getting released. Hired by the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...

in 1948, he started the year playing for and managing the Meridian Peps of the Class B

Southeastern League The Southeastern League was the name of four separate baseball leagues in minor league baseball which operated in the Southeastern and South Central United States in numerous seasons between 1897 and 2003. Two of these leagues were associated wit ...

. In 15 games, he batted .128 before getting released on May 30. Those games were the last time in his career he would be an active player.Alvin Burt, "Three-B Plan Keeps Ben Geraghty on Top," ''The Sporting News'', May 18, 1955. Later in the year, he managed the Palatka Azaleas of the Class D

Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A followi ...

as they finished the season in eighth place.

New York Giants affiliates (1949-52)

Over the next four years, Geraghty managed

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisio ...

minor league teams. He guided the Class D

Bristol Twins The Bristol Twins were a Minor League Baseball team located in Bristol, Virginia, that operated in the Class D Appalachian League between the 1940 and 1955 seasons. During their history, Twins were an affiliate team of the New York Giants (1942� ...

of the

Appalachian League The Appalachian League is a collegiate summer baseball league that operates in the Appalachian regions of Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Designed for rising freshmen and sophomores using wood bats, its season runs from J ...

to a third-place finish (76–41) in 1949 and a second-place finish (74–47) in 1950. In 1951, he moved up to Class A, managing the Jacksonville Tars of the

South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...

(SAL). George Booker of ''

The Sporting News The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...

'' wrote in August, "A great deal of the Tar success this season must be attributed to Ben Geraghty, who, with his magic touch, has turned a poor spring team into a 1951 pennant contender for the first time in years." The Tars finished second in the SAL with a 79–58 record, but they slumped to seventh in 1952 with a 69–85 record. Geraghty remained on with the team in 1953, when they changed their name to "Braves" as a result of their new affiliation with

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee i ...

. That year, Geraghty managed his most famous prospect.

Milwaukee Braves affiliates (1953-61)

Manager of young Hank Aaron (1953)

One of the 1953 Jacksonville Braves was 19-year-old

. "He was the greatest manager I ever played for, perhaps the greatest manager who ever lived, and that includes managers in the big leagues. I’ve never played for a guy who could get more out of every ballplayer than he could. He knew how to communicate with everybody and to treat every player as an individual," Aaron said. Baseball's future home run king also recalled that "he chewed me out when I needed it, but he told me how good I could be and – most important – he taught me how to study the game, and never make the same mistake twice."

Pat Jordan Pat Jordan (17 July 1928 – 1 September 2001) was a British Trotskyist who was central to founding the International Marxist Group. Jordan was born in Chelsea, London,Cohen, S. 'Pat Jordan (1928-2001) in ''Revolutionary History'' Vol.8 No.3 pg ...

, another 1953 Jacksonville Brave, remembered that Geraghty, a white man, would regularly confront the rigid racial segregation of the times. Geraghty would insist that he and his minority players (Aaron, Horace Garner, and Felix Mantilla) be served as equals at the finest restaurants. "Invariably, they would be refused service", Jordan wrote. "While Aaron waited nervously outside, Geraghty complained loudly to the management ... They ould goto the next best restaurant, and the next and the next, until Geraghty finally located one that would serve

hem A hem in sewing is a garment finishing method, where the edge of a piece of cloth is folded and sewn to prevent unravelling of the fabric and to adjust the length of the piece in garments, such as at the end of the sleeve or the bottom of the g ...

" The Braves won the SAL pennant with a 93–44 record in 1953, and Geraghty was named the league's best manager.

Further years with Jacksonville (1954-58)

By the 1953-54 offseason, Geraghty's offseason occupation was selling TV sets. He led the Braves to another pennant in 1954, with an 83–57 record. Over the 1954-55 offseason, Geraghty managed the Caguas-Guayama Criollos of the

Puerto Rican Winter League Puerto, a Spanish word meaning ''seaport'', may refer to: Places *El Puerto de Santa María, Andalusia, Spain *Puerto, a seaport town in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines *Puerto Colombia, Colombia *Puerto Cumarebo, Venezuela *Puerto Galera, Orient ...

, a last-minute replacement for

Mickey Owen Arnold Malcolm "Mickey" Owen (April 4, 1916 – July 13, 2005) was an American professional baseball player, coach and scout. He played as a catcher for 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between and for the St. Louis Cardinals, Brooklyn ...

, who chose to play for a Venezuelan team instead. In 1955, Geraghty expressed his desire that players pay attention to the game: "A guy who doesn’t study to improve himself has got no place in baseball. We got enough rockheads already." He had to take several days off in June due to stomach problems. Jacksonville finished second in 1955 with a 79–61 record, and Geraghty returned to the Criollos over the offseason. Guiding them to a second-place finish, he tied Herman Franks in voting for the league's best manager, a deadlock that was settled when Franks asked that Geraghty be given the honor. Caguas-Guayama won the league title and tied for second in the subsequent

Caribbean Series The Caribbean Series (''Spanish'': ''Serie del Caribe''), also called Caribbean World Series, is the highest tournament for professional baseball teams in Latin America. The tournament location is rotated annually among the countries and is nor ...

