Joe Engel

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Joseph William Engel (March 12, 1893 - June 12, 1969) was an American left-handed pitcher and scout in Major League Baseball who spent nearly his entire career with the Washington Senators, and went on to become a promoter and team owner in the minor leagues. He was born in Washington, D.C. as one of six children of a German immigrant who owned a string of hotels in the District of Columbia. Engel spent his youth playing with Kermit and Alice Roosevelt, President Teddy Roosevelt's children. He was a Washington Senators batboy, and later a team mascot. He attended Mount St. Mary's College, where he lettered in four sports – track, baseball, basketball, and football. Engel also pitched a perfect game at Mount St. Mary's College. Engel made it to the major leagues as a pitcher from 1912 to 1920. He played for the Senators for four seasons (1912-1915), where he was roommates with Walter Johnson, compiling a record of 17-22. Engel became friends with Johnson: “Walter didn't drink or smoke and was more or less on the serious side. I liked my fun and as a youngster was something of a hell-raiser. But we just clicked.” After the 1915 season, Engel played in only three more major league games -- 2 for the Cincinnati Reds in 1917 and 1919, and a final game for the Senators in 1920.

When Senators owner Clark Griffith sent Engel off to the minor-league Minneapolis Millers, he reportedly told Engel to swap himself for someone who could play ball. Engel looked the Millers over, and sent back Ed Gharrity, a catcher. Gharrity turned out to be so good that Griffith hired Engel as a scout. [1] Engel became known as one of the greatest scouts in baseball history, discovering Goose Goslin, Joe Cronin, Alvin Crowder, Bump Hadley, Buddy Myer, Cecil Travis, Ossie Bluege, Bucky Harris, and Doc Prothro. Engel signed Cronin in Kansas City for $7,500 and sold him seven years later to the Boston Red Sox. Engel's discoveries helped bring the Senators three American League pennants in ten years.

Engel later became best known as one of the most eccentric promoters in baseball history. In the late 1920s, Griffith sent Engel to Chattanooga, Tennessee, to manage a newly acquired farm team, the Chattanooga Lookouts. Engel remained with the Lookouts for 34 years. One year, Engel had his players parade into the ball park on elephants for Opening Day. He traded a shortstop for a turkey, roasted it and served it to local sportswriters who had been "giving him the bird." He raffled off houses and automobiles, and had canaries singing in the grandstands. When the New York Yankees went to Chattanooga to play a pre-season exhibition game with his Lookouts, Engel located a female 17-year-old left-handed pitcher, Virnett "Jackie" Mitchell, who struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

Engel's promotions were a hit in Chattanooga, and fans poured into the ballpark that would later be named Engel Stadium. In 1932 the Lookouts won the Southern Association pennant for the first time in 40 years and beat the Texas League champions in the Dixie Series. In 1936, Engel decided to buy the Lookouts, but he didn't have enough cash. He persauaded 1,700 fans to chip in and buy the club for $125,000. That year, attendance tripled. The fan-owned Lookouts made a profit of $50,000. The following year Chattanooga won another pennant.

When a shortstop told Engel, "Pay me $5,000 or count me out", Engel replied with a telegram: "One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten." (Stephen Martini, The Chattanooga Lookouts & 100 Seasons of Scenic City Baseball)

Engel died in Chattanooga in 1969 at age 76.