| Lefty Grove | |
|---|---|
 Grove in 1939 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1900-03-06)March 6, 1900 Lonaconing, Maryland, U.S. | |
| Died: May 22, 1975(1975-05-22) (aged 75) Norwalk, Ohio, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 14, 1925, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 28, 1941, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 300–141 |
| Earned run average | 3.06 |
| Strikeouts | 2,266 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1947 |
| Vote | 76.4% (fourth ballot) |
Robert Moses "Lefty"Grove (March 6, 1900 – May 22, 1975) was an American professionalbaseballpitcher. After having success in theminor leagues during the early 1920s, Grove became a star inMajor League Baseball with theAmerican League'sPhiladelphia Athletics andBoston Red Sox. One of the greatest pitchers in history, Grove led the American League in wins in four separate seasons, instrikeouts seven consecutive seasons, and had the league's lowestearned run average a record nine times. Over the course of the three years from 1929 to 1931, he twice won the pitcher'sTriple Crown, leading the league in wins, strikeouts, and ERA, while amassing a 79–15 record and leading the Athletics to three straight AL championships.[1] Overall, Grove won 300 games in his 17-year MLB career. He was elected to theNational Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947.
Grove was born inLonaconing, Maryland, one of eight children of John Robert Grove (1865–1957) and Emma Catherine Beeman (1872–1959). His father and brothersmined coal.[2]
Grove was asandlot star in theBaltimore area during the 1910s. He did not play organized baseball until he was 19 years old. Grove purportedly gained the ability to throw hard by hurling rocks.[3] In 1920, he made his professional debut with the Martinsburg Mountaineers of the class-DBlue Ridge League, where he appeared in six games. In 59innings pitched, Grove gave up just 30hits, and he had anearned run average (ERA) of 1.68.[4] His performance attracted the attention ofJack Dunn, Sr. (1872–1928), the manager/owner of the minor leagueBaltimore Orioles, who also discoveredBabe Ruth. Dunn acquired Grove's services by giving Martinsburg enough cash to replace their center field wall.[5]
Grove joined theBaltimore Orioles in 1920, while they were playing a half-century in the minor leagues of first the oldEastern League (1903–1914) and then after 1916, in the reorganizedInternational League of AAA ball. Grove broke into the team's pitching rotation at midseason and had a 12–2record the rest of the way. The Orioles were in the middle of winning six straight IL titles from 1919 to 1925. Over the next four seasons, Grove posted marks of 25–10, 18–8, 27–10 and 26–6, leading the International League instrikeouts each season.
Grove remained in the minor leagues through 1924, as owner Jack Dunn refused several offers from the majors to acquire him. At the time, the Orioles were an independent operation with no major league affiliation and the International League had declared its players not subject to a major leaguedraft. Since thereserve clause in all contracts was honored throughout organized baseball, this meant that Grove had no way to reach the majors until the Orioles became willing to trade or sell his contract. Knowing he had such a talented pitcher in Grove, Dunn kept his contract until 1925, when he finally agreed to sell Grove's rights toConnie Mack (1862–1956) and hisPhiladelphia Athletics in theAmerican League for $100,600 (equivalent to $1.8 million in 2024), the highest amount ever paid for a player at the time.[5]
Grove battled injuries as a major league rookie and posted a 10–12 mark (which would prove his only losing record in 17 major league seasons). He led the league in strikeouts but posted a high 4.75 ERA. Grove then settled down in 1926 and won the first of a record nine earned run average (ERA) titles with a mark of 2.51.[6] In 1927, Grove won 20 games for the first time, and a year later he tiedGeorge Pipgras for the AL lead in wins with 24.[5]
The Athletics won the ALpennant in three consecutive seasons (1929 to 1931), as well as consecutive World Series championships in1929 and1930. During the Athletics' championship run, Grove led the way as the league's top pitcher, posting records of 20–6, 28–5 and 31–4. In 1931, Grove led the league in wins, ERA (2.06), strikeouts (175), winning percentage,complete games, and shutouts. His 2.06 ERA was 2.32 runs below the league average.[7] He was also chosen as leagueMVP in 1931, making him one of only a handful of pitchers to achieve this honor. His MVP award is the only one not enshrined in theNational Baseball Hall of Fame inCooperstown, New York, instead being housed at the George's Creek Library inLonaconing, Maryland.
