Joe Engel
Encyclopedia
Joseph William Engel (March 12, 1893 - June 12, 1969) was an American
right-handed pitcher
and scout in Major League Baseball
who spent nearly his entire career with the Washington Senators
, and went on to become a promoter and team owner in the minor leagues
. He was born in Washington, D.C.
as one of six children of a German immigrant who owned a bar/hotel next door to the Washington Post building in the District of Columbia. Engel was married twice and lost his only child, son Bryant in a traffic accident in Nov. 1930 at age 9. Engel himself died in Chattanooga in 1969 at age 76.
, and later a team mascot. He attended Mount St. Mary's College, where he lettered in four sports – track
, baseball, basketball
, and football
. Engel also pitched a perfect game
at Mount St. Mary's College.
, compiling a record
of 17-22. Engel became friends with Johnson: “Walter didn't drink or smoke and was more or less on the serious side. I liked my fun and as a youngster was something of a hell-raiser. But we just clicked.” After the 1915 season, Engel played in only three more major league games—2 for the Cincinnati Reds
in 1917 and 1919, and a final game for the Senators in 1920.
sent Engel off to the minor-league Minneapolis Millers
, he reportedly told Engel to swap himself for someone who could play ball. Engel looked the Millers over, and sent back Ed Gharrity, a catcher
. Gharrity turned out to be so good that Griffith hired Engel as a scout. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,765021,00.html Engel became known as one of the greatest scouts in baseball history, discovering Goose Goslin
, Joe Cronin
, Alvin Crowder
, Bump Hadley
, Buddy Myer
, Cecil Travis
, Ossie Bluege
, Bucky Harris
, and Doc Prothro
. Engel signed Cronin in Kansas City for $7,500 and brought him back to DC where he was named player/manager in 1933. Engel's discoveries helped bring the Senators three American League
pennants in ten years.
, to take over operations of Griffith's newly acquired farm team, the Chattanooga Lookouts
. Engel immediately constructed one of the minor leagues' finest stadiums, named it for himself and remained with the Lookouts for 34 years. One year, Engel had his players parade into the ball park on elephant
s for Opening Day
. He traded a shortstop
for a turkey
, roasted it and served it to local sportswriters who had been "giving him the bird." He raffled off houses and automobiles, and had canaries singing in the grandstands. When the New York Yankees
went to Chattanooga to play a pre-season exhibition game with his Lookouts, Engel located a female 17-year-old left-handed pitcher, Virnett "Jackie" Mitchell, who struck out both Babe Ruth
and Lou Gehrig
.
Engel's promotions were a hit in Chattanooga, and fans flocked to the new ballpark. In 1932 the Lookouts won the Southern Association
pennant for the first time in 40 years and beat the Texas League
champions in the Dixie Series. In 1936, Engel decided to buy the Lookouts, but he didn't have enough cash. He persuaded 1,700 fans to buy shares of stock at $5.00/share to give the team "local ownership". The plan failed and one year later, Griffith took back financial control of the club. In 1939, Chattanooga won its second Southern Association pennant. In 1943, faced with dismal attendance during the War years, Engel briefly moved the franchise in mid-season to Montgomery, Alabama for the remainder of that season. The Lookouts were back in Chattanooga the following spring. All through the 1940s and 1950s Chattanooga remained the top farm club for the Washington Senators. In the mid-late 1950s Harmon Killebrew
and Jim Kaat
, along with other future major leaguers, spent time playing for the Lookouts. In 1960 he was presented with the King of Baseball
award given by Minor League Baseball.
When a shortstop told Engel, "Pay me $5,000 or count me out", Engel replied with a telegram: "One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right-handed 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...
and scout 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...
who spent nearly his entire career with the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, and went on to become a promoter and team owner in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. He was born in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
as one of six children of a German immigrant who owned a bar/hotel next door to the Washington Post building in the District of Columbia. Engel was married twice and lost his only child, son Bryant in a traffic accident in Nov. 1930 at age 9. Engel himself died in Chattanooga in 1969 at age 76.
Youth
Engel spent his youth playing with Kermit and Alice Roosevelt, President Teddy Roosevelt's children. He was a Washington Senators batboyBatboy
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 later a team mascot. He attended Mount St. Mary's College, where he lettered in four sports – track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, baseball, basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
, and football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
. Engel also pitched a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
at Mount St. Mary's College.
Major league career
Engel made it to the major leagues as a pitcher from 1912 to 1920. He played for the Senators for four seasons (1912–1915), where he was roommates with Walter JohnsonWalter Johnson
Walter Perry Johnson , nicknamed "Barney" and "The Big Train", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Washington Senators...
, compiling a record
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
of 17-22. Engel became friends with Johnson: “Walter didn't drink or smoke and was more or less on the serious side. I liked my fun and as a youngster was something of a hell-raiser. But we just clicked.” After the 1915 season, Engel played in only three more major league games—2 for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
in 1917 and 1919, and a final game for the Senators in 1920.
