Tommy Joe Vandergriff (January 29, 1926 - December 30, 2010) is a Texas politician. He served as Mayor of Arlington from 1951 to 1977, as US Representative of the 26th congress district in Texas from 1983 to 1985, and as a Tarrant County District Judge from 1991 to 2007. For most of his life, Vandergriff was a Democrat, Republican around 1990.
As Mayor, he was instrumental in several projects, including the new General Motors assembly plant, moving a Major League Baseball franchise to Arlington, and the opening of Six Flags over Texas.
Video Tom Vandergriff
Early life and education
Tom Vandergriff was born in Carrollton, Texas on January 29, 1926. His father, William Thomas "Hooker" Vandergriff was a prominent businessman who operated a local car dealer with his father, John Thomas Vandergriff. In 1937, Hooker and his wife, Charles Pleasant Mayes, moved the family to Arlington, Texas, to open a new dealer in downtown Chevrolet. At that time, Arlington was only 1 square mile with 3,500 inhabitants.
Growing up, Vandergriff suffered from speech impediment. With the help of a speech therapist, he overcame his disability and developed an interest in deep baritone speech and voice.
By the time Vandergriff was 16, he signed up to work as a radio announcer for KFJZ in Fort Worth, operated by Elliot Roosevelt, son of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Vandergriff had sent an audition record to the station, which rented him before he knew his age.
In 1947, Vandergriff graduated from the University of Southern California earning a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. After graduation, she auditioned for a position on KNX radio in Los Angeles, only to lose her job to Chet Huntley. Huntley will be part of NBC's evening news program, The Huntley-Brinkley Report.
Feeling rejected, Vandergriff moved back to Arlington to work at his father's Chevrolet dealer. Two years later, in 1949, he married his high school lover, Anna Waynette Smith, and later that year became president of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.
Maps Tom Vandergriff
Arlington Mayor
For 26 years as Mayor of Arlington from 1951 to 1977, Tom Vandergriff brought the General Motors assembly plant to Arlington, taking Senator Washington to Arlington as Texas Rangers, seeing Arlington State College elevated to University status and becoming The University of Texas at Arlington, helping to create the Airport International Dallas/Fort Worth, and see Arlington grow from about 8,000 people to over 120,000. Vandergriff served as founding president of the North Central Texas Governing Council, as the first chair of the Texas Advisory Committee on Interreligious Relations, and as a member of the White House Commission Lyndon B. Johnson on Urban Issues.
Arlington Memorial Hospital
In 1958, the Vandergriffs spearheaded the original fundraising efforts and donated the land to build Arlington's first Arlington Hospital Hospital. To honor their contribution, the hospital dedicates Vandergriff Professional Building on campus.
Tom Vandergriff served as chairman of the hospital council for over 35 years, and in 2007, the Surgery Tower of Tom Vandergriff was named for his respect.
Arlington's Sister City
Following after World War II, Allied forces divided Germany into several sectors. The Bavarian city of Bad KÃÆ'¶nigshofen fell just three miles west of the Soviet Sector. When the threat of Communism grew, refugees ran across the border, flooding a small farming community of only 5,000 inhabitants.
In 1951, Vandergriff and the City of Arlington chose to adopt the Bad KÃÆ'¶nigshofen as the twin cities of Arlington and organize a charity trip called "Let Freedom Ring." On February 1, 1952, hundreds of Arlington residents gathered in downtown to launch the first of a variety of shipping supplies - 12 tons of food, clothing and supplies loaded in railway cars.
In honor of longstanding friendships, Bad KÃÆ'¶nigshofen named the only city park after Arlington with the city's "Flying A" logo carved into a 14 ton stone. Instead, Arlington built the Bad KÃÆ'¶nigshofen Recreation Area in S.J. Stovall Park.
Today, Arlington holds Christkindl's annual market in December. The event was inspired from a city visit to Bad KÃÆ'¶nigshofen in 2011. Christkindl Arlington Market has grown to become the largest of its kind in the South, with around 100,000 visitors by 2013.
