Ray Grimes
Encyclopedia
Oscar Ray Grimes, Sr. was a first baseman
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Boston Red Sox
(1920), Chicago Cubs
(1922-1924) and Philadelphia Phillies
(1926). Grimes batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Bergholz, Ohio
.
Grimes emerged as one of the first Chicago Cubs heroes of the early 1920s. He appeared in a game with the Boston Red Sox in 1920 before being dealt to the Cubs in 1921. That season he hit .321 with 79 runs batted in, 38 doubles
, and 91 runs
in a career-high 149 games.
In 1922, Grimes set a major-league mark with at least one RBI over 17 consecutive games. He finished with 99 RBI, 99 runs
, 45 doubles, 12 triples
, 14 home run
s, and hit .354, ending second in the National League
batting title behind Rogers Hornsby
(.401). His promising career declined after suffering a slipped disk in 1923, although he continued to play well in limited action, but he appeared in only 115 with the Cubs from 1923-24, and played 32 games with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1926, his last major league season. In a six-season career, Grimes was a .329 hitter with 27 home runs and 263 RBI in 433 games.
Grimes was the twin brother of second baseman
Roy Grimes
, who played briefly for the New York Giants
in 1920, and also was the father of Oscar Grimes
, an All-Star infielder
who played with the Cleveland Indians
, New York Yankees
, and Philadelphia Athletics
between 1938 and 1946. Grimes died of a heart ailment in Minerva, Ohio
, at age 59.
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1920), 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...
(1922-1924) and Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1926). Grimes batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Bergholz, Ohio
Bergholz, Ohio
Bergholz is a village in Jefferson County, Ohio, United States. The population was 769 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
.
Grimes emerged as one of the first Chicago Cubs heroes of the early 1920s. He appeared in a game with the Boston Red Sox in 1920 before being dealt to the Cubs in 1921. That season he hit .321 with 79 runs batted in, 38 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and 91 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
in a career-high 149 games.
In 1922, Grimes set a major-league mark with at least one RBI over 17 consecutive games. He finished with 99 RBI, 99 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, 45 doubles, 12 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 14 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, and hit .354, ending second 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...
batting title behind Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby, Sr. , nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball . He played for the St. Louis Cardinals , New York Giants , Boston Braves , Chicago Cubs , and St. Louis Browns...
(.401). His promising career declined after suffering a slipped disk in 1923, although he continued to play well in limited action, but he appeared in only 115 with the Cubs from 1923-24, and played 32 games with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1926, his last major league season. In a six-season career, Grimes was a .329 hitter with 27 home runs and 263 RBI in 433 games.
Grimes was the twin brother of second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Roy Grimes
Roy Grimes
Austin Roy Grimes was a second baseman in Major League who played briefly for the New York Giants in 1920. Grimes batted and threw right-handed...
, who played briefly for 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....
in 1920, and also was the father of Oscar Grimes
Oscar Grimes
Oscar Ray Grimes, Jr. was a utility infielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees and Philadelphia Athletics...
, an All-Star infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
who played with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, 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...
, and Philadelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
between 1938 and 1946. Grimes died of a heart ailment in Minerva, Ohio
Minerva, Ohio
Minerva is a village in Carroll, Columbiana, and Stark counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 3,934 at the 2000 census.The Carroll and Stark County portions of Minerva are part of the Canton–Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Columbiana County portion is part...
, at age 59.
See also
- List of second generation MLB players
- List of MLB individual streaks