St. Louis Browns catcher Grover Hartley was born on July 2, 1888 in Osgood, Indiana. He would accomplish everything that baseball had to offer in the first-half of the twentieth century. He served as a player, coach, manager, umpire, owner, union supporter, and business manager over the course of his 40-plus years in organized baseball.
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St. Louis Browns catcher Grover Hartley was born on July 2, 1888 in Osgood, Indiana. He would accomplish everything that baseball had to offer in the first-half of the twentieth century. He served as a player, coach, manager, umpire, owner, union supporter, and business manager over the course of his 40-plus years in organized baseball.
Grover Hartley began his love of baseball playing for the local baseball team in Osgood in his early teens. At the age of 20, he signed his first contract with the Battle Creek Crickets in 1909. The following year saw him jump between thee teams (Decatur Commodores, Springfield Senators, Toledo Mud Hens), making more money at the end of that he ever dreamed ($200/month). The New York Giants took notice and drafted Hartley in the 1910 Rule 5 Draft.
Hartley would spend three seasons (1911-13) with the Giants as a backup catcher, never appearing in more than 35 games in a season. In January of 1914, Hartley was present at a meeting of the Baseball Players Fraternity, which served as the first union of players to approach management on issues of pay and compensation. During the same offseason, he would be traded from the Giants to the Cincinnati Reds.
Believing he was heading toward another backup role, Grover Hartley jumped to the newly established Federal Baseball League and signed with the St. Louis Terriers. His two years with the Terriers as their starting catcher were the best seasons of his career. He would record 169 hits in 206 games, including 34 doubles, eight triples, two home runs, 75 RBIs, and a .279 batting average.
When the FBL collapsed after the 1915 season, Hartley was one of 11 players to be signed by the St. Louis Browns on February 10, 1916. Harltey returned to the backup role, as the Browns already had a star catcher with Hank Severeid. His production dropped as his playing time fell to just 113 games in two seasons (1916-17). Hartley would only tally 54 hits, with nine doubles, and just 12 RBIs. His .231 batting average would not reward him with a contract in St. Louis the next season.
Hartley would be assigned to the Columbus Senators, where he would play the next seven seasons (1918-24). While playing for Columbus, he would et his first taste of coaching and managing that would fuel his baseball career for the next 25 years. Grover Hartley would return to the Giants (1924-26), before spending time with the Boston Red Sox (1927), and the Cleveland Indians (1929-30). Harltey would spend three seasons (1930-32) on the Pittsburgh Pirates coaching staff.
Grover Hartley would return to the Browns in 1934, when manager Rogers Hornsby suspended catcher Rollie Hemsley. Harltely would get a hit in four plate appearances. He would also help develop the Indianapolis Indians (1926), Louisville Colonels (1930), and the Findlay Browns (1937-39). There was one report that stated he was traded to the Los Angeles Angels, but no transaction records to support this deal.
While playing for Findlay, Hartley would eventually become the partial owner of the team while managing. He would spend most of the 1940s, managing minor league teams throughout the midwest. He managed the Logan Indians (1942), Marion Diggers/Cardinals (1944-45), Daytona Beach islanders (1947), and the Lima Chiefs (1949).
In his career, there is nothing that Grover Hartley did not succeed. He would be one of the first players to be involved in labor talks, and one of the first to jump to the Federal League. In fact, Grover Hartley was the last surviving player to play in the Federal League. He would finally settle down in Daytona Beach, Florida where he raised his family and enjoyed the sunshine.
HEADLINE
"HORNSBY SUSPENDS HEMSLEY AFTER CATHER BREAKS TEAM RULES"
(Reasoning for suspension is difficult to determine. Many have concluded that the suspension was backed by his thirst for 'spirits". This would have been interesting from Hornsby, who was no angel with alcoholic beverages)
FEATURED GAME
1937 - The Browns would score three runs
HEADLINE
"HORNSBY SUSPENDS HEMSLEY AFTER CATHER BREAKS TEAM RULES"
(Reasoning for suspension is difficult to determine. Many have concluded that the suspension was backed by his thirst for 'spirits". This would have been interesting from Hornsby, who was no angel with alcoholic beverages)
FEATURED GAME
1937 - The Browns would score three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to comeback and beat the Chicago White Sox, 4-2. The Browns scored in the bottom of the first inning, on a bases loaded single by LF Ethan Allen. The White Sox would score in the third and fifth innings, and take the lead, 2-1. The Browns would get a double from CF Sam West and C Harlond Clift would earn a walk. The next batter would be RF Beau Bell who would drive and RBI single. After a walk to Ethan Allen that loaded the bases, SS Bill Knickerbocker would hit a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Clift. The following batter, Bill Huffman would single and drive in the Browns fourth run of the game. Browns RHP Jim Walkup would pitch a complete game, scattering six hits and three walks while giving up just two runs.
BROWNS RECORD ON THIS DAY
Overall Record on July 2
23 Wins, 33 Losses (.410)
1902-09: 2-7
1910-19: 3-7
1920-29: 7-5
1930-39: 4-8
1940-49: 6-4
1950-53: 1-2
DOUBLE HEADERS
Sweeps: 2
Splits: 6
Swept: 4
TRANSACTIONS
1920 - Browns trade RHP Ray Richmond to Tulsa for RHP Bugs Bennett. Richmond would appear in eight games for the Browns from 1920-21. He would record ten strikeouts, 22 walks, and 30 earned runs in 31.1 innings (8.62 ERA). Bennett would have a rough season, giving up ten runs on 11 hits in just 5.2 innings (14.29 ERA)
DEBUTS
There were no debuts on this day
BROWNS BIRTHDAYS
1985 - INF Frank Thompson (1920)
1888 - C Grover Hartley (1916-17, 34)
The St. Louis Browns pitching staff was limited through most of the 1930 season. After their ace pitcher, General Crowder, was traded midway through the season, a hole was left in the St. Louis staff. Not only was Crowder their best pitcher, but he was also the most experienced pitcher on the staff. The primary pitcher on the Browns staff
The St. Louis Browns pitching staff was limited through most of the 1930 season. After their ace pitcher, General Crowder, was traded midway through the season, a hole was left in the St. Louis staff. Not only was Crowder their best pitcher, but he was also the most experienced pitcher on the staff. The primary pitcher on the Browns staff was Walter Stewart, better known as "Lefty". He would lead the Browns in almost every pitching category in 1930.
Team Pitching Statistics
(American League Rankings)
Player Statistics