Heinie Groh

Second Base
  • Card series: Diamond Heads '15
  • City: Cincinnati
  • Team: Reds (NL)
  • League: National League

Henry Knight Groh (1889-1968) was one of the best all-around third baseman in baseball. He is considered the National League’s premier specialist at the hot corner during the Deadball Era in which he starred for the Giants and Reds. Groh set fielding records in numerous categories, some of which have never been exceeded in the long history of the Senior Circuit. As good as he was at his position, the diminutive Groh was even more effective at bat, wielding an unusual “bottle bat” to enable his small hands to bunt and hit-and-run with the best. Heinie came up with McGraw’s Giants in 1912 but was soon shipped to Cincinnati where he emerged as a talented lead-off-hitting second-baseman. When manager Buck Herzog moved Groh to third, his career skyrocketed. He chafed under the Reds’ leadership, holding out, getting a chance to return to NY, then having Judge Landis veto the deal lest a player gain actual leverage over ownership. In 1922 Groh finally rejoined his original team and helped them to the pennant.

  • His performance in the Series that year was sensational, including a .474 average that Groh kept on his Ohio license plate the rest of his life
  • Led the NL in double plays six times and fielding % five times, both still records

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