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245. Dick Groat

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245. Dick Groat
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: November 4, 1930 in Wilkinsburg, PA USA
  • Weight: 180 lbs.
  • Height: 5'11"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: June 18, 1952
  • Final Game: October 01, 1967
  • Lou Gehrig Memorial Award - 1960
  • Most Valuable Player - 1960
  • TSN Player of the Year - 1960
  • TSN All-Star - 1963
  • TSN All-Star - 1964
  • MVP - 1957
  • MVP - 1960
  • MVP - 1962
  • MVP - 1963
  • Rookie of the Year - 1952
 
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149681658427678141428 0.286
 

Dick Groat was one of the greatest college athletes ever at Duke University, where he was so good at both basketball and baseball that he is in both of those sports colligate Halls of Fame.  Professionally, Groat opted to play baseball…well at first anyway.

Groat signed with the Pirates after his stint with the Blue Devils, and he went straight to the parent club as opposed to going to the minors.  Groat was the second runner-up for the National League Rookie of the Year in 1952, but he missed all sports as he was in the military for the next two seasons.  The Shortstop returned in 1955, and he proved to be one of the best defensive infielders in the National League, finishing in the top ten in Defensive bWAR seven times.  Groat was a decent enough hitter, batting at least .300 three times with the Pirates, including a .325 season in 1960 where he won the Batting Title, but that would not be all he captured that season.

1960 was a dream season for Groat, who also was named the National League MVP, and had career-highs not only in Batting Average but in On Base Percentage (.371).  The Shortstop helped lead the Pirates to win the World Series that year, capping off Groat's ultimate year.  

After the 1962 Season, Groat was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, and in his first year there, he had a personal best of 201 Hits with 43 Doubles, which led the NL.  He batted .319 that year and was second in MVP voting.  After two more good years in St. Louis, he was traded to Philadelphia and would close his career in 1967 with a brief stint with the San Francisco Giants. 

Groat would accumulate 2,138 Hits with a .286 lifetime Batting Average, and was an All-Star in five of his seasons, three with Pittsburgh and two with St. Louis.

The Bullet Points

  • Country of Origin: Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
  • Eligible In: Monday, 01 January 1973
  • Position: Short Stop
  • Played For: Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    World Series Rings (2) (Pittsburgh Pirates 1960 & St. Louis Cardinals 1964) 
    MVP (1) (NL) (1960)
    All-Star (5) (1959, 1960, 1962, 1963 & 1964)
    Lou Gehrig Memorial Award (1) (1960)
    Highest Defensive bWAR (1) (NL) (1960)
    Highest Batting Average (1) (NL) (1960)
    Most Doubles (1) (NL) (1963)
    Most Singles (1) (NL) (1960)
    Highest Championship Win Probability Added (1) (NL) (1960)
    Most Assists (1) (NL) (1962)
    Most Total Zone Runs (1) (NL) (1960)
    Most Putouts by a Shortstop (4) (NL) (1958, 1959, 1960 & 1962)
    Most Assists by a Shortstop (2) (NL) (1962 & 1964)
    Most Double Plays Turned by a Shortstop (5) (NL) (1958, 1959, 1961, 1962 & 1964)
    Most Total Zone Runs by a Shortstop (1) (NL) (1960)
    Highest Range Factor per Game by a Shortstop (4) (NL) (1955, 1960, 1962 & 1968)

  • Other Points of Note:

    Top Ten MVP Finishes: Won the NL 1960 MVP
    (NL: 1963, 2nd)
    2 Top Ten Finishes (bWAR for Position Players)
    2 Top Ten Finishes (Offensive bWAR)
    7 Top Ten Finishes (Defensive bWAR)
    3 Top Ten Finishes (Batting Average)
    2 Top Ten Finishes (On Base Percentage)
    1 Top Ten Finish (OPS)
    5 Top Ten Finishes (Hits)
    1 Top Ten Finish (Total Bases)
    6 Top Ten Finishes (Doubles)
    3 Top Ten Finishes (Triples)
    7 Top Ten Finishes (Singles)
    1 Top Ten Finish (Extra Base Hits)
    2 Top Ten Finishes (Championship Win Probability Added)
    1 Top Ten Finish (Total Zone Runs)

  • Notable All Time Rankings:

    14. Double Plays Turned by a Shortstop: 1,237
    26. Putouts by a Shortstop: 3,505
    30. Assists by a Shortstop: 5,811
    36. Total Zone Runs by a Shortstop: 51
    71. Range Factor per Game by a Shortstop: 4.96
    80. Defensive bWAR: 17.3.

  • Vote Percentage Received for the Hall of Fame:

    1973: 1.8%
    1974: 1.1%
    1975: 1.1%
    1976: 1.8%
    1977: 1.0%
    1978: 0.8%

  • Should be Inducted As A: Pittsburgh Pirate

Should Dick Groat be in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Definitely put him in! - 80%
Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 10%
Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 0%
No opinion. - 0%
No way! - 10%

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