Flea Clifton
Encyclopedia
Herman Earl "Flea" Clifton (December 12, 1909 - December 22, 1997), was a Major League Baseball
infielder who played four seasons with the Detroit Tigers
from 1934 to 1937.
Clifton was born in Cincinnati, Ohio
on December 12, 1909. His father died in World War I
when he was eight years old, and his mother was killed when he was 15 after a family friend strangled her with one of Clifton's ties. His stepfather then kicked him out, and Clifton lived for the next year behind a garage in Ludlow, Kentucky
.
Clifton played semi-pro baseball in Cincinnati before signing with the Detroit Tigers in 1929. Clifton spent the 1929 season playing in Raleigh, North Carolina
. Clifton met future Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg
when they played together in Raleigh. The two remained friends and teammates through the remainder of Clifton's career. Clifton appeared in the 1998 documentary about Greenberg, "The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
."
In his autobiography, Greenberg recalled Clifton as a "tough little guy" who used a gray bat made of Cuban wood that he soaked in water every night, supposedly "to keep it from cracking or chipping." Greenberg also joked about Clifton's unusual diet: "On the road, he used to eat nothing but dougnuts and bananas. He said they were cheap and filling and stretched his meal money. Flea was the only ballplayer who could show a profit on $1-a-day meal money."
In 1932, Clifton played for the Beaumont, Texas
team that won the Texas League
championship. His teammates in Beaumont that year included Greenberg, Schoolboy Rowe
, Pete Fox
, and Elden Auker
. Each of these players would play together on Detroit's 1934-1935 Detroit pennant teams.
Clifton later recalled that he frequently got into "fracases" with other players and ended up being hit by pitches more than anyone else. When Clifton claimed not to understand why he got hit so much, a teammate told him: "Then repeat after me: 'I give the pitcher hell, I give the catcher hell, I give the infielders hell, so their control's not so good when you come to the plate.'"
Clifton made it to the major leagues in 1934. Clifton went 1-for-16 for the 1934 Tigers, for an .063 batting average. In 1935, he played in 45 games and improved his batting average to .245 with 9 RBIs.
In the 1935 World Series
, Clifton became the Tigers' starting third baseman
when Hank Greenberg broke his wrist in Game 2. The Tigers' regular third baseman
Marv Owen
moved to first base and Clifton stepped in at third base. Clifton had played only 43 games during the regular season, with a .255 batting average, and went 0 for 16 with 4 strikeouts in the Series. Clifton later said, "I never hit the ball harder than I did in the '35 Series, but I couldn't buy a base hit."
Clifton saw limited action with the Tigers in 1936 and 1937 and played his last major league game on July 1, 1937.
In his major league career, Clifton played in 87 games, scoring 27 runs, and collecting 39 hits and 13 RBIs, with a career batting average
of .200.
After leaving the Tigers, Clifton played in the minor leagues in Toledo, Syracuse, and Minneapolis. Clifton played in 150 games for the Minneapolis Millers
in 1943, batting .282 and collecting 56 RBIs. http://stewthornley.net/millers_1941_1950.html
Clifton left baseball in 1944 and worked as an insurance agent.http://www.thedeadballera.com/HeadingHome.html Clifton was born and died in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
infielder who played four seasons with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
from 1934 to 1937.
Clifton was born in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
on December 12, 1909. His father died in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when he was eight years old, and his mother was killed when he was 15 after a family friend strangled her with one of Clifton's ties. His stepfather then kicked him out, and Clifton lived for the next year behind a garage in Ludlow, Kentucky
Ludlow, Kentucky
Ludlow is a city in Kenton County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 4,409 at the 2000 census. Ludlow is a suburb of Covington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio, located on the Ohio River...
.
Clifton played semi-pro baseball in Cincinnati before signing with the Detroit Tigers in 1929. Clifton spent the 1929 season playing in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. Clifton met future Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
when they played together in Raleigh. The two remained friends and teammates through the remainder of Clifton's career. Clifton appeared in the 1998 documentary about Greenberg, "The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg
The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg is a documentary film directed, produced and written by Aviva Kempner about Hall of Fame first baseman Hank Greenberg of the Detroit Tigers. A Jewish player who chose not to play on Yom Kippur in 1934 during a heated pennant race, Greenberg experienced a great...
."
In his autobiography, Greenberg recalled Clifton as a "tough little guy" who used a gray bat made of Cuban wood that he soaked in water every night, supposedly "to keep it from cracking or chipping." Greenberg also joked about Clifton's unusual diet: "On the road, he used to eat nothing but dougnuts and bananas. He said they were cheap and filling and stretched his meal money. Flea was the only ballplayer who could show a profit on $1-a-day meal money."
In 1932, Clifton played for the Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
team that won the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
championship. His teammates in Beaumont that year included Greenberg, Schoolboy Rowe
Schoolboy Rowe
Lynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies...
, Pete Fox
Pete Fox
Ervin "Pete" Fox was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played thirteen seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox ....
, and Elden Auker
Elden Auker
Elden le Roy Auker was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball noted for his submarine pitching style....
. Each of these players would play together on Detroit's 1934-1935 Detroit pennant teams.
Clifton later recalled that he frequently got into "fracases" with other players and ended up being hit by pitches more than anyone else. When Clifton claimed not to understand why he got hit so much, a teammate told him: "Then repeat after me: 'I give the pitcher hell, I give the catcher hell, I give the infielders hell, so their control's not so good when you come to the plate.'"
Clifton made it to the major leagues in 1934. Clifton went 1-for-16 for the 1934 Tigers, for an .063 batting average. In 1935, he played in 45 games and improved his batting average to .245 with 9 RBIs.
In the 1935 World Series
1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in , , , and ....
, Clifton became the Tigers' starting third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
when Hank Greenberg broke his wrist in Game 2. The Tigers' regular third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Marv Owen
Marv Owen
Marvin James Owen was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball. He played nine seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers , Chicago White Sox , and Boston Red Sox ....
moved to first base and Clifton stepped in at third base. Clifton had played only 43 games during the regular season, with a .255 batting average, and went 0 for 16 with 4 strikeouts in the Series. Clifton later said, "I never hit the ball harder than I did in the '35 Series, but I couldn't buy a base hit."
Clifton saw limited action with the Tigers in 1936 and 1937 and played his last major league game on July 1, 1937.
In his major league career, Clifton played in 87 games, scoring 27 runs, and collecting 39 hits and 13 RBIs, with a career batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .200.
After leaving the Tigers, Clifton played in the minor leagues in Toledo, Syracuse, and Minneapolis. Clifton played in 150 games for the Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
in 1943, batting .282 and collecting 56 RBIs. http://stewthornley.net/millers_1941_1950.html
Clifton left baseball in 1944 and worked as an insurance agent.http://www.thedeadballera.com/HeadingHome.html Clifton was born and died in Cincinnati, Ohio.