University of Texas at Arlington
Tom Vandergriff is one of the main influences behind the transformation of Arlington State College (ASC) into The University of Texas at Arlington.
Throughout the 1950s, Mayor Vandergriff and Arlington State College led a campaign to transform a two-year college into a four-year university, which at the time was an affiliate of Texas A & M University. In 1951, 1955, and 1957, schools sent bills to the Texas Legislature without success. However, on April 27, 1959, Governor Daniel's price finally signed the bill to make the university's ASC four years old. Vandergriff later recalled the signing of the bill "one of the most satisfying moments of his life."
In the early 1960s, a 50-year relationship between Arlington State College and Texas A & amp; M began to deteriorate due to issues regarding graduate school and construction of new facilities. In 1965, Major Vandergriff worked with State Sen. Don Kenard to remove Arlington State College from Texas A & amp; M and transfer schools to the University of Texas System. On April 23, 1965, Governor John Connally signed a bill that officially transferred the ASC to the University of Texas System. Then in 1967, the school was renamed The University of Texas at Arlington.
Six Flags Over Texas
While attending the University of Southern California, Vandergriff became fascinated with postwar growth in the greater Los Angeles area, especially with Anaheim. Disneyland first opened in 1955 and in 1960 the city will be awarded a Major League Baseball expansion franchise. Vandergriff feels that Arlington can also be a beneficiary of such development and become an entertainment destination as well.
In 1958, Vandergriff met with Walt Disney in an attempt to persuade him to build a second Disneyland park. At the insistence of Vandergriff, developer Angus Wynne Jr. and Great Southwest Corp. offers Mr. Disney land for the project, but Disney has finally turned down the offer. Instead, Wynne chose to develop the park itself by calling it Texas Under Six Flags.
In August 1961, a $ 10 million amusement park opened its gates to the public under the new name, Six Flags Over Texas. Since then, the park has attracted 3 million visitors annually and has become a nationally recognized brand.
Seven Seas
With the success of Six Flags Over Texas, Major Vandergriff wants to take advantage of Arlington's entertainment district and build a second theme park that will flank the Turnpike Stadium (later renamed the Arlington Stadium). In the late 1960s, Vandergriff approached Walter Knott from Knott's Berry Farm about building a similar park in Arlington. When Knott refused, he suggested Vandergriff explore the newly built marine park in San Diego, SeaWorld. The founder George Millay also rejected Vandergriff's offer. Considering the marine park, Vandergriff returned to Angus G. Wynne from Six Flags with the idea. Vandergriff and Wynne agree that Arlington will finance the construction of the park and Wynne will design and operate it.
In 1972, Seven Seas opened it to the public. The park is located right next to Turnpike Stadium, adjacent to Six Flags. Similar to SeaWorld, this park features birds, sea elephants, dolphins, and killer whales named Newtka. When the park opened, the project cost $ 10 million, $ 2.4 million on the budget. The park lost $ 500,000 in its first season and continued with a loss of $ 462,000 in 1973 and $ 516,000 in 1974. Then in 1975, SeaWorld and George Millay, who initially refused to listen to Vandergriff, offered to buy the Seven Seas for the 1975 season, provided the city sells animals to him for $ 125,000. City agrees and Millay renovates the park hoping to increase attendance. But the park eventually lost money, once again, and the park was forced to close in 1976. Vandergriff took much responsibility for the park's failure and feared that the disaster would one day undermine his achievements.
Retraction
During a regularly scheduled board meeting in January 1977, Vandergriff unexpectedly announced his resignation, effective immediately. Vandergriff's 13th term will expire in April, and if he resigns early, special elections will be required to fill the term of the term. Vandergriff is deliberately waiting in 90 days to avoid the city from having to finance special elections. Mayor of Pro Tem S.J. Stovall replaces Vandergriff to fill the rest of the semester. He will continue to win elections and serve six terms
AS. House of Representatives
Selection 1982
Before the 1982 election, both political parties, Democrats and Republicans, urged Vandergriff to run on their respective tickets in the newly formed 26th District. The district line was formed to support a Republican, whom President Reagan had brought with 67.1 percent of the vote in 1980, but Vandergriff eventually chose to run as a Democrat. His opponent is Republican candidate Jim Bradshaw, who previously ran for District 12, but lost to Jim Wright who was then Majority Leader of the House.
