Chub Feeney
Encyclopedia
Charles Stoneham "Chub" Feeney (August 31, 1921 — January 10, 1994) was an American
front office executive in Major League Baseball
and president of the National League
(NL) during a 40-plus year career in baseball
.
Born in Orange, New Jersey
, into a baseball family, Feeney was the grandson of Charles Stoneham
, principal owner of the New York Giants
until his death in 1936
, and the nephew of Horace Stoneham
, who owned the team from 1936 through 1976
. Feeney began his association with the Giants as a batboy
, and after his graduation from Dartmouth College
and military service during World War II
he joined the team's front office at the age of 24 as vice president in 1946
. Although he never held the official title of general manager
, Feeney would function as head of the Giants' baseball operations department for almost 24 years.
Mel Ott
, a popular, Hall of Fame hitter and lifelong Giant, with the controversial and abrasive Leo Durocher
, who had been managing their interborough rivals, the Brooklyn Dodgers
. Asked by Stoneham to evaluate his new team, Durocher, no sentimentalist, reportedly replied: "Back up the truck" — meaning wholesale changes were needed. Within 1½ years — and with the decision to follow Brooklyn in breaking the color line
— Durocher, Stoneham and Feeney's front office had built the Giants into a hard-playing, balanced team of pitching, hitting, speed and defense.
In 1951
, the Giants battled back from a 13½ game deficit on August 11, winning 37 of their last 44 games to force a best-of-three pennant playoff with Brooklyn. After splitting the first two games, the Giants overcame one last hurdle — a 4-1, ninth-inning Brooklyn lead in Game 3 — to beat the Dodgers on Bobby Thomson
's three-run home run
, baseball's version of the "Shot Heard 'Round the World
." The Giants had won their first National League pennant since 1937
, but they dropped the 1951 World Series
in six games to the New York Yankees
.
Brooklyn dominated the NL for the next two seasons, but, in 1954
, Durocher's Giants — led by batting champion
Willie Mays
and the runner-up, Don Mueller
— emerged as champions, winning the pennant by five games. They drew the Cleveland Indians
, who had set an American League
record by winning 111 games, as their opponents in the 1954 World Series
. But the Giants won in four straight games, highlighted by Mays' game-saving catch of Vic Wertz
' long drive in Game 1, the clutch hitting of obscure outfielder
and pinch hitter
Dusty Rhodes
, and effective pitching from four different starters.
Unfortunately, the 1954 Fall Classic was the last highlight of the Giants' 70-plus year history in New York
. Attendance plunged in the years that immediately followed, and after Durocher's resignation in 1955
to become a "Game of the Week" baseball broadcaster, the team played poorly. By 1957
, owner Stoneham had decided to leave for greener pastures, ultimately choosing San Francisco
as the team's destination to preserve its historic rivalry with the Dodgers, who simultaneously moved to Los Angeles
.
, led by players produced by the club's farm system
. Feeney and the team's farm director, Carl Hubbell
, the Hall of Fame pitcher
, had stocked the team with outstanding young talent — especially African-American and Latin-American players, exploiting lingering prejudice by most other major league clubs. The Giants were the first team to sign players from the Dominican Republic
, bringing to San Francisco stars such as Juan Marichal
, Felipe Alou and Matty Alou
. The Giants also were the first MLB team to sign a player from Japan
, Masanori Murakami
, who debuted in 1964
.
In 1962
, the Giants and Dodgers engaged in a West Coast-version of the 1951 pennant chase. Los Angeles built an early lead, but began to fall to earth when ace left-hander Sandy Koufax
was sidelined by a finger ailment. By season's end, the teams were deadlocked, at 101 wins and 61 defeats. Again, a best-of-three playoff would determine the champion, and — again — the Giants would rally in the ninth inning of Game 3 to beat the Dodgers. But the deciding game was played in Los Angeles, thus the winning run — forced in by a bases-loaded walk — was not a "walk-off" situation and lacked the drama of Thomson's home run. The Giants, as in '51, faced the Yankees in the 1962 World Series
and lost, this time in seven games.
