Clifton also played 12 years of minor league baseball, including stints with Raleigh Capitals (1930–1931), Beaumont Exporters (1932–1933), Toledo Mud Hens (1936–1937), Toronto Maple Leafs (1938–1941), Oklahoma City Indians (1941–1942), Fort Worth Cats (1942), and Minneapolis Millers (1943).

Clifton became a homeless orphan at age 15: "Right after my mom died my stepdad kicked my ass out into the snow.

[3] Clifton began his professional baseball career playing in the Detroit farm system for the Raleigh Capitals of the Class C Piedmont League.

"[5] Greenberg wrote that, while playing together in Raleigh, Clifton used a gray bat made of Cuban wood that he soaked in water every night, supposedly "to keep it from cracking or chipping."

Clifton's son recounted: "He kept pestering the manager until the guy said, 'Herman, you're worse than a damn sand flea,' and the 'flea' stuck.

[4] The Detroit Free Press praised Clifton's patience at the plate: "He has a good eye and knows how to wait a pitcher out.

"[9] Defensively, Clifton became one of the best shortstops in the Texas League, compiling 417 putouts, 433 assists and a .966 fielding percentage.

[10] After a strong season in Beaumont, Clifton was the subject of a front-page profile in The Sporting News in December 1933.

It concluded that Clifton was "not expected to cause the retirement of Charlie Gehringer to the shade of the bench, but there is a strong possibility that he will stay around because of his qualifications as a utility man.

Team owner Frank Navin, not typically verbose in his praise for rookies, stated that he appreciated Clifton's effort and viewed him as an "old-fashioned player.

In January 1935, Clifton heard that the Tigers were considering sending him to the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League.

He drove through a snowstorm from his home in Cincinnati to Detroit to make a personal plead to club owner Frank Navin: "Don't send me away from the Tigers without another chance.

"[16] Though he was unable to hit, Clifton walked twice, scored a key run and contributed defensively to the 1935 World Series championship.

With two out in the sixth inning, Clifton hit a long, high line fly to deep left field.

Pitcher Alvin Crowder then came to bat and hit an "easy roller" through the infield, and Clifton scored standing up from second base.

[1] He spent some of the season with the Tigers' farm team, appearing in 19 games for the Toledo Mud Hens.

[4] When Charlie Gehringer pulled a ligament during the 1937 season, Clifton was recalled to the Tigers to play second base.

In January 1938, the Tigers gave Clifton an outright release, selling him to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

[21] Veteran Detroit sports writer Sam Greene paid tribute to Clifton upon his final, unconditional release by the Tigers.

Greene wrote:"The definite departure of the versatile Clifton will be accepted with a measure of regret by those who appreciate hustling abilities in an athlete.

"[19]Greene concluded that, despite Clifton's zest for the game, he could not overcome the simple physical reality that he was too "undersized and frail" to compete in the major leagues.

[4] Clifton concluded his professional baseball career in 1943, playing 150 games for the Minneapolis Millers in the American Association.

[4] Clifton retired from baseball when an offer to make him manager in Minneapolis was revoked: "I had a really good year.

[8] Clifton also served for many years as a sandlot baseball coach in the Greater Cincinnati Knothole Association, where his Bridgetown and Harrison teams "won several city and national championships.

"[8] His son, Kerry Clifton, recalled his father's days as a coach: "When you played for him, he'd tell you he'd promise you three things: a little sweat, a little blood and victory ...

"[8] In December 1997, Clifton died of complications from a stroke at Franciscan Hospital-Western Hills Hospital in Cincinnati.