Books and articles about Bob Groom

Image provided by Matthew Fulling

SHOPPING » Look for Bob Groom books at BN.com » Look for Bob Groom books at Amazon.com Your purchases keep BaseballLibrary.com online. Thank you!

RELATED LINKS Around the Web » Bob Groom from baseball-reference.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

From June 19 through September 25, 1909, Washington rookie Bob Groom set a since-tied major league record by losing 19 consecutive games. He finished the season at 7-26, tying the AL mark for losses. A wild fireballer, he also led the league with 105 walks for the 42-110 Senators. He finally found success in 1912, going 24-13. Jumping to the Federal League in 1914, he did atypically poorly for a ML veteran, losing 20 games. As a St. Louis Brown, Groom no-hit the White Sox in the second game of a May 6, 1917 doubleheader, a day after teammate Ernest Koob had no-hit them. While Chicago went on to win the pennant, Koob went 6-14, and Groom's 8-19 tied him for the league lead in losses. (NLM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » July 16, 1909: At Bennett Field, Detroit and Washington play the longest scoreless game in American League history—18 innings. Ed Summers pitches the complete game, holding the Nationals to seven hits, two walks (one intentional), while fanning 10. The Nationals' 30-year-old rookie, Bill "Dolly" Gray, allows only one hit before leaving with an injury after eight innings. He is replaced by Bob Groom. Gray will put another entry in the record books next month when he walks seven straight batters. » September 25, 1909: Washington rookie Bob Groom loses his 15th consecutive game, an AL record that will be surpassed by John Nabors (1916) and Mike Parrott (1980) He will lead the AL with 26 losses. » October 2, 1909: In the first game of a season-ending doubleheader against Washington, Jim Curry plays second base for the Athletics and goes 1-for-4 against Walter Johnson. At 16 years, six months, and 22 days, Curry is the youngest player in American League history and the youngest major league position player in the 20th century (his birth date is reported as both 1889 and 1893). Walter Johnson's 6-5 loss to Philadelphia seals the last-place finish for Washington with 110 losses-Johnson and Bob Groom suffering 51 of them. Three years later, when Washington rises to 2nd place, Johnson and Groom will combine for 56 wins. Today, Groom and P Dolly Gray play the outfield for the Nationals. The last place finish costs Pongo Joe Cantillon his job. The new manager is Jimmy McAleer. » August 16, 1910: The Tigers top the Senators, 8–3, with Ty Cobb stealing home for the 2nd time in his career. It comes in the 4th inning with Bob Groom on the mound. » May 11, 1911: The White Sox pound Senator pitcher Bob Groom for 20 hits and 20 runs to win, 20–6. » September 27, 1912: Eddie Plank goes 19 innings for the A's against Bob Groom and Walter Johnson of the Nationals, and takes a 5–4 loss when Eddie Collins' wild throw lets the winning run score. Johnson relieves Bob Groom at the end of the 9th, and pitches 10 innings of scoreless relief. » May 6, 1917: No-hitters are thrown on consecutive days, as the Browns' Bob Groom no-hits the White Sox 3–0 in the 2nd game of the doubleheader. The Sox have just 23 official at-bats in nine innings, a record. This year, Groom will be the losingest pitcher in the AL for the 3rd time. He lost a record-setting 19 straight games as a rookie with Washington in 1909. The Browns also win the first game 8–4 in 10 innings, with Groom throwing the last two hitless innings. But Chicago will soon win 16 of 17 to overtake the sprinting Red Sox. » June 18, 1917: At the Polo Grounds, Yankee pitcher Ray Fisher walks Burt Shotton, the Browns leadoff batter, who comes around to score the game's only run. It's Fisher's only walk, but he loses to Bob Groom, who tosses a six-hitter.