Despite the personal campaign of Vice President George H.W. Bush, Bradshaw lost Vandergriff election with only 436 votes. The race was so close, Bradshaw asked for a recount. However, Vandergriff's election was confirmed, after winning 50.1% of the vote, with 344 new votes counted.
Kongres ke-98
Tom Vandergriff was sworn in to the 98th Congress on 3 January 1983. He was assigned to the Public Works and Transportation Committee, serving on the Aviation and Surveillance Subcommittee, as well as the Election Committee and Small Business Committee. During his tenure in Congress, Vandergriff favored congressional salary reductions, advocated for better military service benefits, and supported Texas Instruments' efforts to maintain a $ 7 million HARM program. Known as a conservative Democrat, Vandergriff often broke the party line, even voted against his party's alternative budget in 1984, which included a $ 174 billion deficit.
Amandemen Equal Rights
In 1983, Vandergriff sponsored the resurrection of the Equal Rights Amendment with the full support of Tip O'Neill Council Chairman. The bill contains nine amendments, mainly related to the issue of abortion and military service of women. The bill was eventually shot down at home for not accepting two-thirds majority vote. In a last-ditch effort to push the bill through, O'Neil's procedure went bankrupt and brought the bill to the floor by suspending the House rules, which would thus not allow any amendments to be entered. Disappointed with the rest procedure, Vandergriff, along with 13 other co-sponsors of both political parties, reversed direction and withdrew support from the bill.
Military Spending in Nicaragua
In 1983, Majority Leader Jim Wright and Speaker O'Niell proposed an annual intelligence authorization bill opposed by President Reagan that would deny disguising US military assistance to Nicaraguan rebel groups fighting the Sandanista government. Vandergriff, once again, broke the party line and supported President Reagan. The bill will pass with a vote of 228-195.
Selection 1984 and Defeat
In 1983, a House redistricting committee approved a bill that would incorporate around 50,000 more residents from Arlington in the 26th Congressional district. Although the district still rests the Republic, the move is considered favorable to Vandergriff's re-election bid. However, Tom was defeated by Republican candidate Dick Armey, former chair of the economic department at North Texas State University, riding a wave of Republican direct voting and last-minute media blitz by President Reagan. Tom's campaign left him with almost $ 800,000 in debt from spending his own money and Armey will continue to be the House Majority Leader from 1995 until his retirement in 2003.
Vandergriff was considered running again in 1986 in an attempt to regain the seat, but was eventually denied. Sports announcer Bill Mercer, one of the original broadcasters of Texas Rangers in 1972, called Vandergriff's defeat in 1984 "one of the great tragedies of politics in this part of Texas."
County Judge
Tom Vandergriff was elected to Tarrant County Judge in 1990. He won as a Republican and served in that capacity for 16 years until his retirement in 2007. During his tenure, he was instrumental in establishing a 41-million-dollar Family Law Center, developing the Trinity River Uptown Plan, sell the convention center to Fort Worth, and play a role in bringing Dallas Cowboys to Arlington. Tarrant County is also implementing an expanded online tax payment system, which won the Excellence Award from the Texas Association of Governmental Information Technology Managers.
Intermodal Interface Transportation Efficiency Act
In 1991, the newly elected Judge County, Tom Vandergriff, worked with delegates to the Texas Congress, Fort Worth Mayor Kay Granger and Dallas County officials to advocate for a 151 billion dollar transport law that would create around 900,000 jobs annually for six years of his life. On December 18, President George H. W. Bush went to Dallas-Fort Worth to sign the bill into law. Bush praised the bill as the most important transport move since President Dwight D. Eisenhower launched an interstate system 35 years earlier.
