This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/10/2004.
One of the all-time great pitchers, Robert "Lefty" Grove recorded exactly 300 wins in his 17 Major League seasons. His greatest fame came with Connie Mack's storied Athletics teams, leading the American League in strikeouts seven years in a row, four years in wins and nine years in ERA (no one else has more than five). Interestingly, this Hall of Famer (1947), who passed away in 1975, struck out 593 times at the plate, leading all pitchers in history! In 1931, while attempting to win his 17th (record-breaking) consecutive game, a misjudgement by a substitute outfielder allowed the winning run to score, inflating Grove's legendary temper. The outfielder was "Bucketfoot" Al Simmons, who would eventually join Grove in the Hall (1953) with a lifetime .334 average. We offer two great pieces signed by Grove. The first is his 1933 Uniform Player's Contract with the Philadelphia Athletics, paying him $20,000, signed in fountain pen by Grove, rating a 9, A's President Thomas Shibe and then AL President William Harridge. Second, there is an 8" x 10" black and white photo of Grove, mounted on cardboard, signed in fountain pen across his leg by him. The "L" in "Lefty" is smudged, otherwise a bold and clean signature, rating an 8. Comes with a letter from PSA/DNA.