NEWSLETTER
John J. McGraw has long been considered the greatest manager in baseball history
Truxton, NY – Thanks to the work and dedication of a local resident, a new historical marker will be installed in Truxton, New York on August 2, 2025. William Swisher, a resident of the area since 1966, and his wife Sarah have funded and designed a historical marker to memorialize the John J. McGraw baseball field and grandstand in Truxton.
Billed as the “Greatest Sporting Event in the History of Cortland County,” the marker is a tribute to a professional baseball game played there on August 8, 1938. They have planned an event to commemorate the game, which will include the unveiling of the historical marker, replication of activities from the 1938 game and speeches by local representatives. A local exhibition baseball game will be played following the formal event. Production and music for the event will be provided by Songs of the Game.
John J. McGraw grew up and played local baseball in Truxton. He was talented and was recruited by local businessman Albert Kenney to play for him for a dollar a game plus transportation. Thus began John’s professional baseball career. It wasn’t long before he was signed by the Baltimore Orioles. McGraw played for the Orioles and the New York Giants (now San Francisco Giants). In 1899 he became the manager of the Orioles and in 1902 became a player-manager with the New York Giants. While a very respectable player, John’s true fame came as a manager. By the time he retired in 1932 he had won 2,763 games (third only to Connie Mack and Tony LaRussa), 10 National League pennants and three World Series. He came out of retirement in 1933 to coach the National League in the first All-Star Game. He pioneered tactics still used today, including the Baltimore chop, the hit-and-run, and the squeeze. According to Mack, “[t]here has only been one manager – and his name is John McGraw.”
John was proud of his Truxton background. He donated funds to build a grandstand on the local field and sent NY Giants player uniforms home for the local team to use.
Currently there is a town monument dedicated to McGraw. Funds for that monument were raised posthumously when succeeding NY Giants manager Bill Terry fulfilled John’s desire to bring the professional team home to play. The field where the game was played has not been memorialized. Thanks to the Swishers, it will receive its long-deserved recognition on August 2, 2025, 1:00 p.m. at the baseball field, 6290 Railroad Street, Truxton, NY.
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