Ben Geraghty
From BR Bullpen
Benjamin Raymond Geraghty
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 175 lb.
- School Villanova University
- Debut April 17, 1936
- Final Game September 14, 1944
- Born July 19, 1912 in Jersey City, NJ USA
- Died June 18, 1963 in Jacksonville, FL USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Hank Aaron's manager for Jacksonville in 1953, when Aaron, Felix Mantilla and Horace Garner helped integrate the South Atlantic League. When the black players stayed at seperate lodgings, Geraghty always stopped over to spend time with them. Aaron feels that the Braves discriminated against Geraghty because he wasn't a polished and stylish person even though he was a very good manager. Dave L. Roberts notes that Geraghty also had a drinking problem. Roberts writes that Geraghty was the most respected manager in the Braves organization. Geraghty's Jacksonville team won the SAL pennant in 1953.
He later was named Minor League Manager of the Year by The Sporting News in 1957 (when he managed Wichita of the American Association and 1962 (when he managed Jacksonville in the International League).
On June 24, 1946, Geraghty was one of the survivors of a bus crash that killed nine members of the Spokane Indians of the Western International League (including Chris Hartje). Geraghty climbed the hill which the bus had careened down and got help. People said this caused some of his drinking problems and also made him a far more nervous individual.
Sources: "A Baseball Odyssey" by Dave Roberts and Tony Salin, "I Had a Hammer" by Hank Aaron
Compiled a record of 1317-1021 record over 17 seasons in the minor leagues. He was a minor league manager for many years with the Boston Braves-Milwaukee Braves franchise, and also managed in the minors for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, and New York Giants. Was managing the Jacksonville Suns at the time of his death.
