Burleigh Grimes
Encyclopedia
Burleigh Arland Grimes (August 18, 1893 – December 6, 1985) was an American
professional
baseball
player, and the last pitcher
officially permitted to throw the spitball
. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
in 1954. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964
.
. Burleigh made his professional debut in 1913, in Ottumwa, Iowa
, for the Ottumwa Packers in the Central Association
. He made his major league debut on September 10, 1916, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
, and in , when the spitball
was banned, he was named as one of the 17 established pitchers who would be allowed to continue to throw the pitch. The 26-year-old Grimes made the most of this advantage, and over the course of his 19-year career, won 270 games and pitched in four World Series
. At the time of his retirement, he was the last of the 17 spitballers left in the league.
Grimes played for the Pittsburgh Pirates
(1916 - ), the Brooklyn Dodgers
(-), the New York Giants
, the Pirates again (-), the Boston Braves
, the St. Louis Cardinals
(the rest of 1930 and ), the Chicago Cubs
( and part of ), the Cardinals again (the rest of 1933 and part of ), the Pirates again (1934), and the New York Yankees
(the last part of 1934).
According to Baseball Digest
, the Phillies were able to hit him because they knew when he was throwing the spitter. The Dodgers were mystified about this; first they thought the relative newcomer of a catcher, Hank DeBerry
, was unwittingly giving away his signals to the pitcher, so they substituted veteran Zack Taylor
, to no avail. They suggested that a spy with binoculars was concealed in the scoreboard in old Baker Bowl
in Philadelphia, reading the signals from a distance, but the Phils hit Grimes just as well in Ebbets Field
in Brooklyn. A batboy solved the mystery by pointing out that Burleigh's cap was too tight. It sounded silly, but he was right. The tighter cap would wiggle when Grimes flexed his facial muscles to prepare the spitter. He got a cap a half-size larger and the Phillies were on their own after that.
Grimes was the manager
of the Dodgers in 1937-38, compiling a two-year record of 131-171 (.434), with his teams finishing sixth and seventh respectively in the National League
. He then remained in baseball for many years as a minor league manager and a scout
. He managed the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League
from 1942 to 1944, and again in 1952 and 1953, winning the pennant in 1943.
in the dugout, and would pitch only to a man named Mathias Schroeder before games. Schroeder's identity was not well known among many Dodger players, as many say he was just 'a nice guy from the neighborhood.'
and Donald Honig
included Grimes in their book The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time.
Grimes died in Clear Lake, Wisconsin
, at age of 92.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, and the last pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
officially permitted to throw the spitball
Spitball
A spitball is an illegal baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of saliva, petroleum jelly, or some other foreign substance....
. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
The Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame is a promenade in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dedicated to honoring distinguished members of Wisconsin's sports history. New members are honored at a biennial banquet.-History:...
in 1954. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964
Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1964
Elections to the Baseball Hall of Fame for 1964 followed the system introduced for even-number years in 1962.The Baseball Writers Association of America voted by mail to select from recent major league players with provision for a second, "runoff" election in case of no winner...
.
Career
Nicknamed "Ol' Stubblebeard", Grimes was born in Emerald, WisconsinEmerald, Wisconsin
Emerald is a town in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 691 at the 2000 census. The census-designated place of Emerald is located partially in the town.-Geography:...
. Burleigh made his professional debut in 1913, in Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census. It is located in the southeastern part of Iowa, and the city is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River....
, for the Ottumwa Packers in the Central Association
Central Association
The Central Association was an American minor league baseball league. It began operations in 1908, and ran continuously through 1917.-1908:The teams from Burlington, Iowa, Jacksonville, Illinois, Keokuk, Iowa, Oskaloosa, Iowa, Ottumwa, Iowa, Quincy, Illinois, and Waterloo, Iowa joined after having...
. He made his major league debut on September 10, 1916, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, and in , when the spitball
Spitball
A spitball is an illegal baseball pitch in which the ball has been altered by the application of saliva, petroleum jelly, or some other foreign substance....
was banned, he was named as one of the 17 established pitchers who would be allowed to continue to throw the pitch. The 26-year-old Grimes made the most of this advantage, and over the course of his 19-year career, won 270 games and pitched in four World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
. At the time of his retirement, he was the last of the 17 spitballers left in the league.