The Heartbeat of Arlington
Since 1954, the General Motors plant in Arlington, now the seventh largest city in Texas, remains a driving force for the local and state economy. However, the economy began to weaken during the 1980s recession, which hit General Motors hard as they struggled to compete with foreign rivals amid a narrowing budget.
In a cost-saving effort, chief executive Robert C. Stempel announced that the company will close its Arlington plant or its sister plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan to consolidate the production resources of the rear wheel car. Seals call the Mayor of Arlington Richard Greene to inform him of the pending decision. Immediately, Greene called Judge Vandergriff, who offered his support. Vandergriff will remember in an interview with the New York Times that the factory is "Rock of Gilbraltar for us [the town] that gives us the confidence to do some great things.You can not imagine in the worst nightmare you lose an entity." such as General Motors. "
The potential closure is part of a plan to get rid of 74,000 jobs and 21 factories. The loss of the Arlington plant will cut 3,800 local jobs and 4,000 other jobs from local suppliers and other retailers. In Arlington's press conference, Governor Ann Richards said the plant would cost the country $ 816 million a year. The closure of the plant will also provide a major blow to the city economy which, at the time, donated nearly $ 4 million in local taxes, including $ 2.1 million for schools.
Once again, Greene and Vandergriff worked together to spearhead a public campaign called "Keep GM, Heartbeat of Arlington." Within weeks, the campaign evolved into a statewide effort involving Richards, Senators Lloyd Bentsen and Phil Gramm, and a delegation of Texas Congress. The effort culminated in the creation of an economic incentive package that would give GM up to $ 23 million in taxation and rest utilities. The state also offers to train 1 million workers.
After months of lobbying from the Texas contingent, General Motors opted to keep Arlington's operations open and close the Ypsilanti plant. GM will thus move production of Oldsmobile, Buick and Chevrolet full-size rail stations to Arlington in 1993. Over 3-4 years, 1,000 jobs will be added.
Stadion Cowboys
As County Judge, Vandergriff was instrumental in luring Dallas Cowboys to Arlington with the campaign "A Win for Arlington." He is featured in a series of TV and radio ads promoting public funding for the construction of a new stadium worth $ 650 million.
Retired
In 2006, Vandergriff announced he would not seek re-election. He will officially retire from public office in 2007 at the age of 80 years.
Major League Baseball
Judge Roy Hofheinz of Houston Astros tried to block Vandergriff's efforts in his attempt to bring the ball club to Arlington, which he has been trying to do for over ten years. In 1971, owner of Senator Washington, Bob Short, wanted to move his team, which is run by baseball legend Ted Williams.
Many people in D.C. strongly opposed the move. Vandergriff was thrown out of the cab because the driver knew who he was. Finally, Washington Senators moved to Arlington's Turnpike Stadium. The stadium was expanded and renamed the Arlington Stadium.
The Texas Rangers
Sports Announcer
When the Senator moved to Texas, Arlington City agreed to pay Rangers $ 7.5 million for 10 years in exchange for radio-TV rights. In an effort to save the city about $ 50,000 a year, Tom worked unpaid as a color commentator for Texas Rangers TV broadcasts from 1975-1977 with playwatcher Dick Risenhoover. Vandergriff is also known for spending his own money on travel expenses for road games.
The Ballpark in Arlington
In 1989, a group of investors led by future president George W. Bush and Dallas investor Edward "Rusty" Rose bought a team from Eddie Chiles oil man. The group named the investor Tom Schieffer as Partner-In-Charge of ballpark development and assigned him to select a site to build a new stadium. After Schieffer decided Arlington was the best location in Dallas-Fort Worth to build a new stadium, Arlington Mayor Richard Greene led the effort, with the help of Vandergriff, to convince the Arlington voters to raise $ 135 million in bonds for construction. In 1991, the bond package was authorized by a margin of two to one.
The new stadium, named The Ballpark in Arlington, opened its gates for its inaugural season in 1994.
