Barney Dreyfuss
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bernhard "Barney" Dreyfuss (February 23, 1865 – February 5, 1932) was a German-Jewish-American executive in Major League Baseball who owned the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise from 1900 to 1932.
He is often credited with the creation of the modern baseball World Series. He also built baseball's first modern steel and concrete baseball park, Forbes Field, in 1909. During his period of ownership, the Pirates won six National League pennants, and World Series titles in 1909 and 1925; the team finished below fourth place only four times, and only the New York Giants won more NL championships (10) during the same period.
Dreyfuss was born in Freiburg, Germany as the son of Samuel Dreyfuss, who was a U.S. citizen since about 1861. After training in a bank in Karlsruhe he emigrated in 1881 to the U.S. to escape conscription. In the U.S. he lived and worked with the Bernheim family in Paducah, Kentucky. The Bernheims were relatives of his grandfather Leon Bernheim. In 1888 he moved with the Bernheim family to Louisville, Kentucky.
As a successful entrepreneur in Louisville, he was able to purchase the Louisville Colonels baseball team. One of his best decisions was hiring a local city Editor and educated lawyer, Harry Clay Pulliam (who taught him to speak English), as his club Secretary and later appointed him to President. It was Harry who convinced Barney to hire a young awkward player by the name of Honus Wagner. Barney became owner of he Pittsburgh Pirates and took Harry to serve as President and negotiated with Honus to come along. This decision resulted in the Pirates winning many World Series and Honus Wagner stayed with the Pirates until he retired.
In 1912 he became one of the major stockholders of Welte & Sons Inc. Dreyfuss died at age 66 in New York City. He is buried in West View Cemetery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Upon his passing, his wife received control of the Pirates. Kenesaw Mountain Landis, the Commissioner of baseball, attended his funeral.
On December 3, 2007, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame elected by the Veterans Committee.
[edit] External links
- Baseball Hall of Fame - 2008 inductee profile
- BaseballLibrary - career highlights
- Barney Dreyfuss' Photo & Gravesite
|
||||||||||||||
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Dreyfuss, Barney |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Dreyfuss, Bernhard |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | baseball executive |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 23, 1865 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 5, 1932 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | New York City |
 This biographical article relating to a baseball executive is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
