Position: outfield Bats: right Throws: right

Acie was born in Union Springs, Alabama in 1924. He grew up in Birmingham, Alabama where he attended Parker High School. Parker was the only black high school in this segregated city. For this reason the school's enrollment was quite large. Having a big enrollment brought with it a big number of athletes. The Parker High sports programs were the cream of the crop. Acie thought his gym teacher, Mr. Bennie McGee, was the greatest teacher that ever lived. He was his mentor, giving Griggs the incentive he needed to always try his best and as a result, Acie played everything well. He was also the inspiration that led Acie to become a teacher and coach himself.

Acie served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1944. He entered the Navy as a stewards mate, and left the service with that same rank, all the time knowing he was capable of doing anything the other men were and sometimes more. Realizing that there was not going to be any promotions for blacks, he just did his job. Acie stated, "There is no reason to lie and try to glorify my service in any way, I scrubbed decks the whole time I served."

Shortly after he left the Navy, "Skeet" was on the fields of the Negro Leagues. He played part time with the New York Cubans from 1947-1948, the Birmingham Black Barons from 1949-1950, and then spent some time playing ball in Canada. Skeet really enjoyed his Canadian baseball experience. He felt he was respected there; treated like a man. He traveled many places in Canada, and would often be the only black player on the team. He would sometimes wonder why he would ever chose to return to the life that existed back in the States.

When his baseball career came to an end, Mr. Griggs took to teaching mathematics in the local high school. For thirty-eight years he taught and coached kids. He was particularly fond of coaching. He remembers that whenever trouble with a child was reported, the coach would be the one called to handle it. That added responsibility was joyfully accepted because he loved the kids and knew he could make a difference.