Books and articles about Dick Groat

Groat was an All-American basketball player at Duke and averaged 12 points per game with the Fort Wayne Pistons in the NBL (52-53). However, it was at shortstop in double play combinations with Bill Mazeroski and later with Julian Javier that Groat excelled. A natural athlete, he never played minor league ball. The slick ball-handler was at or near the top of the league each year in assists, putouts, and double plays.

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Groat was the complete ballplayer. He batted over .300 four times, and in 1960, Phillies manager Gene Mauch said, "He holds the Pirates together," as Pittsburgh won a World Championship over the Yankees. Traded to St. Louis, he solved the Cardinals' shortstop problem (there had been a different regular shortstop every year since 1956). With Groat, the Cardinals finished second in 1963 and were World Champions the following season. (FO)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » August 23, 1959: The Pirates take a doubleheader form the Dodgers, beating Don Drysdale in both games. As a starter, Drysdale loses the opener, then relieves in game 2. In the 10th inning, with runners on 1st and 3rd and two out, Drysdale hands out an intentional pass to get to Dick Groat, who singles in the winning run. The win is Face's 16th of the year without a loss tying him with Hubbell's streak of 1936 and Blackwell's skein in 1947. The 4th place Pirates are now eight games in back of the 1st place Giants. » January 16, 1960: Dick Groat scores 14 points, but the football Steelers edge the baseball Pirates 22–20 in overtime in a benefit basketball game. » May 13, 1960: Pirate Dick Groat becomes the first National League player since Connie Ryan in 1953 to go 6-for-6 as Pittsburgh beats Milwaukee, 8–2. » May 20, 1960: The Pirates stretch their National League lead to one 1/2 games by edging the Giants, 5–4, on Roberto Clemente's single in the 12th inning. Clemente has three hits to raise his average to .378. Willie McCovey's homer in the 9th tied it for San Francisco, and a score in the 12th puts them ahead. But Don Hoak's single and a run-scoring double by Dick Groat sets the stage for Clemente. » September 6, 1960: Pittsburgh's All-Star SS Dick Groat suffers a broken wrist when hit by a Lew Burdette pitch. The Pirates captain, 2nd in the batting race, will be sidelined until the final weekend of the season. Dick Schofield, his replacement, has three hits, as the Bucs rally for a 5–3 win. Roy Face finishes a Pittsburgh win for the 30th time in 1960. » November 16, 1960: National League batting champion Dick Groat is named league MVP, outpolling Pirate teammate Don Hoak 276-162. » November 19, 1962: The Cards send newly acquired Don Cardwell, along with SS Julio Gotay, to the Pirates for Dick Groat and P Diomedes Olivo. Groat, the MVP in 1960, will be the All-Star SS for the next two years, and anchor the Cards' infield. » July 9, 1963: Willie Mays is held to a single, but dominates a 5–3 National League win in the All-Star Game. He also walks, steals twice, scores twice, bats in a pair, and makes a great catch. It is Stan Musial's 24th All-Star appearance, a record. Musial's teammates comprise the starting infield for the NL: 1B Bill White, 2B Julian Javier, SS Dick Groat, and 3B Ken Boyer. Javier was chosen as the replacement for Pittsburgh's injured 2B, Bill Mazeroski. » October 30, 1963: Sandy Koufax wins again, outpolling Pittsburgh's Dick Groat 237 to 190 for the National League MVP award. » September 27, 1965: A week after sending veteran Ken Boyer to the Mets, St. Louis trades SS Dick Groat, 1B Bill White and C Bob Uecker to the Phillies for P Art Mahaffey, OF Alex Johnson and C Pat Corrales. » October 27, 1965: C Bob Uecker, 1B Bill White, and SS Dick Groat are traded by St. Louis to Philadelphia for P Art Mahaffey, OF Alex Johnson, and C Pat Corrales. » September 1, 1967: Cincinnati's Bob Lee walks Dick Groat with the bases loaded in the 21st inning to give the Giants a 1–0 victory at Candlestick. Twenty scoreless innings tie the ML mark set by the Pirates and the Braves on August 1, 1918, a game Pittsburgh also won in the 21st, 2–0. Gaylord Perry, with nine one-run losses during the season, pitches the first 16 innings of shutout ball, while Mel Queen tosses nine 1/3 inning for the Reds.