Orval Grove

Orval Leroy Grove (August 29, 1919 – April 20, 1992) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for ten seasons in the American League with the Chicago White Sox.

In 207 career games, Grove pitched 1,176 innings and posted a win–loss record of 63–73, with 66 complete games, 11 shutouts, and a 3.78 earned run average (ERA).

The only freshman on the Proviso Township High School varsity baseball team, Grove's pitching ability attracted the attention of the White Sox.

Grove was born in West Mineral, Kansas, on August 29, 1919, and was raised in Maywood, Illinois.

By eighth grade, Grove developed a fondness for baseball and began pitching for the Proviso East High School baseball team.

He became the first freshman member of the varsity team in school history.

During a high school pitching career of three years, Grove lost only two games and pitched a no-hitter and two one-hitters.

After signing with the team in 1937, Grove moved between the major leagues and minor leagues for a few seasons until 1943, when he found a solid place in the White Sox's pitching rotation.

Over the summer of 1937, Grove attracted the attention of Chicago White Sox talent scout Doug Minor, who requested that he "come and workout with the Sox."

Later that year, Grove was signed by the White Sox for $2,500 and began his minor league career, foregoing his senior season of high school.

Grove began his career with the Dallas Steers of the Texas League at the start of the 1938 season.

He played with the Steers until management began to replace young players with veterans due to the team's struggling form and moved Grove to the Longview Cannibals.

As his first minor league season drew to a close, Grove planned on returning to Proviso High School to complete his education.

At the end of the season, the St. Paul Saints purchased Grove's contract to replenish their pitching staff.

After the 1939 season had begun, Grove became part of the Oklahoma City Indians of the Texas League; St. Paul did not see much potential in him.

Grove played well enough over the course of the season to receive votes for Most Valuable Player, which ultimately went to Nick Cullop.

In 1939, Grove had a peculiar game while pitching against the Tulsa Oilers.

Playing in a night game with virtually no light due to storms, Grove did not allow a hit during his time on the mound, but earned the loss because he walked three men in a row, which allowed a run to score.

As the 1940 season began, Grove became a part of the White Sox roster and began his Major League career.

During spring training in 1940, Hall of Fame pitcher Ted Lyons said that Grove would have a great career, stating, "They'll never drive that sinker very far."

Grove was an official part of the 40-man roster as the 1940 season began (teams started rather than ended the season with 40 men at this time), but had not made an appearance after a month on the roster.

The White Sox planned to use three rookie pitchers, including Grove, during the final week of May, as they had three doubleheaders that week.

Grove made his Major League debut on May 28, 1940.

He pitched in two more games for the White Sox that season before being sent back to Oklahoma City.

Grove finished 1940 with six innings of major league work over three games, allowing two earned runs.

The highlight of Grove's 1940 season came on August 11 against the Oilers; he pitched a complete game that lasted 12 innings, winning 1–0 against Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean.

Grove finished the minor league season with nine wins and eight losses, but the team saw issues with his control, and as a result he spent most of the next season in the minor leagues.

In 1941, Grove played two games for the White Sox, pitching seven innings and allowing eight runs during the two outings.

He spent the start of the 1941 season at Oklahoma City, though on May 19 he was sent to the Shreveport Sports of the Texas League, where he spent the rest of the season.

Grove concluded the year at Oklahoma City with a 17–7 record, an improvement over the previous season.

However, Grove received a knee injury late in the season, which he did not think much of at the time.

In October, Grove injured his other knee when he was involved in an automobile accident in Missouri.

The following season, Grove was provided an opportunity to be a starting pitcher for the White Sox.

Over the course of the season, he started eight games and played in four more en route to a 4–6 record and a 5.16 ERA.

In the middle of July, Dr. Philip Kruescher discovered that Grove had torn cartilage in his left knee, a result of the same injury which caused him problems for most of the season and the previous off-season.

Grove had a career-year in 1943, finishing the season with career-bests in ERA, wins, and complete games; in 1944, he made his only All-Star appearance.

Grove spent four more full seasons with the White Sox, and after pitching one game in 1949, was sent to the Sacramento Solons of the Pacific Coast League.

After playing four seasons with them, he formally retired from professional baseball.

After retirement, he worked with his uncle in a trucking business in Chicago while continuing to pitch at the semi-pro level.

In 1992, Grove died at the age of 72.