Scouting
When Senators owner Clark GriffithClark Griffith
Clark Calvin Griffith , nicknamed "the Old Fox", was a Major League Baseball pitcher, manager and team owner.-Biography:...
sent Engel off to the minor-league Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
, he reportedly told Engel to swap himself for someone who could play ball. Engel looked the Millers over, and sent back Ed Gharrity, a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
. Gharrity turned out to be so good that Griffith hired Engel as a scout. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,765021,00.html Engel became known as one of the greatest scouts in baseball history, discovering Goose Goslin
Goose Goslin
Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until...
, Joe Cronin
Joe Cronin
Joseph Edward Cronin was a Major League Baseball shortstop and manager.During a 20-year playing career, he played from 1926–45 for three different teams, primarily for the Boston Red Sox. Cronin was a major league manager from 1933–47...
, Alvin Crowder
Alvin Crowder
Alvin Floyd Crowder , nicknamed "General," was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played eleven seasons in the American League with the Washington Senators, the St. Louis Browns, and the Detroit Tigers...
, Bump Hadley
Bump Hadley
Irving Darius Hadley was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, he played the major leagues for the Washington Senators , Chicago White Sox , St...
, Buddy Myer
Buddy Myer
Charles Solomon "Buddy" Myer was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball from 1925 to 1941.An excellent hitter, he batted .300 or better in eight full seasons, and retired with a career average of .303. He walked more than twice as many times as he struck out...
, Cecil Travis
Cecil Travis
Cecil Howell Travis was an American shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball from 1933 to 1947 who spent his entire career with the Washington Senators. He led the American League in hits in before missing nearly the next four seasons due to military service in World War II...
, Ossie Bluege
Ossie Bluege
Oswald Louis "Ossie" Bluege was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Washington Senators from 1922 through 1939...
, Bucky Harris
Bucky Harris
Stanley Raymond "Bucky" Harris was a Major League Baseball player, manager and executive. In 1975, the Veterans Committee elected Harris, as a manager, to the Baseball Hall of Fame.-Biography:...
, and Doc Prothro
Doc Prothro
James Thompson "Doc" Prothro was an infielder and manager in American Major League Baseball. Prothro was so nicknamed because he was a practicing dentist before signing his first professional baseball contract at age 26. His son, Tommy Prothro, became a successful coach in U.S...
. Engel signed Cronin in Kansas City for $7,500 and brought him back to DC where he was named player/manager in 1933. Engel's discoveries helped bring the Senators three 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...
pennants in ten years.
Chattanooga Lookouts
Engel later became best known as one of the most eccentric promoters in baseball history. In late 1929, Griffith sent Engel to Chattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, to take over operations of Griffith's newly acquired farm team, the Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
. Engel immediately constructed one of the minor leagues' finest stadiums, named it for himself and remained with the Lookouts for 34 years. One year, Engel had his players parade into the ball park on elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s for Opening Day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
. He traded a shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
for a turkey
Turkey (bird)
A turkey is a large bird in the genus Meleagris. One species, Meleagris gallopavo, commonly known as the Wild Turkey, is native to the forests of North America. The domestic turkey is a descendant of this species...
, roasted it and served it to local sportswriters who had been "giving him the bird." He raffled off houses and automobiles, and had canaries singing in the grandstands. When 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...
went to Chattanooga to play a pre-season exhibition game with his Lookouts, Engel located a female 17-year-old left-handed pitcher, Virnett "Jackie" Mitchell, who struck out both Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
and Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
.
Engel's promotions were a hit in Chattanooga, and fans flocked to the new ballpark. In 1932 the Lookouts won the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
pennant for the first time in 40 years and beat the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
champions in the Dixie Series. In 1936, Engel decided to buy the Lookouts, but he didn't have enough cash. He persuaded 1,700 fans to buy shares of stock at $5.00/share to give the team "local ownership". The plan failed and one year later, Griffith took back financial control of the club. In 1939, Chattanooga won its second Southern Association pennant. In 1943, faced with dismal attendance during the War years, Engel briefly moved the franchise in mid-season to Montgomery, Alabama for the remainder of that season. The Lookouts were back in Chattanooga the following spring. All through the 1940s and 1950s Chattanooga remained the top farm club for the Washington Senators. In the mid-late 1950s Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Clayton Killebrew , nicknamed "Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. During his 22-year career in Major League Baseball , he played for the Washington Senators, a team which later became the Minnesota Twins, and...
and Jim Kaat
Jim Kaat
James Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
, along with other future major leaguers, spent time playing for the Lookouts. In 1960 he was presented with the King of Baseball
King of Baseball
King of Baseball is a ceremonial title awarded by Minor League Baseball to one person each year in recognition of longtime dedication and service to professional baseball.- Background :The title was first awarded in 1951...
award given by Minor League Baseball.
When a shortstop told Engel, "Pay me $5,000 or count me out", Engel replied with a telegram: "One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten."