Major League Baseball Player. He is best known for pulling a stunt in which he, fellow pitcher Gene Schott and groundskeeper Matty Schwab floated a skiff up Western Avenue and over the center-field wall at Crosley Field during the 1937 flood in January that inundated the field with 21 feet of water. The 6-foot-3 left-hander was with the Cincinnati Reds from 1934 to 1939, the New York Yankees in 1940, the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1940 and 1941 and the Philadelphia Phillies in 1941. He then went into the military for 3 1/2 years and never again pitched in a big-league game. In 1937 he was 12-17 with a 3.26 earned run average for 223 innings, 14 complete games in 30 starts and a National League-leading five shutouts. He pitched one inning in the All-Star that year at Griffith Stadium, giving up two hits and a run in one inning. He suffered a broken ankle early in the 1938 trying to steal a base. When the Reds won the pennant in 1939, he was 9-7 with a 4.10 ERA. He made one relief appearance in the World Series against the New York Yankees, who won in four straight. He was traded to the Yankees on January 4, 1940 for pitcher Joe Beggs, then sold to the Dodgers on May 15 of that year. He was dealt to the Phillies on May 6, 1941 for pitcher Vito Tamulis. His career totals were 29-48 with a 3.89 ERA. He was the brother of Marv Grissom, longtime big-league pitcher and coach.
Major League Baseball Player. He is best known for pulling a stunt in which he, fellow pitcher Gene Schott and groundskeeper Matty Schwab floated a skiff up Western Avenue and over the center-field wall at Crosley Field during the 1937 flood in January that inundated the field with 21 feet of water. The 6-foot-3 left-hander was with the Cincinnati Reds from 1934 to 1939, the New York Yankees in 1940, the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1940 and 1941 and the Philadelphia Phillies in 1941. He then went into the military for 3 1/2 years and never again pitched in a big-league game. In 1937 he was 12-17 with a 3.26 earned run average for 223 innings, 14 complete games in 30 starts and a National League-leading five shutouts. He pitched one inning in the All-Star that year at Griffith Stadium, giving up two hits and a run in one inning. He suffered a broken ankle early in the 1938 trying to steal a base. When the Reds won the pennant in 1939, he was 9-7 with a 4.10 ERA. He made one relief appearance in the World Series against the New York Yankees, who won in four straight. He was traded to the Yankees on January 4, 1940 for pitcher Joe Beggs, then sold to the Dodgers on May 15 of that year. He was dealt to the Phillies on May 6, 1941 for pitcher Vito Tamulis. His career totals were 29-48 with a 3.89 ERA. He was the brother of Marv Grissom, longtime big-league pitcher and coach.
Bio by: Ron Coons
Family Members
Advertisement
