Silas Seth Griffis was born in Onaga, Kansas in 1883. In the mid-1890s, his family moved to Rat Portage, Ontario, Canada, where he excelled in many sports, including ice hockey. It was here that he became a player for the local amateur hockey club, the Rat Portage (later Kenora) Thistles.

A key member of the Thistles' 1907 Stanley Cup winning team, Griffis later captained the Vancouver Millionaires to Cup victory in 1915. Griffis retired from professional hockey in 1919.

In later life, Griffis excelled as both a competitive golfer and bowler. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in July of 1950. He died in Vancouver, British Columbia that same month.