James R. Griffin

1945 Multiple Sports "The Triple Threat Man"

"The hard work is what makes it great." ~ Tom Hanks (A League of Their Own)

James R. Griffin was a versatile athlete, he played football, basketball and baseball each with equal vigor and success. He played baseball freshman through junior year, basketball sophomore through senior year and football junior and senior year. He was captain of both his baseball and football teams. While playing for the Owls Griffin was coached under James Woodworth and Johnny Newell. He was named MVP in the Bulkeley and Weaver football games his senior year.

Jim Griffin came from a "Golden Era" of Hartford Public High School sports, the Hartford Times and the Hartford Courant wrote the stories; the writers included Bill Newell, Frank Keys, Harold Ogden, Sam Gunse and Joe Cassano. All of them wrote similar quotes as a Harold Ogden headline once read, "Griffin Brilliant as Hartford Wins" as HPHS defeated Weaver 12 to 6 with the help of Jim Griffin’s pass to Owl Ed McTeague with 8000 spectators looking on at Municipal Stadium.

Many of the athletes that Jim Griffin played with are already Hall of Fame inductees, such as Harold Heintz, Leo Pinsky, Bill Pitkin, Jack Scully, Bat Castellani and Joe Heavy. The Bulkeley and Weaver teams had their stars as well in this era, Frank Scelza, for Bulkeley and Frank Toro of Weaver, were excellent athletes. Jim continued his love of sports by playing basketball in the Industrial League, baseball in the Twilight League and football with the Spartans.