, played against teams from surrounding nations. Jacksonville won their third pennant under Geraghty in 1956 with an 87–53 record.

Charlie Grimm Charles John Grimm (August 28, 1898 – November 15, 1983), nicknamed "Jolly Cholly", was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman, most notably for the Chicago Cubs; he was als ...

was fired as Milwaukee's manager that year, and Geraghty later noted that he was passed over when Fred Haney was named the replacement, though no articles at the time mentioned that Geraghty was a candidate. While managing Caguas-Guayama in the offseason, he discovered that he had been promoted to manage the American Association's

Wichita Braves The Wichita Braves were an American Triple-A minor league baseball franchise based in Wichita, Kansas, that played in the American Association from 1956 to 1958 as the top affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves of the National League. The Braves w ...

, Milwaukee's top minor league affiliate. Geraghty's promotion brought immediate results to a team that had finished seventh the year before. "Look at what Ben Geraghty’s done to that club" was a remark Frank Haraway of ''The Sporting News'' overheard many times in the season's first two months; he attributed the improvement to a change in the team's attitude. As it battled for the title, Wichita dealt with injuries to key players and saw several of their regulars promoted to the major league club, which was also in a pennant race. In fact, Geraghty recommended to Milwaukee

general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...

John Quinn that the team promote

Bob Hazle Robert Sydney "Hurricane" Hazle (December 9, 1930 – April 25, 1992) was an American professional baseball player. He was an outfielder over parts of three Major League seasons (1955; 1957–1958) with the Cincinnati Redlegs, Milwaukee Brav ...

, one of Wichita's starting outfielders. Hazle went on to bat .403 in the season's final two months, helping the parent club win the

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...

(NL) pennant and ultimately the

1957 World Series The 1957 World Series featured the defending champion New York Yankees of the American League playing against the Milwaukee Braves of the National League. After finishing just one game behind the N.L. Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956, the Brave ...

. Despite losing key players, Geraghty secured his fourth minor league pennant, as Wichita won the American Association title with a record of 93–61 before losing in the first round of the playoffs. He was named the league's top manager, and ''The Sporting News'' named him their Minor League Manager of the Year. In the winter of 1957–58, Geraghty went to the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...

to manage the Estrellas Orientales. During the 1958 season, Geraghty again saw several of his star players called up by Milwaukee. Wichita got off to a slow start, improved as the year went on, but only managed to finish second this time, posting an 83–71 record. Wichita still qualified for the playoffs but lost in the first round again. That offseason, Geraghty managed Caguas-Guayama in his most physically demanding offseason yet. Geraghty first suffered a knee injuring while demonstrating a

double play In baseball and softball, a double play (denoted as DP in baseball statistics) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs. In Major Lea ...

, then had to go to Milwaukee for treatment after getting struck by a foul ball during batting practice. This would mark the last time he managed in Latin America over the offseason.

Louisville Colonels (1959-61)

The Braves American Association affiliate became the Louisville Colonels in 1959, and Geraghty moved to Kentucky with the franchise. Dave Roberts called him Milwaukee's most respected minor league manager. Louisville won the pennant a 97–65 record, but they lost in the first round of the playoffs. Instead of managing winter ball after the season, Geraghty instructed Braves prospects in

Bradenton, Florida Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698. History Late 18th and early 19th centuries A settlement established by Maroons or escaped sl ...

, that fall. When Fred Haney stepped down as Milwaukee's manager following the 1959 season, Geraghty was strongly considered for the Braves' managerial opening. Reporters noted that he was an excellent manager but that he lacked the big-name reputation of other candidates. Ultimately,

Chuck Dressen Charles Walter Dressen (September 20, 1894Dressen's birthdate has been revised from 1898, as was commonly reported in ''The Sporting News' Baseball Register'' and ''Macmillan's Baseball Encyclopedia'', to 1894 by both Baseball Reference and Retro ...

was hired instead. "I think Dressen coming into our organization will mean a big difference to our personnel in Milwaukee. The boys will be better off," Geraghty graciously said in January 1960. "I know how badly he wanted to manage in the big leagues, so I know how much it hurt when he didn’t get the job," Aaron recalled in 1972. Before the 1960 season, Geraghty developed some pre-spring training routines for the young players. "This could do the boys a lot of good. … They can accomplish more working together like this than on their own at some gymnasium. Otherwise, people hang around and talk to them and they kill a lot of time." Grimm made him part of his strategy board in Milwaukee's 1960 spring training. He started the season as Louisville's manager, but ulcers led to his hospitalization in May, and a six-month rest prescribed by doctors sidelined Geraghty for the rest of the 1960 season. He started instructing prospects again that fall and told reporters, "When my chance in the majors comes, I’ll be ready." Returning to Louisville in 1961, Geraghty managed the team for the whole year, leading the Colonels to an 80–70 record and a second-place finish. This time, the Colonels won in the American Association playoffs, allowing them to advance to the

Junior World Series The Junior World Series was a postseason championship series between champions of two of the three highest minor league baseball leagues modeled on the World Series of Major League Baseball. It was called the Little World Series (no relation to ...