During the 1931 season, Grove tiedSmokey Joe Wood's andWalter Johnson's AL record with 16 straight wins. He was attempting to win his 17th straight decision when a rookie outfielder filling in forAl Simmons, who had the day off, committed anerror that led to the only run of the game. Grove stated, "After that game I went in and tore the clubhouse up. Wrecked the place. Tore those stall lockers off the wall, giving Al Simmons hell all the while."[5] He followed the loss with eight straight wins.[5] He led the league in strikeouts for a record seven straight years to start his major league career.
The Athletics contended for the next two seasons, but finished second to theNew York Yankees in 1932 and third behind theWashington Senators and Yankees in 1933. In 1933, Grove became the first player inMajor League Baseball history to strike out five times in a nine-inning game.[8] On December 12, 1933, team ownerConnie Mack traded Grove, along withMax Bishop andRube Walberg, to theBoston Red Sox forBob Kline,Rabbit Warstler and $125,000.
Grove was unable to contribute substantially during his first year in Boston, an arm injury holding him to an 8–8 record. In 1935, however, Grove returned to form with a 20–12 record and a league-leading 2.70 ERA. In the 1936 season, he had a 2.81 ERA (winning his seventh ERA title) while recording a 17–12 record and 130 strikeouts. Grove won his eighth ERA title a year later, while having a 17–9 record along with 153 strikeouts. He pitched 262 innings for the season; this was his 11th and final season where he pitched over 200 innings. Grove continued to post outstanding records, including 14–4 in 1938 and 15–4 in 1939, as well as leading the AL in ERA four times between 1935 and 1939. He had a 7–6 record in 1940 while recording a 3.99 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 153.1 innings. In Grove's last season, he won and lost seven games, winning his 300th game on July 25 (giving up six runs on 12 hits, but winning 10–6), before losing his last three major league games, ending his career on September 28, pitching just one inning in the second game of a doubleheader.
Grove married his childhood sweetheart, Ethel Gardner, in 1921. They had two children, Robert and Doris. The couple would later divorce after Grove had an affair with another woman.[9]
Grove was elected to the town council in his native Lonaconing in the 1950s and also served as the town's police chief.[9] During offseasons and after retiring, Grove operated abowling alley in Lonaconing.[2] Grove befriended a sandlot baseball team whose games he passed on the way home from MLB games, purchasing new jerseys and equipment for the team.[5] He often donated equipment to local youth baseball players in his retirement.[10]
Grove retired in 1941 with a career record of 300–141. His .680 lifetime winning percentage is eighth all-time;[11] however, none of the seven men ahead of him won more than 236 games. His lifetime ERA of 3.06, when normalized to overall league ERA andadjusted for the parks in which Grove played during his career, is fifth all-time among pitchers with at least 1,000innings pitched (behindMariano Rivera,Clayton Kershaw,Jim Devlin, andPedro Martínez) at 48 percent better than average.[12]
As a hitter, Grove posted a .148batting average (202-for-1,369) with 119runs, 15home runs, 121RBI and 105bases on balls. From 1929 through 1932, Grove had 56 RBI. Defensively, he recorded a .954fielding percentage.[13]
Grove was elected to theNational Baseball Hall of Fame in1947. He died inNorwalk, Ohio, of a heart attack while watching a televised baseball game at his daughter-in-law's home on May 22, 1975.[14] Grove was interred in Section 9, Lot 94, of the Frostburg Memorial Park Cemetery inFrostburg, Maryland.[14]
In 1969, Grove was voted the left-handed starting pitcher for Major League Baseball's 100th anniversary team.[15] In 1999, Grove was ranked number 23 onThe Sporting News list of Baseball's Greatest Players.[16] He ranked second, behind onlyWarren Spahn, among left-handed pitchers. That year, he was elected to theMajor League Baseball All-Century Team. In the 2001 bookThe New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract,Bill James ranked Grove as the 19th best baseball player of all time and the second-best MLB pitcher of all time. According to baseball historian Frank Russo, Grove is usually thought to be the best left-handed pitcher in the history of the American League.[17] Russo also writes, "Normalized for league average and adjusted for home park, his 3.06 ERA is quite simply the best in baseball history."[5]
At Game #4 of the 1972 World Series in Oakland, Grove threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The objective of the Lefty Grove Memorial Committee is to preserve the memory of Grove. The Lefty Grove Memorial committee is based in Grove's hometown of Lonaconing, Maryland. The memorial was completed and opened to the public on June 22, 2019.[18]
| Preceded by | American LeaguePitching Triple Crown 1930 and1931 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
