James R. Price

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{short description|American journalist}}

James Rigby Price (1862–1929) was an American sports journalist and executive.

Price was born in 1862 in Baltimore.1880 United States Federal Census He began his career in sports as a sportswriter and spent many years working for various New York City papers. Price is credited with coining the nickname Yankees for the city's American League baseball club during his time as sports editor of the New York Press, as he found it easier to fit in headlines than the team's existing nicknames, the Highlanders and Hilltoppers.{{cite news |last1=Hoch |first1=Bryan |title=How they came to be called the Yankees |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/new-york-yankees-team-name-origin |access-date=January 6, 2022 |work=MLB |publisher=MLB Advanced Media, LP |date=December 1, 2021}}{{cite book |last1=Wong |first1=Stephen |last2=Grob |first2=Dave |title=Game Worn: Baseball Treasures from the Game's Greatest Heroes and Moments |date=2016 |publisher=Smithsonian |page=78 |isbn=9781588345721 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BpR_CwAAQBAJ |access-date=January 6, 2022}} He remained with the Press until 1916, when the paper merged with The Sun.

In 1909, Price was backed for the presidency of the Eastern League by three owners who were displeased with the incumbent Patrick T. Powers.{{cite news |title=Each Backed by Four Clubs |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=October 27, 1909}} Powers was reelected after the opposing owners were unable to get enough votes to defeat him.{{cite news |title=Powers Holds on to the Presidency |work=The New York Times |date=October 28, 1909}} In 1913 he was appointed by Governor William Sulzer to succeed James Edward Sullivan on the New York State Athletic Commission.{{cite news |title=J. R. Price Placed on Boxing Commission |work=The New York Times |date=January 10, 1913}} He resigned in 1915 and was succeeded by Frank Dwyer.{{cite news |title=Six Clubs Receive Boxing Licenses |work=The New York Times |date=October 12, 1915}}

As part of Major League Baseball's settlement with the Federal League, MLB acquired Harrison Park in New Jersey from Harry Ford Sinclair and placed Price in charge of the property.{{cite news |last1=Lieb |first1=Fred |title=Hot Stove League |url=https://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv217/BillBurgess/Meet%20The%20Sports%20Writers/Rigby010.jpg |access-date=January 6, 2022 |work=The Saturday Evening Post}} On February 19, 1916, he and Fred Tenney purchased the Jersey City Skeeters of the International League and moved the club to Harrison Park, where they became the Newark Indians. Price served as the team's president while Tenney was the club's manager.{{cite news|title=Jersey City Club Sold: James R. Price and Fred Tenney Buy International Franchise|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1916/02/19/100192790.pdf|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=June 30, 2012|date=February 19, 1916}} The Indians folded after the 1917 season and were replaced by the Newark Bears.{{cite news |title=National Commission to Place Minors Under Bond to Safeguard Players |work=The New York Times |date=April 12, 1918}} Price continued to manage Harrison Park until it was destroyed by fire in 1923.{{cite book |author=Foster, John B. |title=Spalding's Official Base Ball Guide 1929 | page=338 |date=1929 |publisher=American Sports Publishing Company}}{{cite news |title=Harrison Field, Home of Newark Baseball Nine, is Razed by Sweeping Blaze |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72655040/harrison-field-fire-august-19-1923/ |access-date=March 4, 2021 |work=Democrat & Chronicle |location=Rochester, New York|date=August 19, 1923 |page=35|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}} Price then served as the New York-based press agent for American League president Ban Johnson.{{cite book |last1=Sprechman |first1=Jordan |last2=Shannon |first2=Bill |title=This Day in New York Sports |date=1998 |publisher=Sports Museum Press |page=29 |isbn=9781571672544 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bXJgqTXTelsC |access-date=January 6, 2022}}

In 1924, Price joined the Boston Red Sox as the team's secretary.{{cite news |author=O'Leary, James C. |title=Familiar Figure of "Leaping Mike" to Be Missing From Outfield When Red Sox Take Field Next Year |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=December 21, 1923}} In 1926, severe heart trouble prevented him from traveling with the club except for spring training. On January 29, 1929, he committed suicide at Fenway Park. He was found by traveling secretary Hiram Mason bleeding on the east ramp leading to the grandstands. He had used a razor to cut his throat. He was rushed to Boston City Hospital where he was pronounced dead. His ongoing health problems were reported to be the cause of his suicide.{{cite news |title=James R. Price Commits Suicide |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=January 30, 1929}}{{cite book |last1=Gorman |first1=Robert M. |last2=Weeks |first2=David |title=Death at the Ballpark: More Than 2,000 Game-Related Fatalities of Players, Other Personnel and Spectators in Amateur and Professional Baseball, 1862-2014 |date=2015 |publisher=McFarland |page=147 |isbn=9780786479320 |edition=2nd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GQ_NCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA147 |access-date=January 6, 2022}} He was interred at Green Mount Cemetery in Baltimore.{{cite news |title=Last Tribute Paid James Rigby Price |work=The Boston Daily Globe |date=February 2, 1929}}