Although San Francisco remained a first-division team, and frequent contender, during the rest of the 1960s, it did not win another pennant in the decade; in fact, the team won one division championship from 1969 through 1986 (1971
), and did not appear in the World Series again until 1989
. The Giants finished in second place for four successive seasons (1965–1968). By 1969
, the team was showing signs of age and decline. Concurrently, Feeney was being considered for prominent positions within Major League Baseball's hierarchy. After his candidacy for Commissioner of Baseball
fell short, Feeney succeeded Warren Giles
as NL president late in 1969.
, losing only in 1971
, 1983
and 1986
and winning 14 times, although the AL prevailed in the World Series, 9-8, during this period. Feeney rallied NL owners to resist adoption of the designated hitter
and presided over a period of stability, as the league neither expanded nor moved a franchise during his term. (Ironically, the NL team that came closest to moving was Stoneham's Giants, which were nearly sold to a Toronto
consortium in 1976. The owner who saved the Giants for San Francisco in 1976, Bob Lurie
, nearly moved the team to St. Petersburg, Florida
in 1992
.)
Just before his tenure as NL president ended, he made an appearance on Jeopardy!
in the show's second season in 1986.
As he passed his 65th birthday, Feeney was succeeded as NL president by A. Bartlett Giamatti
. His baseball career concluded with a 15-month tour as president of the San Diego Padres
(1987–88), which ended with his resignation the day after he made an obscene gesture to hecklers on Fan Appreciation Night in San Diego on September 24, 1988.
He died in January 1994 of a heart attack
in San Francisco at the age of 72. He is interred at Skylawn Memorial Park
in San Mateo, California
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
front office executive in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
and president of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
(NL) during a 40-plus year career in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
.
Born in Orange, New Jersey
Orange, New Jersey
The City of Orange is a city and township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 30,134...
, into a baseball family, Feeney was the grandson of Charles Stoneham
Charles Stoneham
Charles A. Stoneham was the owner of the New York Giants baseball team, New York Giants soccer team, the center of numerous corruption scandals and the instigator of the "Soccer Wars" which destroyed the American Soccer League.-Business ventures:Stoneham began his career as a board boy, updating...
, principal owner of the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
until his death in 1936
1936 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over New York Giants *All-Star Game, July 7 at Braves Field: National League, 4–3-Awards and honors:* Most Valuable Player**American League: Lou Gehrig, New York Yankees, 1B...
, and the nephew of Horace Stoneham
Horace Stoneham
Horace C. Stoneham was the principal owner of Major League Baseball's New York/San Francisco Giants from the death of his father, Charles Stoneham, in 1936 until 1976. During his ownership, the team won National League pennants in 1936, 1937, 1951, 1954 and 1962, a division title in 1971, and a...
, who owned the team from 1936 through 1976
1976 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over New York Yankees ; Johnny Bench, MVP*All-Star Game, July 13 at Veterans Stadium: National League, 7-1; George Foster, MVP-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Naranjeros de Hermosillo...
. Feeney began his association with the Giants as a batboy
Batboy
A batboy is an individual who carries the baseball bats around to a baseball team. A batboy may also lay out the equipment and mud the baseballs to be used in the game.Mascots and batboys had both been part of baseball since the 1880s....
, and after his graduation from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
and military service during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he joined the team's front office at the age of 24 as vice president in 1946
1946 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox *All-Star Game, July 9 at Fenway Park: American League, 12–0-Other champions:*Negro League World Series: Newark Eagles over Kansas City Monarchs...
. Although he never held the official title of general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
, Feeney would function as head of the Giants' baseball operations department for almost 24 years.
