Lefty Grove (1947)


Date of Birth: 3/6/1900
Date of Death: 5/22/1975
Birthplace: Lonaconing, Maryland

Lefty Grove played sandlot baseball as a youth in Baltimore in the 1910s. He first played professional baseball in 1920 in the Blue Ridge League. He then moved to the International League and he played with them from 1920 through 1924. The Philadelphia Athletics purchased his contract in October, 1924.

Philadelphia Athletics

In his first season with the Athletics, Grove led the American League in strikeouts. In 1925, he pitched 197.0 innings in 45 games and he had a 10-12 record with 116 strikeouts to 131 walks and a 4.75 ERA. The next season, he led the league in strikeouts and in ERA, ending the 1926 season with a 13-13 record, 194 strikeouts to 101 walks, and an ERA of 2.51 in 258.0 innings in 45 games.

Grove again led the AL in strikeouts in 1927. That year, he pitched in a career high 51 games, but he was a starting pitcher in only 28 games. He finished the season with 20 wins and 13 losses, 174 strikeouts to 79 walks, and a 3.19 ERA in 262.1 innings.

Grove led the AL in wins and strikeouts in 1928. He had 24 wins and 8 losses, 183 strikeouts to 64 walks, and a 2.58 ERA in 261.2 innings in 39 games. The next year, he led the league in ERA and strikeouts. He finished the 1929 season with a 20-6 record, 170 strikeouts to 81 walks, and a 2.81 ERA in 275.1 innings in 42 games.

Grove won the AL Triple Crown in 1930, leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. He had a 28-5 record, a career high 209 strikeouts to just 60 walks, and a 2.54 ERA in 291.0 innings in 50 games.

In 1931, Grove won the AL MVP award and a second Triple Crown, leading the league with a career high 31 wins (to just 4 losses), 175 strikeouts (to 62 walks), and a career low ERA of 2.06. He pitched 288.2 innings in 41 games, and he led the league in complete games pitched with 27.

Grove led the AL in ERA and in complete games pitched in 1932. He had 25 wins and 10 losses, 188 strikeouts to 79 walks, and a 2.84 ERA in a career high 291.2 innings in 44 games. He pitched 27 complete games that year. The following year, he led the league in wins and complete games. He finished the 1933 season with 24 wins and 8 losses, 114 strikeouts to 83 walks, and a 3.20 ERA in 275.1 innings in 45 games. He pitched 21 complete games in 1933.

Boston Red Sox

The Athletics traded Grove to the Boston Red Sox on December 12, 1933. He had a poor showing in his first season with the Red Sox, ending with an 8-8 record, 43 strikeouts to 32 walks, and a 6.50 ERA in 109.1 innings in 22 games. However, in 1935, he redeemed himself, leading the league once more in ERA. He finished that season with 20 wins and 12 losses, 121 strikeouts to 65 walks, and a 2.70 ERA in 273.0 innings in 35 games.

Grove again led the AL in ERA in 1936. He had a 17-12 record, 130 strikeouts to 65 walks, and a 2.81 ERA in 253.1 innings in 35 games. He had similar numbers in 1937, with 17 wins and 9 losses, 153 strikeouts to 83 walks, and a 3.02 ERA in 262.0 innings in 32 games.

In 1938 and 1939, Grove once more led the AL in ERA. He had a 3.08 ERA in 1938, and a 2.54 ERA in 1939. He had 14 wins to 4 losses and 99 strikeouts to 52 walks in 163.2 innings in 24 games in 1938. The next year was similar, with 15 wins and 4 losses and 81 strikeouts to 58 walks in 191.0 innings in 23 games.

Grove pitched in just 22 games in 1940, and in 21 games in 1941. He had 7 wins both seasons, and a 3.99 ERA in 153.1 innings in 1940, and a 4.37 ERA in 134.0 innings in 1941.

Awards and MLB Records

  • AL Triple Crown (2 times)
  • AL MVP
  • Led AL in ERA (9 times)
  • Led AL in wins (4 times)
  • Led AL in strikeouts (7 times)
  • Led AL in complete games (3 times)

Career Statistics

Statistics for Grove in 17 seasons (1925-1941) in the major leagues include:

  • 8 seasons with 20 or more wins, with a high of 31 in 1931
  • 8 seasons with over 150 strikeouts, with a high of 209 in 1930
  • 9 seasons with an ERA under 3.00, with a low of 2.06 in 1931

Career pitching statistics for Grove include:

  • 616 games played
  • 3,940.2 innings pitched
  • 300-141 win-loss record
  • 2,266 strikeouts to 1,187 walks
  • 3.06 ERA

Postseason statistics for Grove include:

  • 3 postseasons
  • 8 games played
  • 51.0 innings pitched
  • 4-2 win-loss record
  • 2 saves
  • 36 strikeouts to 6 walks
  • 1.76 ERA

Post Playing Years

Grove was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1947 on the fourth ballot with 76.4% of the vote.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Lefty Grove
ESPN - Lefty Grove
Baseball Reference - Lefty Grove

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