Remembering Dick Groat

Once, the long having disappeared “Schtunk,” who knew his “stuff” commented on players, who more than once were on teams that defeated the vaunted Yankees in post-season play.

Dick Groat, a tremendous player and the 1960 N.L. batting champion and MVP, playing on that year’s Pirates’ title winner was one such player.

In a fabulous World Series, the Pirates though handily outscored, defeated the Yankees in 7 games, as Hal Smith, Rocky Nelson and the best known of the blasts, Bill Mazeroski hit big home runs. 

Groat had one hit, one run and one rbi, all in the big 5 run Pirates’ 8th inning that yielded a (9-7) lead when Smith’s 3RHR  sailed over the left field wall (the same score they won #7 in 1925, the last time before ’60 that the Pirates “titled”) only to have the Yankees tie the game T9 before “Maz” hit the W.S. winning home run.

In 1963, Groat, in his first season with the St. Louis Cardinals finished second to a great pitcher, Sandy Koufax in the MVP race.

The next season Groat was the shortstop/infield anchor on a world championship team, a second one in 5 seasons/4 years that 7’d the Yankees in the World Series with a home decisive game win.

Dick loved basketball and was an All American player at Duke University. He set a season points scoring mark in the 1951-1952 season. 

Later, he played briefly in the NBA for the then Fort Wayne Pistons before committing to baseball and what manifested in an excellent career.  

He played the games the right way, another from a better time now gone, but whose achievements and memories thereof live on. 

Dick Groat, pictured above.