Two pennants in Manhattan
The postwar Giants were a second-division team of slow-footed sluggers with poor fielding and mediocre pitching. On July 16, 1948, Stoneham and Feeney made a dramatic change. They replaced managerManager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Mel Ott
Mel Ott
Melvin Thomas Ott , nicknamed "Master Melvin", was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played his entire career for the New York Giants . Ott was born in Gretna, Louisiana. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
, a popular, Hall of Fame hitter and lifelong Giant, with the controversial and abrasive Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher
Leo Ernest Durocher , nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. Upon his retirement, he ranked fifth all-time among managers with 2,009 career victories, second only to John McGraw in National League history. Durocher still ranks tenth in career wins by...
, who had been managing their interborough rivals, the Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. Asked by Stoneham to evaluate his new team, Durocher, no sentimentalist, reportedly replied: "Back up the truck" — meaning wholesale changes were needed. Within 1½ years — and with the decision to follow Brooklyn in breaking the color line
Baseball color line
The color line in American baseball excluded players of black African descent from Organized Baseball, or the major leagues and affiliated minor leagues, until Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization for the 1946 season...
— Durocher, Stoneham and Feeney's front office had built the Giants into a hard-playing, balanced team of pitching, hitting, speed and defense.
In 1951
1951 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:Baseball's Shot Heard 'Round the World gives the New York Giants the National League Pennant in the third game of a best-of-three-games tiebreaker series over the Brooklyn Dodgers.-Major League Baseball:...
, the Giants battled back from a 13½ game deficit on August 11, winning 37 of their last 44 games to force a best-of-three pennant playoff with Brooklyn. After splitting the first two games, the Giants overcame one last hurdle — a 4-1, ninth-inning Brooklyn lead in Game 3 — to beat the Dodgers on Bobby Thomson
Bobby Thomson
Robert Brown "Bobby" Thomson was a Scottish-born American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "The Staten Island Scot", he was an outfielder and right-handed batter for the New York Giants , Milwaukee Braves , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles .His season-ending three-run...
's three-run home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
, baseball's version of the "Shot Heard 'Round the World
Shot Heard 'Round the World (baseball)
In baseball, the "Shot Heard 'round the World" is the term given to the walk-off home run hit by New York Giants outfielder Bobby Thomson off Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca at the Polo Grounds to win the National League pennant at 3:58 p.m...
." The Giants had won their first National League pennant since 1937
1937 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over New York Giants *All-Star Game, July 7 at Griffith Stadium: American League, 8-3-Awards and honors:*MLB Most Valuable Player Award**American League: Charlie Gehringer, Detroit Tigers, 2B...
, but they dropped the 1951 World Series
1951 World Series
The 1951 World Series matched the two-time defending champion New York Yankees against the New York Giants, who had won the National League pennant in a thrilling three-game playoff with the Brooklyn Dodgers on the legendary home run by Bobby Thomson .In the Series, the Yankees showed some power of...
in six games to the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
.
Brooklyn dominated the NL for the next two seasons, but, in 1954
1954 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* World Series: New York Giants over Cleveland Indians * All-Star Game, July 13 at Municipal Stadium: American League, 11-9-Other champions:* Caribbean World Series: Caguas Creoles [Criollos de Caguas]...
, Durocher's Giants — led by batting champion
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
and the runner-up, Don Mueller
Don Mueller
Donald Frederick Mueller is a retired outfielder who played 12 seasons in American Major League Baseball . The first ten of those years were spent with the New York Giants, for whom he batted over .300 for three consecutive seasons and led the National League in hits in 1954...
— emerged as champions, winning the pennant by five games. They drew the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, who had set an American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
record by winning 111 games, as their opponents in the 1954 World Series
1954 World Series
The 1954 World Series matched the National League champion New York Giants against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. The Giants swept the Series in four games to win their first championship since , defeating the heavily favored Indians, who had won an AL-record 111 games in the...
. But the Giants won in four straight games, highlighted by Mays' game-saving catch of Vic Wertz
Vic Wertz
Victor Woodrow Wertz was a Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder. He had a seventeen year career from 1947 to 1963. He was signed as a free agent by the Detroit Tigers in 1942 and played for the Tigers, St...
