Header - Baseball by the Letters

Todd Newville

Enjoying A Letter From Grateful Johnny Grubb

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Expect the same tight,
neat handwriting today!

Outfielder and designated hitter Johnny Grubb enjoyed a 16-year career in the majors.

Was it his hitting or fielding that gave him enduring value to teams?

Or, was it his humility and gratitude?

His letter proves that he appreciated every opportunity. Likewise, I think that attitude guaranteed that he made the most of every opportunity. Grubb began:

“Tom,

Thanks for your nice letter and love for the great game of baseball.

It was a wonderful experience to be part of the 1974 National League All-Star team…what a great group of people and players.”

Grubb flirted with history in 1979, posting a 21-game hitting streak. I asked for the most joyful, or dramatic, moments of the streak. He replied:

“I was aware of my batting streak, but winning games was top priority. My teammate, Jim Sundberg, had a 22-game streak that at one time was the Rangers record.”

Lastly, I had to ask about being part of the 1984 Detroit Tigers World Championship. What did Grubb learn from leader Sparky Anderson?

“Sparky Anderson was a very special person. he was a great motivator and knew the game as well as anyone. He was a great person to learn from, whether it was baseball or life in general. I was fortunate to have Sparky as a manager.”

I loved this Grubb profile. I hope you do, too. Another hit feature from Todd Newville of http://www.baseballtoddsdugout.com/.

Coming Tuesday: Kansas City Royals collector Dave O’Brien tells why personal letters matter.

Run, Jim Kaat! Max Alvis Grabbed A Bat!!!

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As a kid, I thought the
Topps “Giants” set only
had the tallest players.
Alvis looks like he’s
ready to swallow
a whole baseball!

Pssst…don’t tell Cooperstown.

Voters have toyed with the idea of Jim Kaat gaining Hall of Fame membership. He’s worthy on many counts. However, he might want to leave his encounters with Max Alvis off the application.

Thanks to http://www.retrosheet.org/, I relived some of those 1960s match-ups. Of those 31 hits against the lefty, Alvis pounded half those for extra bases. I’m guessing that most of those nine walks were no accident, either.

The most remarkable part of chasing Mister Kaat? It was news to Alvis. He wrote:

“Jim Kaat was one of the greatest pitchers that I ever played against. Not only could he pitch, but he could hit and was the best fielding pitching I ever saw. It is a surprise to learn that I was that successful against him.

I must have been real lucky.”

Alvis is one of the decade’s top “what if” hitters. How many extra homers would he own hitting in a cozy ballpark, instead of Cleveland’s canyon-like Municipal Stadium?

“Cleveland Municipal Stadium was a big stadium. Probably because it was home to the Cleveland Browns, also. The park was not real Home Run friendly, but the great pitchers of the Indians probably appreciated that fact. We always had good center fielders who could roam that big space and protect the pitchers.”

Don’t miss “Max-imum Overdrive,” a fine tribute to the slugger written by Todd Newville.

Tomorrow: Alvis reflects on his Cleveland departure and overall career.