I don't know as much about Jimmy Griffin's political career as I would like, but what I do know of the man symbolizes a lot of what I grew up thinking of my city, Buffalo. He never seemed to be sugarcoating the bad, and he certainly wasn't giving speeches and statements that sounded like dreadful Ivy League-wanna be rhetoric. There's something about Jimmy and Buffalo that rings true in my mind in the same way that Bruce Springsteen's "My Hometown," summer lunches with my mom, aunt, sisters and cousins at Delaware Park, and walking by Memorial Auditorium play tribute to my youth.
Maybe it's that I was too young to be jaded to politics, but Jimmy was a piece of what I love here in Western New York. For one, despite being 53 years older than me, I feel comfortable calling him by his first name. His was a face I trusted as a kid, and a legend I grew to love as I grew up. His Blizzard of '84 line about buying a six-pack of Genny and staying home will stand the test of time.
"Six-pack Jimmy." Yep, that's my mayor.
I'm not sure what I'm really trying to say in remembering Jimmy Griffin — maybe I just feel it's my Buffalonian, Catholic, Democratic, old-school familial duty. But I know there was something inherently wonderful about the man, from the rumors that he had an affinity for making sure the city golf courses were in extra fine shape to being an army veteran who made the decision to run for political office based on a suggestion thrown to him at a gin mill.
Who knows what time will tell about James Donald Griffin and his 78-plus years on Earth? What I do know is that remembering Jimmy means everything from remembering playing in my uncle's backyard in Riverside to thinking long and hard about voting for him in the last election. He stuck to his guns, for good and bad, and I generally love that.
As a Buffalo sports fan, this guy was legit, too. Without Jimmy, who knows if the Bisons are around? He spent $1,000 of his money to help bring a Double-A team from New Jersey to Buffalo in 1979, the first professional ball club in the Queen City in eight years. I just learned this from a wonderful write-up on the Bisons web site, www.bisons.com.
It's also doubtful Pilot Field gets built, and who knows if we have a AAA-ball club, let alone the mad early 90s rush that almost won us a Major League club. Sure, it would've been the Rockies or Marlins, but it could've been our woefully moribund franchise, who has fire sales after world championships. Plus, who else would've made all those chicken wings for seafood bets?
I hope Jimmy will be able to look down on a fully functioning Buffalo in a few short years, and I don't care how corny it sounds. His family is in my prayers tonight, and perhaps I'll be attending a rememberance of a man I never met, but feels a little like my neighbor. The wake will be held Tuesday and Wednesday from 2 to 8 p.m. at Reddington Funeral Home, 657 Abbott Rd. at Red Jacket Pkwy in Buffalo. Mass will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Our Lady of Victory Basilica, 767 Ridge Rd. at South Park in Lackawanna.
Jimmy passed on Memorial Day weekend, but I didn't find out until after our family party had wound down. It was a day we inadvertantly celebrated our city, with my sisters in from out of town, friends and their children at my parents' house, beer, barbeque, wiffle ball and laughter. It was a great day, and I loved every second of it until I learned of the former mayor's passing. I bet he'd love it.
I always thought the only "celebrities" whose deaths would make me really emotional would be monsters of my youth like Bruce Springsteen, Mike Foligno and Don Cherry (luckily all three look to be in fine form). Turns out it took a guy who owned the television news of my peanut butter and jelly sandwich lunches, waiting to run back outside to throw baseballs and play street hockey.
God bless the mayor of my youth, Jimmy Griffin. Rest in peace.
Email: nick@wgr550.com
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