Clyde Sukeforth Chapter Meeting with Dan Levitt!

John McGraw’s Florida Land Investment Fiasco

In the mid-1920s America was in the midst of a Florida land boom. In 1925, New York Giants manager John McGraw was convinced by several promoters to put his name behind a massive land development venture near Sarasota, Florida. Dubbed Pennant Park, the development totaled nearly 1,500 acres to be built out with high-end homes and a business district. Luxurious programmed amenities included polo, a yacht club, golf, trap shooting, and a spring training quality ballpark. McGraw became so enmeshed in the development that there were reports he was going to step down as manager and hand the reins to Frankie Frisch, reports made more credible by Frisch’s weak denial. Levitt discusses how McGraw was double-teamed by his naivete and the collapse of the land boom. McGraw was never really the same after the Pennant Park debacle. He became excessively bitter toward many of his players; he no longer exerted complete control over the Giants front office; and opposing players mocked him for the development’s failure. The story of Pennant Park is a fascinating piece of both baseball history and Americana.

Dan Levitt is the author of several award-winning baseball books and numerous essays. He is the Treasurer of SABR and co-chair of SABR’s Business of Baseball Committee. Dan is a recipient of SABR’s Bob Davids Award and the Henry Chadwick Award. His latest book, Intentional Balk: Baseball’s Thin Line Between Innovation and Cheating (coauthored with Board of Directors President Mark Armour), was awarded the Seymour Medal.

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