Grimes played for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1916 - ), the Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(-), the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, the Pirates again (-), the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(the rest of 1930 and ), the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
( and part of ), the Cardinals again (the rest of 1933 and part of ), the Pirates again (1934), and the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(the last part of 1934).
According to Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest
Baseball Digest is a baseball magazine resource, published in Evanston, Illinois by Lakeside Publishing Company. It is the oldest and longest-running baseball magazine in the United States....
, the Phillies were able to hit him because they knew when he was throwing the spitter. The Dodgers were mystified about this; first they thought the relative newcomer of a catcher, Hank DeBerry
Hank DeBerry
John Herman DeBerry , is a former professional baseball player who played catcher for the Cleveland Indians and the Brooklyn Robins from 1916-1930. He attended the University of Tennessee....
, was unwittingly giving away his signals to the pitcher, so they substituted veteran Zack Taylor
Zack Taylor (baseball)
James Wren "Zack" Taylor was an American Major League Baseball catcher with the Brooklyn Robins, Boston Braves, New York Giants, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, and again with the Brooklyn Dodgers....
, to no avail. They suggested that a spy with binoculars was concealed in the scoreboard in old Baker Bowl
Baker Bowl
Baker Bowl is the best-known popular name of a baseball park that formerly stood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Its formal name, painted on its outer wall, was National League Park. It was also initially known as Philadelphia Park or Philadelphia Base Ball Grounds.It was on a small...
in Philadelphia, reading the signals from a distance, but the Phils hit Grimes just as well in Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball park located in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York, USA, on a city block which is now considered to be part of the Crown Heights neighborhood. It was the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the National League. It was also a venue for professional football...
in Brooklyn. A batboy solved the mystery by pointing out that Burleigh's cap was too tight. It sounded silly, but he was right. The tighter cap would wiggle when Grimes flexed his facial muscles to prepare the spitter. He got a cap a half-size larger and the Phillies were on their own after that.
Grimes was the manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the Dodgers in 1937-38, compiling a two-year record of 131-171 (.434), with his teams finishing sixth and seventh respectively in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. He then remained in baseball for many years as a minor league manager and a scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
. He managed the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
from 1942 to 1944, and again in 1952 and 1953, winning the pennant in 1943.
Personality
Grimes acquired a lasting field reputation for his temperament. He is listed in the Baseball Hall of Shame series for having thrown a ball at the batter in the on-deck circle. His friends and supporters note that he was consistently a kind man when off the diamond. Others claim he showed a greedy attitude to many people who 'got on his bad side.' He would speak mainly only to his best friend Ivy OlsonIvy Olson
Ivan Massie Olson born in Kansas City, Missouri was a Major League Baseball Shortstop for the Cleveland Naps , Cincinnati Reds And Brooklyn Robins...
in the dugout, and would pitch only to a man named Mathias Schroeder before games. Schroeder's identity was not well known among many Dodger players, as many say he was just 'a nice guy from the neighborhood.'
Later life
Besides his election to the Hall of Fame in , in 1981 Lawrence RitterLawrence Ritter
Lawrence S. Ritter was an American writer whose specialties were economics and baseball.Ritter was a professor of economics and finance, and chairman of the Department of Finance at the Graduate School of Business Administration of New York University. He also edited the academic periodical...
and Donald Honig
Donald Honig
Donald Martin Honig is a novelist, historian and editor who mostly writes about baseball.While a member of the Bobo Newsom Memorial Society, an informal group of writers, Honig attempted to get Lawrence Ritter to write a sequel to The Glory of their Times. Ritter declined but gave Honig his blessing...
included Grimes in their book The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time.
Grimes died in Clear Lake, Wisconsin
Clear Lake, Wisconsin
Clear Lake is a village in Polk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,051 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Clear Lake along U.S...
, at age of 92.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- List of members of the Baseball Hall of Fame
- MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen ListMLB All-Time Hit Batsmen ListThis is a list of top 100 Major League Baseball pitchers who have the most hit batsmen of all time. There is an of hitters who have been hit by pitch the most times.Active players are denoted in bold text.-The List:* Bold denotes active player...
External links
- cmgworldwide.com Official website