Ross Grimsley
Encyclopedia
Ross Albert Grimsley II (born January 7, 1950 in Topeka, Kansas
) is a former left-handed pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Cincinnati Reds
(1971-73), Baltimore Orioles
(1974-77 and 1982), Montreal Expos
(1978-80) and Cleveland Indians
(1980). His father, Ross Sr.
, pitched for the 1951 Chicago White Sox
.
Grimsley helped the Reds win the 1972 National League
Pennant and the 1973 NL Western Division, and the Orioles win the 1974 American League
Eastern Division. He was named to the 1978 National League All-Star
Team as a member of the Expos and had his only career 20-win season that year. He also finished 7th in voting for the 1978 National League Cy Young Award
after finishing with a record of 20-11, 19 complete games, 3 shutouts, 263 innings pitched, and a 3.05 ERA. Grimsley finished his 11-season playing career during a comeback attempt with the Orioles in 1982 with a 124-99 record, 79 complete games, 15 shutouts, 2,039⅓ innings pitched and a 3.81 ERA.
Grimsley was one of the more colorful players of the 1970's and known for his superstitiousness and often flaky behavior. With the Reds, he was called into manager Sparky Anderson's office and told to stop corresponding with a "witch" who had been sending him good luck charms. Despite being a premier starting pitcher for the Reds, he was traded to the Orioles for Merv Rettenmund, a part-time outfielder, after the 1973 season, largely in part for his constant resistance to the Reds organization's conservative grooming rules. With the Orioles in 1974, he sported a huge mop of curly hair, prominent moustache, and 18 wins.
In an incident on September 16, at Fenway Park
, Grimsley, warming up in the Orioles' bullpen, responded to Boston fans' heckling by throwing into the right field bleachers. The ball passed through the protective netting, injuring a Boston fan. The fan later successfully sued Grimsley and the Orioles in Manning v. Grimsley, a case cited in law casebooks to highlight the scope of employment law as it relates to agency
. He was accused by Yankees manager Billy Martin in 1977 of throwing "spitball" pitches using Vaseline
hidden in his hair, which was usually somewhat greasy in appearance anyway due to Grimsley's penchant for not showering during winning streaks. In addition to his nickname "Scuz" for his liberal grooming habits, he was also called "Crazy Eyes" and known to wear turquoise contact lenses.
Grimsley is now the pitching coach for the Richmond Flying Squirrels
(formerly the Connecticut Defenders
), a Double-A minor league baseball team affiliated with the San Francisco Giants
.
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
) is a former left-handed 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...
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 Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
(1971-73), Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1974-77 and 1982), Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
(1978-80) and 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...
(1980). His father, Ross Sr.
Ross Grimsley (1950s pitcher)
Ross Albert Grimsley was a Major League Baseball pitcher who appeared in 7 games for the Chicago White Sox in . He threw left-handed....
, pitched for the 1951 Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
Grimsley helped the Reds win the 1972 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...
Pennant and the 1973 NL Western Division, and the Orioles win the 1974 American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
Eastern Division. He was named to the 1978 National League All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
Team as a member of the Expos and had his only career 20-win season that year. He also finished 7th in voting for the 1978 National League Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
after finishing with a record of 20-11, 19 complete games, 3 shutouts, 263 innings pitched, and a 3.05 ERA. Grimsley finished his 11-season playing career during a comeback attempt with the Orioles in 1982 with a 124-99 record, 79 complete games, 15 shutouts, 2,039⅓ innings pitched and a 3.81 ERA.
Grimsley was one of the more colorful players of the 1970's and known for his superstitiousness and often flaky behavior. With the Reds, he was called into manager Sparky Anderson's office and told to stop corresponding with a "witch" who had been sending him good luck charms. Despite being a premier starting pitcher for the Reds, he was traded to the Orioles for Merv Rettenmund, a part-time outfielder, after the 1973 season, largely in part for his constant resistance to the Reds organization's conservative grooming rules. With the Orioles in 1974, he sported a huge mop of curly hair, prominent moustache, and 18 wins.
In an incident on September 16, at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
, Grimsley, warming up in the Orioles' bullpen, responded to Boston fans' heckling by throwing into the right field bleachers. The ball passed through the protective netting, injuring a Boston fan. The fan later successfully sued Grimsley and the Orioles in Manning v. Grimsley, a case cited in law casebooks to highlight the scope of employment law as it relates to agency
Agency (law)
The law of agency is an area of commercial law dealing with a contractual or quasi-contractual, or non-contractual set of relationships when a person, called the agent, is authorized to act on behalf of another to create a legal relationship with a third party...
. He was accused by Yankees manager Billy Martin in 1977 of throwing "spitball" pitches using Vaseline
Vaseline
Vaseline is a brand of petroleum jelly based products owned by Anglo-Dutch company Unilever. Products include plain petroleum jelly and a selection of skin creams, soaps, lotions, cleansers, deodorants and personal lubricants....
hidden in his hair, which was usually somewhat greasy in appearance anyway due to Grimsley's penchant for not showering during winning streaks. In addition to his nickname "Scuz" for his liberal grooming habits, he was also called "Crazy Eyes" and known to wear turquoise contact lenses.
Grimsley is now the pitching coach for the Richmond Flying Squirrels
Richmond Flying Squirrels
The Richmond Flying Squirrels are a minor league baseball team in Richmond, Virginia. The team, which is a part of the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major league club, and plays at The Diamond...
(formerly the Connecticut Defenders
Connecticut Defenders
The Connecticut Defenders were a minor league baseball team based in Norwich, Connecticut. The team, which played in the Eastern League, was the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major-league club from 2003 until following the 2009 season, when the Defenders relocated to Richmond,...
), a Double-A minor league baseball team affiliated with the San Francisco 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....
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of second generation MLB players
- Ross Grimsley (1950s pitcher)Ross Grimsley (1950s pitcher)Ross Albert Grimsley was a Major League Baseball pitcher who appeared in 7 games for the Chicago White Sox in . He threw left-handed....
, Grimsley's father - Big Hair and Plastic Grass: A Funky Ride Through Baseball and America in the Swinging '70s, Dan Epstein, 2010, ISBN 978-0312607548 pg. 172
- Klein, Ramseyer, & Bainbridge, Business Associations, Seventh Edition (2009), pp. 64-66.