Doug Griffin
From SoSH
| Born: | June 4, 1947 |
| Birthplace: | South Gate, California |
| Hometown: | |
| Height: | 6' 0" |
| Weight: | 170 lbs |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Drafted: | 1965: 21st Rd. by the California Angels |
| College: | |
| High School: | |
| Other Teams: | California Angels 1970 |
| Years with Boston: | 1971 - 1977 |
Douglas Lee Griffin was born on June 4, 1947, in South Gate, CA. Griffin was 23 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 11, 1970, with the California Angels. He was drafted by the California Angels in the 21st Round (407th overall) of 1965 amateur entry draft (June-Reg).
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Overall Career
Griffin was an unknown before he was dealt to Boston, with just 18 games of big league experience to his credit. In October 1971, Griffin was sent to the Red Sox in a six-player deal that included Tony Conigliaro. Griffin was known for his glove and great speed, both factors that prompted the Red Sox to acquire him.
Griffin played with Boston from 1971 to 1977 as their every-day second baseman. He was not a particularly good hitter, posting mediocre batting averages with few walks and very little power, but he was an excellent fielder, winning a Gold Glove Award in 1972.
Griffin did not appear in the 1975 ALCS against the Oakland Athletics, and made only one brief appearance in the 1975 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Griffin played only sparingly in 1976, and was released after playing in only 5 games in 1977.
Griffin had more than his fair share of injuries, which without doubt served to shorten his career. On April 30,1974, Griffin was beaned by a Nolan Ryan fastball knocking him unconscious. The beaning left him with a concussion and temporary hearing loss, and likely caused the premature end to Griffin's career. On August 30, 1975 Griffin was beaned again, this time by Oakland's Dick Bosman. Griffin experienced hearing and equilibrium problems, but recovered very quickly. This time he had been wearing an ear flap with his protective helmet. Griffin played only sparingly in 1976, and was released after playing in only 5 games in 1977.
Griffin did not continue a career in baseball following his release from the Red Sox. He worked briefly for his father in the construction trade in California in the late 1970's, and performed the same kind of work in the 1980's for Buddy LeRoux, who had a construction business in Winter Haven, Florida. Griffin is now retired and currently resides in Fresno, California. The Griffins have two children, Natalie and Chad, and four grandchildren.
Awards
- 1971 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
- 1972 American League Gold Glove (Second Base)
Griffin's Moments in the Sun
- April 6, 1973: Second baseman Doug Griffin notches four hits for Boston‚ which overcomes a 3-0 deficit by scoring eight runs to chase Mel Stottlemyre by the third inning.
Trivia
- From 1971 until 1983, all of the Red Sox' regular second basemen were acquired in trades with the Angels:
- Doug Griffin (1971-1975)
- Denny Doyle (1975-1977)
- Jerry Remy (1978-1983)
Transactions
- June 8, 1965: Drafted by the California Angels in the 21st round of the 1965 amateur draft.
- October 11, 1970: Traded by the California Angels with Jarvis Tatum and Ken Tatum to the Boston Red Sox for Tony Conigliaro, Ray Jarvis, and Jerry Moses.
- June 21, 1977: Released by the Boston Red Sox.
External Links
- Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
