John Patrick Grabowski (January 7, 1900 in Ware, Massachusetts – May 23, 1946 in Albany, New York), nicknamed "Nig", was a Major League Baseball catcher who played 7 seasons for the Chicago White Sox (1924–26), New York Yankees (1927–29) and Detroit Tigers(1931).

He also played with the Montreal Royals of the International League from 1932 to 1934 and later became an umpire in the Canadian-American League (1937), Eastern League (1938–39), and International League (1940–41). Grabowski died in Albany, New York at age 46 from burns suffered when fire destroyed his home in the nearby town of Guilderland, New York.

In the first half of the 20th Century, before the game was integrated, ball players with a dark complexion were sometimes nicknamed "Nig."[1] [2] [3] In addition to Johnny Grabowski, the following other major league players bore the nickname: Johnny Beazley (1941–49),Joe Berry (1921–22), Bobby Bragan (1940–48), Nig Clarke (1905–20), Nig Cuppy (1892–1901), Nig Fuller (1902), Nig Lipscomb (1937),Charlie Niebergall (1921–24), Nig Perrine (1907), and Frank Smith (1904–15)

John P Grabowski