' long drive in Game 1, the clutch hitting of obscure outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
Dusty Rhodes
Dusty Rhodes (baseball player)
James Lamar Rhodes was an outfielder with a 7 year career from 1952–1957, 1959. He played for the Giants franchise of the National League ....
, and effective pitching from four different starters.
Unfortunately, the 1954 Fall Classic was the last highlight of the Giants' 70-plus year history in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Attendance plunged in the years that immediately followed, and after Durocher's resignation in 1955
1955 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Brooklyn Dodgers over New York Yankees ; Johnny Podres, MVP*All-Star Game, July 12 at County Stadium: National League, 6-5 -Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Cangrejeros de Santurce...
to become a "Game of the Week" baseball broadcaster, the team played poorly. By 1957
1957 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Milwaukee Braves over New York Yankees ; Lew Burdette, MVP*All-Star Game, July 9 at Busch Stadium: American League, 6-5-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Marianao *College World Series: California...
, owner Stoneham had decided to leave for greener pastures, ultimately choosing San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
as the team's destination to preserve its historic rivalry with the Dodgers, who simultaneously moved to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Contenders, and mainly bridesmaids, in San Francisco
The Giants returned to the first division upon moving to the West CoastWest Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
, led by players produced by the club's farm system
Farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
. Feeney and the team's farm director, Carl Hubbell
Carl Hubbell
Carl Owen Hubbell was an American baseball player. He was a member of the New York Giants in the National League from 1928 to 1943, and remained on the Giants' payroll for the rest of his life, long after their move to San Francisco.Twice voted the National League's Most Valuable Player, Hubbell...
, the Hall of Fame pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe 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 draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
, had stocked the team with outstanding young talent — especially African-American and Latin-American players, exploiting lingering prejudice by most other major league clubs. The Giants were the first team to sign players from the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, bringing to San Francisco stars such as Juan Marichal
Juan Marichal
Juan Antonio Marichal Sánchez is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Playing for the San Francisco Giants most of his career, Marichal was known for his high leg kick, pinpoint control and intimidation tactics, which included aiming pitches directly at the opposing batters'...
, Felipe Alou and Matty Alou
Matty Alou
Mateo Rojas "Matty" Alou was a Dominican outfielder who spent fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball with the San Francisco Giants , Pittsburgh Pirates , St. Louis Cardinals , Oakland Athletics , New York Yankees and San Diego Padres...
. The Giants also were the first MLB team to sign a player from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Masanori Murakami
Masanori Murakami
Masanori "Mashi" Murakami is a former pitcher for the San Francisco Giants....
, who debuted in 1964
1964 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over New York Yankees ; Bob Gibson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 7 at Shea Stadium: National League, 7–4; Johnny Callison, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Minnesota...
.
In 1962
1962 in baseball
The 1962 season is perhaps most notable for the dismal 40–120 record of the New York Mets, the third-worst winning percentage and the record for most games lost since 1900.-Major League Baseball:...
, the Giants and Dodgers engaged in a West Coast-version of the 1951 pennant chase. Los Angeles built an early lead, but began to fall to earth when ace left-hander Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
was sidelined by a finger ailment. By season's end, the teams were deadlocked, at 101 wins and 61 defeats. Again, a best-of-three playoff would determine the champion, and — again — the Giants would rally in the ninth inning of Game 3 to beat the Dodgers. But the deciding game was played in Los Angeles, thus the winning run — forced in by a bases-loaded walk — was not a "walk-off" situation and lacked the drama of Thomson's home run. The Giants, as in '51, faced the Yankees in the 1962 World Series
1962 World Series
The 1962 World Series matched the defending American League and World Series champions New York Yankees against the National League champion San Francisco Giants, who had won their first NL pennant since 1954 and first since moving from New York in 1958, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in a...
and lost, this time in seven games.
Although San Francisco remained a first-division team, and frequent contender, during the rest of the 1960s, it did not win another pennant in the decade; in fact, the team won one division championship from 1969 through 1986 (1971
1971 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 2, 1971 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, CaliforniaWith aces Gaylord Perry and Steve Blass taking the mound for their respective teams, Game 1 looked to be a pitchers duel. It sort of was for four innings; the Pirates struck for two in the top of the third when Dave...
