John Grodzicki (February 26, 1917 – May 2, 1998) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. A native of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, he pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1941, 1946 and 1947.[1] The right-hander stood 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and weighed 200 pounds (91 kg).
| Johnny Grodzicki | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: February 26, 1917 Nanticoke, Pennsylvania | |
| Died: May 2, 1998 (aged 81) Daytona Beach, Florida | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 18, 1941, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 17, 1947, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 2–2 |
| Earned run average | 4.43 |
| Strikeouts | 20 |
| Teams | |
A top pitching prospect before the outbreak of World War II, Grodzicki would pitch in 24 games (23 in a relief role) for the Cardinals, winning 2 and losing 2, with an earned run average of 4.43.[1] He allowed 31 hits and 34 bases on balls in 402⁄3 MLB innings pitched, with 20 strikeouts.
Grodzicki's baseball career was interrupted by four years of military service. He served in the United States Army's 17th Airborne Division and became a paratrooper. In combat in Germany on March 29, 1945, Grodzicki sustained shrapnel wounds to both legs. He was awarded a Purple Heart, and required surgery and extensive rehabilitation to resume his baseball career after the war's end.[2]
Grodzicki's professional playing career — spent entirely in the Cardinal organization — stretched from 1936 through 1952, including 11 years in minor league baseball. He later managed in the Redbird farm system, scouted for the Cardinals, then became a minor league instructor for the Detroit Tigers for over a dozen years. He then spent a season (1979) as the Tigers' MLB pitching coach.[3] He died at age 81 in Daytona Beach, Florida.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c "Johnny Grodzicki Stats". baseball-reference.com. sports-reference.com. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
- ^ "Baseball in Wartime – John Grodzicki". Retrieved August 19, 2019.
- ^ "Tigers All-Time Coaches". Major League Baseball. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
External links edit
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet