The Birmingham News
Friday, December 31, 2004
Gus Niarhos, a catcher for the New York Yankees during the 1940s and a former manager of the Birmingham A's, died Wednesday after a long illness. He was 84.
Mr. Niarhos played nine seasons with four major league teams, managed several minor league clubs, coached some of baseball's best players and has been credited with a design innovation for catcher's mitts.

He was born in Birmingham and was a three-sport athlete at West End High School, graduating in 1940. He was attending Auburn University on scholarship when he was signed by a scout for the New York Yankees.

After World War II broke out, he served in the Navy. He made his major league debut in 1946 with the Yankees.

For much of his career with New York, Mr. Niarhos had to compete for the starting job at catcher with Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra.

"That was a tough organization if you were a catcher," Mr. Niarhos was quoted as saying in the book "Baseball's Golden Greeks." "They had Bill Dickey. Then Yogi came up. From'49 on, it was just forget about being a catcher with the Yankees."

In 1949, he became the first Greek-American to play in a World Series. The next year, the Chicago White Sox purchased his contract from the Yankees, and he led the team in batting with a .324 average. He later played for the Boston Red Sox and finished his playing career with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Mr. Niarhos played in 315 games and had a lifetime batting average of .252 with one home run and 59 RBIs.

"Sometime during the latter half of his career," according to the Web site baseball1.com, "Gus was fooling around with his mitt and cut a hole or two down the middle of the palm area, thus making it possible to snap the glove shut like a trap, or a hinge. His design innovation eventually caught on, and catching itself changed."

As a manager in the Athletics' system, Mr. Niarhos was California League Manager of the Year in 1966 and coached such players as Reggie Jackson, Vida Blue, Rollie Fingers, Tony La Russa and Jim "Catfish" Hunter.

He returned to Birmingham to manage the A's in 1968 and 1969, where he tutored catcher Gene Tenace. He retired from baseball in 1971 and later moved to Harrisonburg, Va.

Services are at 10 a.m. Monday at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Harrisonburg followed by a private burial. He is survived by his wife, Gennevieve Ihle Niarhos; two sons, James Niarhos of Harrisonburg and John Niarhos of Royersford, Pa.; a daughter, Mary Ingram of Royersford; two brothers, John Niarhos of Birmingham and Jim Niarhos of Loves Park, Ill.; and four grandchildren.

Constantine Gregory "Gus" Niarhos

NIARHOS, MR. CONSTANTINE GREGORY, "GUS", age 84, of Harrisonburg, Virginia, died December 29, 2004, in Harrisonburg. Mr. Niarhos was born December 6, 1920, in Birmingham and was the son of the late Gregory and Helen Kokinon Niarhos. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Mr. Niarhos was drafted by the New York Yankees while attending Auburn University and played nine seasons in the Major Leagues. He had a lifetime batting average of .252, and was the first Greek-American to play for the Yankees and the first to play in a World Series. He was one of the catchers for the Yankees when they won the 1949 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers. He also played for the Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies. When he retired as a player, he became a Minor League manager for many years, and in 1966, he was named California League Manager of the Year. Mr. Niarhos is survived by his wife, Gennevieve Ihle Niarhos; two sons, James Niarhos of Harrisonburg, VA, and John Niarhos of Royersford, PA; a daughter, Mary Ingram of Royersford, PA; two brothers, John Niarhos of Birmingham, AL, and Jim Niarhos, Loves Park, IL; a special niece, Carol Kay of Royersford, PA; and four grandchildren. Father John Grace and Father Fred LaSpina will conduct a Funeral Mass on Monday, January 3, 2005, at 10 a.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Harrisonburg, VA. Arrangements are by Kyger Funeral Home of Harrisonburg, VA.
Published in The Birmingham News on 12/31/2004.