), and did not appear in the World Series again until 1989
1989 World Series
†: Game 3 was originally slated for October 17 at 5:35 pm; however, it was postponed when an earthquake occurred at 5:04 pm.-Game 1:Saturday, October 14, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California...
. The Giants finished in second place for four successive seasons (1965–1968). By 1969
1969 in baseball
-Expansion:Four expansion teams joined Major League Baseball for this season: the San Diego Padres, the Kansas City Royals, the Seattle Pilots, and the first MLB team in Canada, the Montreal Expos. To accommodate the additional teams, the two leagues were split into two divisions of East and West...
, the team was showing signs of age and decline. Concurrently, Feeney was being considered for prominent positions within Major League Baseball's hierarchy. After his candidacy for Commissioner of Baseball
Commissioner of Baseball
The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
fell short, Feeney succeeded Warren Giles
Warren Giles
Warren Crandall Giles was a National League executive in Major League Baseball.-Baseball:Giles was elected president of the Moline, Illinois baseball club in the Three-I League in 1919 and began a 50-year career in baseball that saw him rise all the way to the presidency of the National League...
as NL president late in 1969.
President of the National League
During his 17-year (1969–86) presidency, the National League continued its dominance of the All-Star GameMajor League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
, losing only in 1971
1971 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:National League: Pittsburgh PiratesAmerican League: Baltimore Orioles1971 World Series: Pittsburgh def. Baltimore , 4 games to 3.Inter-league playoff: Pittsburgh declined challenge by Tokyo Yomiuri Giants....
, 1983
1983 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Baltimore Orioles over Philadelphia Phillies ; Rick Dempsey, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Mike Boddicker*National League Championship Series MVP: Gary Matthews...
and 1986
1986 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Mets over Boston Red Sox ; Ray Knight, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Marty Barrett*National League Championship Series MVP: Mike Scott...
and winning 14 times, although the AL prevailed in the World Series, 9-8, during this period. Feeney rallied NL owners to resist adoption of the designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
and presided over a period of stability, as the league neither expanded nor moved a franchise during his term. (Ironically, the NL team that came closest to moving was Stoneham's Giants, which were nearly sold to a Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
consortium in 1976. The owner who saved the Giants for San Francisco in 1976, Bob Lurie
Bob Lurie
Robert Alfred Lurie is a real estate magnate, philanthropist, and former owner of the San Francisco Giants franchise of Major League Baseball from March 2, 1976 until January 12, 1993.-Giants Ownership:...
, nearly moved the team to St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
in 1992
1992 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves ; Pat Borders, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Roberto Alomar*National League Championship Series MVP: John Smoltz...
.)
Just before his tenure as NL president ended, he made an appearance on Jeopardy!
Jeopardy!
Griffin's first conception of the game used a board comprising ten categories with ten clues each, but after finding that this board could not be shown on camera easily, he reduced it to two rounds of thirty clues each, with five clues in each of six categories...
in the show's second season in 1986.
As he passed his 65th birthday, Feeney was succeeded as NL president by A. Bartlett Giamatti
A. Bartlett Giamatti
Angelo Bartlett "Bart" Giamatti was the president of Yale University and later the seventh Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Giamatti negotiated the agreement that terminated the Pete Rose betting scandal by permitting Rose to voluntarily withdraw from the sport, avoiding further...
. His baseball career concluded with a 15-month tour as president of the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
(1987–88), which ended with his resignation the day after he made an obscene gesture to hecklers on Fan Appreciation Night in San Diego on September 24, 1988.
He died in January 1994 of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in San Francisco at the age of 72. He is interred at Skylawn Memorial Park
Skylawn Memorial Park (San Mateo, California)
Skylawn Memorial Park is a cemetery, mausoleum, crematorium, columbarium and funeral home complex in San Mateo, California, directly accessible from State Route 92. Interment records are at 1,308...
in San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
.