Lefty Grove: American Original

by Jim Kaplan

Lefty Grove may have been baseball’s best pitcher. He was certainly one of its most interesting. A three-hundred-game winner during 1925–41, he captured an unmatched nine ERA and five winning-percentage titles. While starring for the Philadelphia Athletics he was known for “a fastball and a mean disposition,” qualities best exemplified in 1931, when he won thirty-one games and wrecked a clubhouse. Grove finished his career with the Boston Red Sox, where he injured his arm and reconstructed himself as a fabulous control artist.

Genres: Sports, Baseball

314 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2000

Reviews

[Tom Gase · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book by the author on MLB pitcher Lefty Grove. Well-researched and written on the hurler who dominated in the late 1920's, early 1930's and late 1930's. Although I have always known Lefty Grove to be considered one of the best pitchers of all time, I didn't know much else so I learned a lot in this book. I always thought he spent more time with the Philadelphia A's then he did. I didn't know as much about how he became a different type of pitcher with the Red Sox. I also didn't know that his last game he ever pitched was the day Ted Williams went 6 for 8 in a doubleheader to bat over .400 for the year. Didn't know he announced his retirement two days after Pearl Harbor. I don't feel that bad he didn't get the press he should of though, as it turns out from this book the Grove was a total asshole. He's lucky Jimmie Foxx didn't kick the crap out of him a few times. I hate pitchers like this, ones that act like assholes when things don't go their way. Due to this I couldn't like the book more because even though the author does well, I have to like the main person at least a little bit. It was hard to do that. Still, if you're looking for information on Grove, this is the book to read. Would have had him on the cover in an A's uniform, but whatever.