, where the

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen F ...

swept them. That September, Grimm stepped down as Milwaukee's manager. However,

Birdie Tebbetts George Robert "Birdie" Tebbetts (November 10, 1912 – March 24, 1999) was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and front office executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers, ...

was chosen as his replacement instead. Convinced that he would never advance in Milwaukee's organization, as the Braves viewed him as more valuable as a developmental coach than a major league manager, Geraghty left the Braves' organization, having managed their teams for nine years.

Return to Jacksonville (1962-63)

On October 11, 1961, Geraghty signed a three-year contract to manage Cleveland's new Class AAA team, the

. Jacksonville fans were glad to have their old manager back. That January, he underwent a four-hour operation in a Jacksonville hospital to correct a circulatory condition. Recovering in time for spring training, he led his 1962 Suns to 94 victories and earned his second ''Sporting News'' Minor League Manager of the Year Award and final pennant, although his Suns were defeated in seven games by the

Atlanta Crackers The Atlanta Crackers were Minor League Baseball teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, between 1901 and 1965. The Crackers were Atlanta's home team until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1966. History Atlanta played its first ...

in the finals of the Governors' Cup playoffs. "You’ve got to be lucky in this game to win," Geraghty said upon receiving the award.

Tommy John Thomas Edward John Jr. (born May 22, 1943), nicknamed "The Bionic Man," is an American retired professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 26 seasons between 1963 and 1989. He played for the Cleveland Indians, ...

played for Geraghty in 1962 and 1963 with the Suns. He heard that Geraghty had once been a great instructor in the minor leagues, but by the time John joined the team, Geraghty tended to favor the veterans over the younger players, since the veterans needed less instruction. John also observed the impact the bus accident had on Geraghty. "I noticed that Ben never slept on long bus trips. He'd sit in his seat all night, wide awake, just staring out the window. Or when the club was at home, he'd go into his office, which was directly opposite my locker, and sit there silently chain-smoking cigarettes and swigging his beer. He'd stare at nothing, as if trying to remember something...or maybe trying to forget." The Suns got off to a slow start in 1963, with a 26–39 record through June 17. Bobby Maduro, the team owner, discussed with Geraghty which players the club might obtain to help their performance. That night, he suffered shoulder pain. Next morning, he awoke with chest pain. His wife phoned for medical help, but Geraghty was stricken with a fatal

, dying at 4:15 A.M., one month shy of his 51st birthday. "I don't know of another manager in baseball whom the paying fans held in so much respect", Bill Foley, the ''

Florida Times-Union ''The Florida Times-Union'' is a daily newspaper in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Widely known as the oldest newspaper in the state, it began publication as the ''Florida Union'' in 1864. Its current incarnation started in 1883, when th ...

's'' sports editor, wrote upon Geraghty's death. He is interred in Jacksonville's Evergreen Cemetery. In his 18-year managing career, Geraghty won 1,432 games and lost 1,154 (.554). He won five pennants in seven years (1953–59) while piloting Braves affiliates. In the ten seasons of 1953 through 1962, a Geraghty-managed team never finished lower than second place.

Personal life

Geraghty married

Livingston, New Jersey Livingston is a township in Essex County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the township's population was 29,366, reflecting an increase of 1,975 (+7.2%) from the 27,391 counted in the 2000 Census. In 2019, the Population Estimates Prog ...

, resident Mary Dowd on November 17, 1938. They had five children: Patrick, Elizabeth, Barry, Thomas, and Benjamin Jr. (or "Benjie"). He was very superstitious, once having a lucky rabbit's foot flown to a visiting city on a

Trans World Airlines Trans World Airlines (TWA) was a major American airline which operated from 1930 until 2001. It was formed as Transcontinental & Western Air to operate a route from New York City to Los Angeles via St. Louis, Kansas City, and other stops, with F ...

flight when he forgot to bring it with him on the team's road trip. The 1946 bus crash left him in a state of constant anxiety whenever he rode buses. Jordan recalled that he would wear a lucky shirt, drink an entire case of beer, and chatter incessantly with the bus driver. "He had an amazing capacity for beer...the unusual thing about him, though, was that he never seemed to show the effects of it at all," Aaron recalled.Aaron and Bisher, p. 161

References

* *Jordan, Pat, ''A False Spring.'' New York: Dodd, Mead, 1975. .

External links

Obituary
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Geraghty, Ben 1912 births 1963 deaths Allentown Brooks players Baseball players from Jersey City, New Jersey Boston Braves players Brooklyn Dodgers players Hartford Bees players Indianapolis Indians players Louisville Colonels (minor league) managers Major League Baseball infielders Meridian Peps players Sacramento Solons players Spokane Indians managers Spokane Indians players Sportspeople from Jersey City, New Jersey Springfield Nationals players Trenton Senators players Villanova University alumni Villanova Wildcats baseball players Williamsport Grays players