Texas Rangers Hall of Fame
In 2004, Tom Vandergriff was inducted into Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame with Gold Glove, Buddy Bell's third baseman and Fitch's Jenkins Hall of Fame pitcher.
Archived
In 1997, a full-sized Vandergriff bronze statue was dedicated to the central square, which bears the name Vandergriff Plaza.
Car Dealer
Tom Vandergriff works in his family business including a car dealership chain. His father, Hooker, has Vandergriff Chevrolet and Vandergriff Buick, until he splits the dealer between Vandergriff and Vandergriff's sister, Ginger.
After losing a re-election bid for Congress, Vandergriff returned home to operate a family car dealer. With the pile of campaign and economic debt declining, the Vandergriff family's wealth weakened. Then in 1989, Vandergriff's son, Victor Vandergriff, bought a family flower and steered it through the recession of the early 1990s. In 1997, Victor and a group of investors sold the car chain to V.T. Inc., where he will serve as Vice President of the company. Victor then served as Chairman of the Motor Vehicle Board from 2009-2013 and in March 2013, appointed by Governor Rick Perry to serve as a member of the Texas Transportation Commission.
In 2014, Berkshire Hathaway Automotive INC. Buying V.T. Inc. Today, the dealer chain includes Chevrolet, Toyota, Acura, Honda, and Hyundai.
Personal life
The JFK Assassination
During the 1960 Presidential election, then Senators John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson traveled through a parade through Dallas-Fort Worth to a campaign stop in Arlington. The motorcade was greeted by Mayor Vandergriff and a crowd of thousands near downtown Arlington State Bank.
Three years later, on November 22, 1963, Vandergriff attended a breakfast in Fort Worth hosted by the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce in honor of President Kennedy. Vandergriff is part of the "honor guard" welcomed by President Kennedy at the Texas Hotel. When news broke out of the murder, Vandergriff was still in the car driving home from the Fort Worth breakfast.
Incidentally, Lee Harvey Oswald's mother, Marguerite, is a family personal nurse. He is also employed by Amon G. Carter, a prominent businessman in Fort Worth. Just months before the assassination, Lee Oswald and his wife, Marina, visited Vandergriff's home to take a high chair for their newborn daughter.
Death
At the age of 84, Vandergriff was present at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on October 22, 2010 for the final game of the American League Championship Series where Rangers beat the New York Yankees 6-1. It will be his last public appearance. That night, Vandergriff fell and broke his hip, forcing him to skip the team's first World Series. Vandergriff died two months later.
To commemorate Vandergriff, the Texas Rangers gave the family the first 2010 American League Championship ring. In a statement from the organization, president and CEO Nolan Ryan said, "Tom Vandergriff's passion and effort made Texas Rangers a reality nearly 40 years ago because of his work we can celebrate the AL Championship."
On the 2011 Opening Day, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington planned a brief silence to remember Vandergriff, followed by a family that opened a large Vandergriff banner in the left field that served as a season-long award.
Legacy
In addition to Tom Vandergriff's statue at Globe Life Park in Arlington and Arlington City Hall, there are places in the Dallas-Fort Worth area named Vandergriff. Some of them include Vandergriff Park, Vandergriff Building known as Historic V, Vandergriff Town Center, Vandergriff Plaza at Rangers Ballpark, Vandergriff Way adjacent to General Motors factory, Tom Vandergriff Surgical Tower at Arlington Memorial Hospital and Tom Vandergriff. The Civil Courthouse in downtown Fort Worth.
Posthumous Award
In 2012, the University of Texas at Arlington builds College Park, a mixed 22-acre district with sophisticated arenas, retail stores, and student housing, including a dormitory called Vandergriff Hall, in honor of Vandergriff's contribution to the university.
In 2015, Tarrant County opened a new $ 74 million court building in Fort Worth, officially named Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building.
See also
- Arlington, Texas
- Texas Rangers (baseball)
- The 98th United States Congress
Further reading
- North Texas Commission, Judge Tom Vandergriff Named Regional Champion, taken July 7, 2007, including a long list of political achievements
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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