Three Members Of The 1931 The Philadelphia Athletics Pitching Staff
May Play In World Series
Here are three important members of the Philadelphia Athletics pitching staff who are bound to figure in the World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. Left to right, George Earnshaw, Eddie Rommel and Robert “Lefty” Grove. Photo: Acme September 30, 1931
The Athletics had reason to be confident. The previous year, the Athletics defeated the Cardinals four games to two with Grove and Earnshaw each winning two games.
The photo caption writer here was a bit off with “bound to figure”. Rommel pitched just one inning in the 1931 World Series.
Earnshaw and Grove once again carried the load pitching 50 of the 61 innings for the Athletics, but wound up losing the championship to the Cardinals in seven games.
Earnshaw at age 31 in his fourth major league season went 21 and 7 in the regular season. The 31-year-old Grove was in the prime of his career posting an astounding 31-4 record with 5 saves and a 2.06 ERA . Grove also had his seventh consecutive season leading the league in strikeouts with 175. The 33-year-old Rommel was approaching the end of his career having a 7-5 record.
One of the reasons the Athletics lost was the Cardinals pitching was just a bit better. Burleigh Grimes and Bill Hallahan each won two games allowing a combined five runs over 36 innings.
Though Grove won two games for the Athletics he was out-dueled by spitballer Grimes in game three on October 5. Grimes allowed just two hits and four walks in a 5-2 complete game victory.
Earnshaw was the tough luck loser of game two being on the wrong end of a 2-0 shutout. In the finale Earshaw gave up four runs and the Athletics could only muster up two tallies in the top of the ninth. The Cardinals became the champions.
