Frank Navin
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Frank Joseph Navin (April 18, 1871 – November 13, 1935) was an American accountant, lawyer, and professional sports owner. He was the principal owner of the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball for 27 years, from 1908 to 1935. He also served as vice president and acting president of the American League.
Born in Adrian, Michigan, Navin was one of nine children of Irish immigrants. He attended the Detroit College of Law and worked as both a lawyer and accountant. Navin became president of the Detroit Tigers in 1903 and rose to principle club owner on January 9, 1908. Some of his key acquisitions included Ty Cobb, Hughie Jennings, and Mickey Cochrane, which helped the Tigers win five American League pennants (1907, 1908, 1909, 1934, and 1935) and a World Series championship in 1935. In 1912, he established Navin Field, named after the Tigers owner. He partially sold the club to Walter O. Briggs, Sr.
Navin died at age 64 in Detroit, Michigan, one month after the Tigers won their first championship title. He had been riding one of his horses at the Detroit Riding and Hunt Club when he suffered a heart attack. [1]
[edit] Bibliography
- Burton, Clarence. "Frank J. Navin," The City of Detroit, Michigan: 1701-1922, vol. III. Detroit: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1922. pp. 772-75.
