Flea Clifton

Herman Earl "Flea" Clifton (December 12, 1908 – December 22, 1997), was a professional baseball player for 13 years from 1930 to 1943. He played parts of four season in Major League Baseball as an infielder for the Detroit Tigers from 1934 to 1937. He was a member of the 1935 Detroit Tigers team and was the starting third baseman in the 1935 World Series.

Clifton also played 12 years of minor league baseball, including stints with Raleigh Capitals (1930–1931), Beaumont Exporters (1932–1933), Toledo Mud Hens (1936–1937), Toronto Maple Leafs (1938–1941), Oklahoma City Indians (1941–1942), Fort Worth Cats (1942), and Minneapolis Millers (1943). After retiring from baseball in 1944, Clifton worked in the insurance business in Cincinnati, Ohio, for 40 years.

Early years Clifton was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1908. He grew up in the west end of Cincinnati. Eventually, his grandmother found him and "dragged" him to her house where he lived. He was discovered by Detroit scout Billy Doyle and signed with the Detroit Tigers. Clifton idolized Ty Cobb as a boy (Clifton referred to Cobb as his "patron saint") and signed with Detroit even though the St. Louis Cardinals were willing to pay more money.

Clifton met future Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg when they played together in Raleigh. Greenberg and Clifton were the only two teammates from Raleigh to make it to the major leagues with the Tigers. The two remained friends and teammates through the remainder of Clifton's career. Clifton appeared in the 1998 documentary about Greenberg, "The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg."

In his autobiography, Greenberg recalled Clifton as a "tough little guy even though he weighed only about 150 pounds." Greenberg wrote that, while playing together in Raleigh, Clifton used a gray bat made of Cuban wood that he soaked in water every night, supposedly "to keep it from cracking or chipping." Greenberg recalled: "Flea guarded that bat with his life; he'd fight anybody who came near it."

Clifton later recalled that he frequently got into "fracases" with other players and ended up being hit by pitches more than anyone else. When Clifton claimed not to understand why he got hit so much, a teammate told him: "Then repeat after me: 'I give the pitcher hell, I give the catcher hell, I give the infielders hell, so their control's not so good when you come to the plate.'"

While playing in Beaumont, manager Del Baker gave him the nickname "Flea." Clifton's son recounted: "He kept pestering the manager until the guy said, 'Herman, you're worse than a damn sand flea,' and the 'flea' stuck." Defensively, Clifton became one of the best shortstops in the Texas League, compiling 417 putouts, 433 assists and a .966 fielding percentage.

Clifton attended spring training with the Tigers in 1934 as the No. 1 rookie in the camp. With Gehringer entrenched at second base, the Tigers sought to convert Clifton to third base as a possible replacement for Marv Owen. Team owner Frank Navin, not typically verbose in his praise for rookies, stated that he appreciated Clifton's effort and viewed him as an "old-fashioned player."

Clifton made the Tigers' roster in 1934, but was unable to find a spot in the starting lineup. With Charlie Gehringer, Billy Rogell and Marv Owen appearing in all 154 games at second, short and third, there was little room for Clifton even to make an appearance as a backup. He appeared in only 20 games for the 1934 Tigers, none as a starter, and went 1-for-16 for an .063 batting average. Playing on Clifton's small size, the Detroit press dubbed the play the "hidden runner" trick.

The Tigers won the 1934 American League pennant, but Clifton saw no action in the 1934 World Series.

1935 season In January 1935, Clifton heard that the Tigers were considering sending him to the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League. He drove through a snowstorm from his home in Cincinnati to Detroit to make a personal plead to club owner Frank Navin: "Don't send me away from the Tigers without another chance. . . . Give me a chance to fight for my job."

With the Tigers' veteran infield returning, the 1935 season began for Clifton much like the 1934 season. Gehringer and Rogell appeared in 150 games, but Owen missed 19 games at third. Clifton filled in for Owen, starting 19 games at third base and also starting four games at second and two at shortstop. Clifton appeared in a total of 45 games for the 1935 Tigers and improved his batting average to .255 with nine RBIs.

Though he was unable to hit, Clifton walked twice, scored a key run and contributed defensively to the 1935 World Series championship. In Game 4, Clifton scored the winning run to put the Tigers ahead, 3 games to 1. With two out in the sixth inning, Clifton hit a long, high line fly to deep left field. Chicago's Augie Galan misplayed the ball, and Clifton wound up on second base. Pitcher Alvin Crowder then came to bat and hit an "easy roller" through the infield, and Clifton scored standing up from second base.

Clifton also made a significant contribution to the Tigers' decisive Game 6 victory. With the Cubs ahead, 3–2, Stan Hack hit a double in the 6th inning. When Hack tried to score from second base later in the inning, Clifton positioned himself in the base path as Hack attempted to round third base. Hack was called out when he tried to run around Clifton. Hack protested that he had not left the base path, but the call was upheld. The Tigers scored twice after Hack was called out and won the game, 4–3.

1936 and 1937 seasons Clifton saw limited action with the Tigers in 1936 and 1937. In 1936, he appeared in only 13 games for the Tigers and compiled a .192 batting average.

In January 1938, the Tigers gave Clifton an outright release, selling him to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Veteran Detroit sports writer Sam Greene paid tribute to Clifton upon his final, unconditional release by the Tigers. Greene wrote:"The definite departure of the versatile Clifton will be accepted with a measure of regret by those who appreciate hustling abilities in an athlete. Clifton has no superior in aggressive spirit. To him a ball game, regardless of the state of the score, was always worthy of his best efforts." Greene concluded that, despite Clifton's zest for the game, he could not overcome the simple physical reality that he was too "undersized and frail" to compete in the major leagues.