Books and articles about Heinie Groh

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Famous for his unique "bottle bat," with a non-tapered barrel and thin handle, the 5'8" 158-lb third baseman was an outstanding leadoff man. He deftly dropped bunts from his peculiar wide-open stance, used his keen eye and short stature to draw walks, and kept his BA in the .280-.320 range. He had played only 31 games for the Giants when he was traded to Cincinnati, where he starred for eight seasons. He hit for the cycle on July 5, 1915. After a bitter holdout in 1921, he signed in June only on the promise that he would be traded. He was immediately swapped to New York but Commissioner Landis canceled the deal. In December, the Giants finally reacquired him and the still-peppery Groh helped them win three straight pennants. His older brother Lew played two games for the A's in 1919 as a 36-year-old rookie. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 22, 1913: The Giants send Red Ames, Heinie Groh, and outfielder Josh Devore to Cincinnati for P Art Fromme and infielder Eddie Grant. The little-used Groh will star in Cincinnati, and eventually manage the team. Devore will be sold to the Phillies in August. Grant, a starter until today, will not play until June 4th, so there is some confusion (as noted by Cliff Blau) about whether he was sold on that date or part of today's trade. » July 5, 1915: The Reds sweep two from the Cubs, winning 8–5 and 12–7. Red Ames wins the nitecap with the help of Heinie Groh, who hits for the cycle, off Jimmy Lavender. Pete Schneider tops Zip Zabel in the opener. » October 6, 1919: After a Sunday rainout, Hod Eller blanks the Sox on 3 hits, fanning 6 in a row -- Gandil, Risberg, Ray Schalk, Williams, Leibold, and Eddie Collins -- in the 2nd and 3rd. Once again a big inning gives the Reds a victory. A couple of hits, some slow fielding, and poor throws by Jackson and Happy Felsch result in 4 Reds scoring in the 6th for a 5-0 win, their 4th in 5 games. Lefty Williams is the loser. Sox C Schalk is the 2nd man to be thrown out of a WS game when he disagrees with the call on Heinie Groh's slide at home. » June 8, 1920: The Reds' Edd Roush falls asleep in CF during a long argument in the IF. Heinie Groh goes out to wake him, but the ump ejects Roush for delaying the game. » June 1, 1921: Heinie Groh finally signs with the Reds for $10,000, less than the rumored $12,000 he was holding out for. Groh wants to go to the Giants and has vowed never to wear the Reds uniform again. Commissioner Landis vetoes the deal and will reinstate him only if Groh stays with the Reds all season. The decision costs Groh a WS share, but he’ll move to New York in December. » December 6, 1921: John McGraw finally gets Heinie Groh from the Reds; it costs him C Mike Gonzalez, OF George Burns, and a reported $250,000. Other figures range as low as $100,000. » May 26, 1922: In the nitecap at the Polo Grounds, Heinie Groh walks five times as New York pounds the Braves, 10–2. » September 3, 1922: The Giants pull off a 2nd inning triple play against the Phils. With runners on 1B and 2B Jimmy Smith pops up and the infield fly rule is called. Although Smith is called out, Frisch fails to catch the ball, and the runners take off. Giants right fielder Ross Youngs picks the ball up and the relay catches runner Cliff Lee at 3B for out #2. 3B Heinie Groh's throw and relay catch Sam Leslie at 1B for the 3rd out. The Giants then break a 7–7 tie in the 9th when Frankie Frisch scores from 2B on a muffed 6–3 play that Phils pitcher Jimmy Ring bobbles. » October 6, 1922: The Giants Jack Scott (8–2 with the Giants) fires a 4-hitter as a surprise starter in game three, after Hugh McQuillan (6–5 with NY) warms up to face Waite Hoyt (19-12). Scott gets the Yanks to hit 18 grounders. Frank Frisch’s two RBIs are more than enough in the 3–0 win. With two hits in each game so far, Frisch will bat .471. Heinie Groh, hitting safely in every game, will be at .474. » May 30, 1923: After playing before the National League's biggest crowd (41,000) in the P.M. game of the holiday twin bill against Brooklyn, the Giants head west with a 4-game lead over the Pirates. Five regulars will bat over .300, and three will top 100 RBI, led by NL leader Irish Meusel's 125. At 3B, rookie Travis Jackson takes over for gimpy Heinie Groh. With five future Hall of Famers in the lineup and eight on the roster during the season, the Giants will be the first team to hold first place from opening to closing day and the only NL team to have done it. With average pitching, they win just 95 games, but it's enough for a four 1/2 game margin over the Reds. » October 10, 1923: It's an all–New York World Series for the 3rd time. In the first World Series game at Yankee Stadium, the home team takes a quick 3–0 lead, but Heinie Groh triples in two runs in a 4-run 3rd that drives Waite Hoyt (17-9) to cover. A 4–4 tie is broken in the top of the 9th by the Giants when Casey Stengel's blast rolls to the OF wall. The sore-legged veteran hobbles around the bases to score the winning run against reliever Joe Bush (19-15) before 55,307 spectators. This is also the first World Series to be broadcast on a nationwide radio network. Graham McNamee, aided by baseball writers taking turns, is at the mike. Grantland Rice had broadcast an earlier World Series, but not nationally. » June 12, 1925: Against the Pirates, the Giants make a triple play that goes from SS Travis Jackson to C Hank Gowdy to 3B Heinie Groh to RF Ross Youngs to 2B George Kelly to 1B Terry. In the first inning, with Max Carey on 3B and Johnny Rawlings on 2B, Kiki Cuyler taps a slow roller to SS that gets away from Jackson for a few seconds. Carey starts home and is caught, Jackson to Gowdy to 3B Groh. Rawlings, on his way to 3B, heads back to 2B and is run down. Cuyler tries for 2B and gets caught in a rundown. » September 16, 1926: The Giants clean house early, giving Heinie Groh his release and allowing Irish Meusel to buy out his. Irish will finish out his career with a season in Brooklyn. » October 25, 1927: Heinie Groh retires after being released by the Pirates; he signs to manage in the minors.