Benjamin Franklin Shibe (January 23, 1838 – January 14, 1922) was an American sporting goods and baseball executive who was owner and president of the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League from 1901 until his death. He is credited with the invention of the automated stitching machinery to make standardized baseballs. Shibe Park was named in his honor from 1909 to 1954. Shibe died in 1922, and is buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
Shibe in 1910
Shibe was a leader of the local baseball fraternity no later than the 1870s. According to Neil Lanctot, the Shibe club was the most notable nonprofessional club in operation 1877 to 1881, when there was no professional league team based in Philadelphia after the demise of the original Athletics. [1]
Prior to purchasing the Athletics, Shibe and his sons worked for A. J. Reach & co., a Philadelphia sporting goods manufacturer. Shibe and his sons bought 50 percent of the Athletics from Charles Somers in 1901. At that time, he was named club president, a title he would retain until his death.[2] He took on manager Connie Mack and two sportswriters as part-owners. In 1913, Shibe made Mack a full partner, ceding him complete authority over the baseball side of the operation. When Shibe died in 1922, his sons Tom and John became president and vice-president of the A's, respectively. However, Mack was now the operating head of the franchise. Tom died in 1936, with John following in 1937. Their heirs would retain a minority stake in the team until 1950.
^Lanctot, Neil (1994). Fair Dealing and Clean Playing: the Hilldale Club and the development of black professional baseball, 1910-1932. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. p. 5. ISBN0-89950-988-6.
^Biography of John Shibe from the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society October 12, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
Photograph of Benjamin Shibe, Connie Mack, and others at the groundbreaking of Shibe Park (later Connie Mack Stadium), in 1908 courtesy Temple University Libraries
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shibe, benjamin, franklin, shibe, january, 1838, january, 1922, american, sporting, goods, baseball, executive, owner, president, philadelphia, athletics, american, league, from, 1901, until, death, credited, with, invention, automated, stitching, machinery, m. Benjamin Franklin Shibe January 23 1838 January 14 1922 was an American sporting goods and baseball executive who was owner and president of the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League from 1901 until his death He is credited with the invention of the automated stitching machinery to make standardized baseballs Shibe Park was named in his honor from 1909 to 1954 Shibe died in 1922 and is buried in West Laurel Hill Cemetery Bala Cynwyd Pennsylvania Shibe in 1910 Shibe was a leader of the local baseball fraternity no later than the 1870s According to Neil Lanctot the Shibe club was the most notable nonprofessional club in operation 1877 to 1881 when there was no professional league team based in Philadelphia after the demise of the original Athletics 1 Prior to purchasing the Athletics Shibe and his sons worked for A J Reach amp co a Philadelphia sporting goods manufacturer Shibe and his sons bought 50 percent of the Athletics from Charles Somers in 1901 At that time he was named club president a title he would retain until his death 2 He took on manager Connie Mack and two sportswriters as part owners In 1913 Shibe made Mack a full partner ceding him complete authority over the baseball side of the operation When Shibe died in 1922 his sons Tom and John became president and vice president of the A s respectively However Mack was now the operating head of the franchise Tom died in 1936 with John following in 1937 Their heirs would retain a minority stake in the team until 1950 Ben Shibe tombstone in West Laurel Hill CemeteryReferences Edit Lanctot Neil 1994 Fair Dealing and Clean Playing the Hilldale Club and the development of black professional baseball 1910 1932 Jefferson NC McFarland p 5 ISBN 0 89950 988 6 Biography of John Shibe from the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society Archived October 12 2011 at the Wayback MachineExternal links Edit Biography portalShibe Park information from Retrosheet Ben Shibe at SABR Baseball Biography Project Photograph of Benjamin Shibe Connie Mack and others at the groundbreaking of Shibe Park later Connie Mack Stadium in 1908 courtesy Temple University Libraries This biographical article relating to a baseball executive is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ben Shibe amp oldid 1134855695, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
