By K. Conner On Thursday, April 29, prior to the final home game of the regular season fans, former players, coaches including those he coached against, school principals, athletic directors and umpires came together to honor and show their respect and to celebrate the 52-year career as Winslow Bulldog Head Baseball Coach Artie Griffith. Griffith was inducted into the Arizona Coaches Hall of Fame in 1995, National High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2019, Arizona-New Mexico Coaches Hall of Fame and the Winslow High School Wall of Honor. He is a past president (2012-2013) of the National High School Baseball Coaches Association and served on the board of directors for six years, the AIA Baseball Advisory Committee, Arizona Coaches Association Board of Directors, Arizona Baseball Coaches Board of Directors and was the 3A Conference representative for baseball. He was named Region 8 National High School Coach of the Year in 2006, AzBCA Allstar Coach three times and Coach of the Year 17 times. He also served as the USA Baseball 16 and under Pan American Olympic assistant coach in 2006 where the team earn a gold medal. While head coach, he would lead his teams to 23 region championships (including being this year’s 3A East Champion), six semi-final games, eight quarter finals and named Coach of the Year 17 times. He had three players go on to be named Small School Players of the Year, 31 first Team All-State players and have four Bulldogs that would play in and win the NCAA College World Series, the NAIA World Series and/or the Junior College World Series. When which award he was most honored by, Coach Griffith stated it is the 3A East Artie Griffith Sportsmanship award that was started three years ago by the Northern AIA umpires. Throughout the season the umpires watch for players who exhibit sportsmanship and leadership on and off the field and nominate the players, then the coaches decide who will receive the award. Griffish stated that the most touching aspect of the tribute was seeing those that came out, especially all the former players including many father and sons over the years and those who had coached with him, including 1975 alumni Jeff Wetherton, whose father Carl Wetherton was the head coach that Artie was the assistant coach for. Griffith’s retirement plans include sitting beside Loy Englehart for the Bulldog football broadcasts, keeping the books during basketball season for the scorer’s table, hunting and fishing.
