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Lefty Grove: American Original [Paperback]

Jim Kaplan (Author)

4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews) |

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Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2000

Lefty Grove may have been baseball’s best pitcher. He was certainly one of its most interesting. A three-hundred-game winner during 1925–41, he captured an unmatched nine ERA and five winning-percentage titles. While starring for the Philadelphia Athletics he was known for “a fastball and a mean disposition,” qualities best exemplified in 1931, when he won thirty-one games and wrecked a clubhouse. Grove finished his career with the Boston Red Sox, where he injured his arm and reconstructed himself as a fabulous control artist.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Former Sports Illustrated writer Kaplan gets to the core of this talented yet complex man on the anniversary of his 100th birthday."—USA Today Baseball Weekly

(USA Today Baseball Weekly )

"Grove was irascible, which makes for interesting reading. . . . (Kaplan''s book) is meticulously researched, with good historical sketches of Philadelphia in the ''20s and Boston in the ''30s. Because Grove pitched until he was 41, teammates such as Ted Williams, Billy Werver and Charlie Wagner are still around to relate memories."—Philadelphia Inquirer

(Philadelphia Inquirer )

About the Author

Jim Kaplan is a former writer for Sports Illustrated and the author of numerous books, including Pine-tarred and Feathered: A Year on the Baseball Beat.

Product Details

Paperback: 315 pages
Publisher: Society for American Baseball Research (February 1, 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0910137803
ISBN-13: 978-0910137805
Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces

Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #964,952 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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› Visit Amazon's Jim Kaplan Page

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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.2 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars lefty grove: American original, May 13, 2000

greg walker - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lefty Grove: American Original (Paperback)

Finally, an informative biography of the greatest pitcher of all-time. For the most part the bio is well written and covers the breadth of the long career and life of the greatest southpaw whoever pitched. There are a few grammatical mistakes that take away from the flow of the book, but overall it's clean. Definately well researched. The author interviewed former teammates, his family, and former friends from his hometown in Maryland. This is the only book I've ever seen on Lefty and I would recommend this book if your interested in learning about this tempermental baseball star.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding portrayal of Lefty Grove, September 25, 2002

J. Davis (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lefty Grove: American Original (Paperback)

When I told friend of mine (a sports fan) that I was reading a book about Lefty Grove, he asked "Who is that?" Considering Grove was probably the greatest pitcher who ever lived, this public ignorance is unfortunate. Robert Kaplan in American Original does a very good job of letting us know who Grove was. Grove's terible temper and hatred of losing are brought to life in this book. Kaplan also includes a statistical breakdown of Grove's career and a detailed comparison between him and some other great pitchers. No true baseball fan should miss this book!

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed Reading About a Great Past Pitcher, June 15, 2000

Michael Charton - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lefty Grove: American Original (Paperback)

I just joined SABR and enjoyed reading the Kaplan book about Lefty Grove. It covered his entire life, and some social background about his home area in Maryland and the places he played ball. The book flowed and I did not put it down. Interesting read about how a great pitcher is made.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars and...
just reading through the reviews and note a complaint that the character in question - Lefty Grove - seems a little dull. Did you read the book? Read more

Published 5 days ago by John N. Fulmore

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent look at a complex character
I first developed an admiration for Lefty Grove when doing some of my own statistical research. I was trying to come up with a simple way to compare players across eras and... Read more

Published 5 months ago by C. P. Anderson

4.0 out of 5 stars A worthy effort for the greatest southpaw ever
If you think Sandy Koufax was the greatest left-handed pitcher or if perhaps you've placed Randy Johnson on that pedestal, you've probably done it without reading about the... Read more

Published 9 months ago by D. Bruce Brown

4.0 out of 5 stars I Recommend the Book
I enjoyed this book thoroughly. It fills in the gaps that most baseball fans have regarding Lefty Grove, whom most confuse with Lefty Gomez. Read more

Published on February 21, 2007 by Gary L. Livacari, D.D.S.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of the Lefties (Mr. Grove)
I was particularly happy to receive this book on Lefty Grove because, as with a number of pre-World War II stars, a meaningful biography has been lacking about them. Read more

Published on September 9, 2006 by Winslow Bunny

4.0 out of 5 stars Sheds light on a forgotten legend
Jim Kaplan sets out in this well-researched book to resurrect the figure of Lefty Grove, a 300-game winner whose career spanned those of Walter Johnson and Ted Williams. Read more

Published on April 16, 2003 by Tyler Smith

4.0 out of 5 stars GOOD BOOK ABOUT GREAT PITCHER
LEFTY GROVE AMERICAN ORIGINAL IS WORTH READING. I ENJOYED THE TELLING OF HIS CAREER AND LIFE. HE WAS PHENOMINAL TALENT WITH A HOT TEMPER TO GO WITH IT. Read more

Published on August 4, 2001

2.0 out of 5 stars Great pitcher, dull character
The text is not bad but something is really missing. I think the plain fact is despite Lefty Grove's greatness, he was a dull uninteresting guy himself. Read more

Published on July 18, 2001 by Brian Maitland

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