Charlie Grimm
Charles John Grimm
(Lefty, Jolly Cholly)
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 5' 11½", Weight 173 lb.
- Debut July 30, 1916
- Final Game September 23, 1936
- Born August 28, 1898 in St. Louis, MO USA
- Died November 15, 1983 in Scottsdale, AZ USA
Biographical Information[edit]
First baseman Charlie Grimm played in the majors for two decades but is best known by many as a manager of the Chicago Cubs.
Grimm compiled a batting average of .290 during his 20 years in the majors, most of which were spent with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He hit .345 for the Pirates in 1923 as a teammate of Pie Traynor, who hit .338 that year. With the Cubs in 1929, he hit .389 in the World Series as a teammate of Rogers Hornsby, Hack Wilson, and Kiki Cuyler.
Grimm took over as Cubs skipper in 1932 from Hornsby and was a player/manager for five seasons. He led the club to World Series appearances in 1932 and 1935 before being replaced by Gabby Hartnett in 1938. He rejoined the Cubs as a coach during the 1941 season, quitting in mid-season to join Bill Veeck in managing the Milwaukee Brewers. He remained with the Brewers until he returned to Chicago as manager in 1944. In 1945, he led the team to their last World Series appearance until 2016, falling in seven games to the Detroit Tigers. He remained at the helm of the club until 1949, when he was replaced by Frankie Frisch.
Grimm managed the Dallas Eagles in 1950 before becoming skipper of the Brewers again in 1951. In 1942, Grimm became manager of the Boston Braves and remained with the club the next season, when they became the Milwaukee Braves. He was replaced by Fred Haney in 1956. He was back with the Cubs in 1960, managing the team for the first 17 games of the season, and remained a member of the Cubs coaching staff from 1961 to 1963.
Grimm was also manager of the 1960 Chicago (NL) franchise in the Arizona Instructional League.
Notable Achievements[edit]
- NL Pennants: 3 (1932, 1935 & 1945)
- 100 Wins Seasons as Manager: 1 (1935)
| Preceded by Rogers Hornsby |
Chicago Cubs Manager 1932-1938 |
Succeeded by Gabby Hartnett |
| Preceded by Jimmie Wilson |
Chicago Cubs Manager 1944-1949 |
Succeeded by Frankie Frisch |
| Preceded by Tommy Holmes |
Boston-Milwaukee Braves Manager 1952-1956 |
Succeeded by Fred Haney |
| Preceded by Bob Scheffing |
Chicago Cubs Manager 1960 |
Succeeded by Lou Boudreau |
Year-By-Year Managerial Record[edit]
Further Reading[edit]
- Dan Fields: "Charlie Grimm", in Gregory H. Wolf, ed.: Winning on the North Side: the 1929 Chicago Cubs, SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2015, pp. 77-81. ISBN 978-1-933599-89-2
- John C. Skipper: The Cubs Win the Pennant!: Charlie Grimm, the Billy Goat Curse, and the 1945 World Series Run, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2004.
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