John J. Jachym | |
|---|---|
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| Born | (1918-05-09)May 9, 1918 Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | May 10, 2005(2005-05-10) (aged 87) |
| Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Occupations | Businessman, philanthropist, sportsman |
John James Jachym (/ˈjɑːkɪm/YAW-kim) (May 9, 1918 – May 10, 2005) was an American businessman, philanthropist, and sportsman. He was briefly (from December 23, 1949, through June 22, 1950) a club owner inMajor League Baseball as the second largest shareholder in theWashington Senators of theAmerican League. Later in his career, he was active inRepublican Party politics and an important figure in (and a rare honorary member of) theProfessional Golfers' Association.
Jachym was born inYoungstown, Ohio. He graduated from high school inSouth Dayton, New York, and earned a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1940 from theUniversity of Missouri.[1] As a young newspaper reporter working inJefferson City, Missouri, Jachym became acquainted with legendarySt. Louis Cardinals executiveBranch Rickey, who became a key influence in his life. At the age of 22, Jachym became a part-timescout for Rickey's Cardinals.
However, Jachym's baseball and journalism careers were interrupted by World War II. In 1941, Jachym enlisted in theUnited States Marine Corps and rose to the field rank ofcaptain. He saw combat atNew Guinea,New Britain andGuadalcanal, earning aSilver Star.[1] At war's end he relocated toJamestown, New York, became a successful businessman, and—still in his 20s—purchased the localminor league baseball franchise, theJamestown Falcons of the Class DPennsylvania–Ontario–New York League (PONY League). When he in turn sold the Falcons to the Major LeagueDetroit Tigers, he joined the Tiger front office as assistant director of minor league operations.[1]
In August 1948,George Richardson died. Six years before, he had inherited the second-largest bloc of Senators' stock from his brother, William, aPhiladelphia grain dealer. In 1949, representatives of the Richardson estate put its 40.4 percent (amounting to 7,851 shares) interest in the Washington club up for sale. Jachym, backed by Hugh Grant, an oil magnate fromBradford, Pennsylvania, purchased the outstanding stock for $70 per share ($549,570), becoming the second-largest shareholder in the Senators after the team's iconic president,Clark Griffith, aBaseball Hall of Famepitcher who owned 44 percent of the club.
Griffith, then 80 years of age, had controlled the fate of the Senators since1912, first asfield manager, then as club president. He was furious at the sale, believing that he had the right of first refusal on Richardson's stock.[2] Jachym, who had hoped to becomegeneral manager or treasurer of the Senators, was denied any executive role by the Griffith-dominated board of directors. Although his attorney was given a seat on the board, Jachym was refused that position as well. His suggestions—such as purchasing theTriple-ABuffalo Bisons to serve as the topfarm team in Washington's notoriously weak minor league system, and opening a ticket office in downtown Washington, D.C.—were ignored.[3]
Finally, in June 1950, almost six months to the day when he acquired his stake, Jachym sold his shares to Washington insurance executiveH. Gabriel Murphy, an ally of Griffith's, at a profit estimated at between $80,000 and $100,000. Murphy then sold Clark Griffith the additional seven percent of stock that would give Griffith full control of the team, in exchange for the right to buy Griffith's stock should it ever come up for sale.[4] (Griffith's nephewCalvin inherited the club in 1955, moved it toMinneapolis–St. Paul after the1960 season, and sold it toCarl Pohlad in 1984.)
Jachym was involved in another ill-fated baseball venture later in 1950. Partnering with Americantennis starBobby Riggs, he organized a post-seasonbarnstorming tour of 32North American cities featuring 36 big-league stars, playing in an American League vs.National League format. Fan response and ticket sales in the tour's first two cities,Montreal andToronto, showed promise. But heavy rains forced cancellation of those games, and continued poor weather conditions—including a hurricane that struck during its planned visit toMiami—dogged the series. It was halted after 13 games, with Jachym and Riggs losing an estimated $66,000.[5]
Out of baseball, but still only 32 years of age, Jachym then forged a business career as an investment banker and, later, top executive with companies based inChicago andSan Diego. He was a key financial advisor during the successful 1980 Presidential campaign ofRonald Reagan, but declined the opportunity to return to Washington as a member of Reagan's administration.[1] He remained in the sporting world, however, as an active supporter of the PGA, acting as the official American observer of multipleRyder Cup competitions and serving on the PGA Board of Directors from 1990 to 1992. In 1994, he was elected an honorary member of the PGA, one of only six men ever selected.
In retirement, Jachym maintained residences inVirginia,Western New York, andFlorida. On May 10, 2005, the day after his 87th birthday, he died fromcancer inCharlottesville, Virginia, and was interred inArlington National Cemetery.[6]
