endorsed the candidacy of Republican candidate and with the assistance of his group of campaign volunteers, helped Christopher C. Collins win the election for Erie County Executive. Griffin died on May 25, 2008, at the Father Baker Manor in Orchard Park, from Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. His wife, Margaret "Margie" Griffin (née McMahon), died in July 2011. The couple had three children. Legacy Griffin had 3 children named Maureen, Megan, and Tom. Following his death, the Buffalo Common Council voted to rename the address of Sahlen Field to One James D. Griffin Plaza in his honor. A bronze sculpture of Griffin titled The First Pitch by artist William Koch was erected outside Sahlen Field in 2012 to honor Griffin's contributions in bringing the ballpark and professional baseball to Buffalo. Until Byron Brown swept his opponent to win a record 5th term in 2021, Griffin was the longest-serving mayor of Buffalo, and from January 3, 2021 until December 31, 2021, he shared this title with Brown, but at midnight on January 1, the tie was broken. References 1929 births 2008 deaths Mayors of Buffalo, New York New York (state) state senators New York (state) Democrats United States Army personnel of the Korean War Candidates in the 1996 United States presidential election Deaths from Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease Neurological disease deaths in New York (state) Infectious disease deaths in New York (state) New York (state) Republicans 20th-century American politicians Buffalo Common Council members