Harley Grossman

Harley Joseph Grossman

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 170 lb.
• School Ball State Teachers College, Evansville College
• High School Evansville Central High School
• Debut April 22, 1952
• Final Game April 22, 1952
• Born May 5, 1930 in Evansville, IN USA
• Died September 5, 2003 in Evansville, IN USA

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Biographical Information

Indiana Native Harley Grossman never raced automobiles or motorcycles but did make a run for the major leagues when he made the Washington Senators out of spring training in 1952. Called in to pitch in relief against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on April 22nd, he allowed a couple of base hits, including a home run to Walt Dropo, and was sent down to the Chattanooga Lookouts when rosters had to be trimmed down, never to return to the majors to get a chance to lower his 54.00 career ERA.

Harley was signed as an amateur free agent by the Senators before the 1949 season and spent his first two seasons with the Fulton Railroaders of the Kitty League, where he went 19-10 with a 3.48 ERA in his first year and returned in 1950 to win 13 and lose 8 with a 2.77 ERA.

1951 saw him with the Charlotte Hornets of the Tri-State League where he won 10 and lost but 2, with a 2.18 ERA. After his bad luck in the major leagues early in 1952, Harley spent the rest of the year with Chattanooga, where he went 1-1, pitching 40 innings, mostly in relief.

Grossman, who was the second player from Ball State College to play in the major leagues, just four years behind Hal Rice who had come up with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1948, spent his last season in pro baseball with the Scranton Miners of the Eastern League in 1953, going 4-9 with a 5.21 ERA.

Harley had five seasons in pro baseball (1949-1953) and put together some good stats in his run in the minor leagues. The righthander appeared in 150 contests, won 47 and lost 30, while pitching 624 innings, giving up 619 base hits along with 199 base on balls for a career 3.41 ERA.

Grossman, who was the father-in-law of former major league player and coach, Harry Spilman, left baseball after the 1953 season to attend the University of Evansville. He became manager of a securities company in Evansville, IN, before being disabled by a stroke several years later. Grossman died on September 5, 2003. He was 73 years old.

Sources

Baseball-Reference.com
Baseball Players of the 1950s
Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Third Edition
SABR MILB Database:page