Eli Grba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eli Grba |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: August 9, 1934 Chicago, Illinois |
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| Died: January 14, 2019 (aged 84) Florence, Alabama |
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| debut | |||
| July 10, 1959, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 4, 1963, for the Los Angeles Angels | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 28–33 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.48 | ||
| Strikeouts | 255 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Eli Grba (born August 9, 1934 – died January 14, 2019) was an American professional baseball player. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the New York Yankees in 1959 and 1960. Later, he joined the Los Angeles Angels from 1961 to 1963.
Grba started his baseball journey with the Boston Red Sox team. He later joined the Yankees in 1957. After serving in the United States Army, he made his first big league appearance on July 10, 1959. Eli Grba was the very first player chosen in the 1960 MLB expansion draft by the Los Angeles Angels. He even started their first-ever game in 1961. After his playing career, he worked as a Minor League Baseball coach, scout, and manager.
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Early Life and School
Eli Grba was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were immigrants from Serbia. He grew up on the South Side of Chicago. His mother raised him, working hard as a waitress and in a factory.
Grba went to Bowen High School. He was a star athlete there, playing three different sports.
Baseball Career Highlights
After finishing high school in 1952, Grba signed a professional baseball contract. He joined the Boston Red Sox organization.
Starting in the Minor Leagues
In 1953, Grba played for the Salisbury Rocots. He was named an All-Star that year. The next year, he played for the Corning Red Sox. He was an All-Star again. He led all pitchers in his league in strikeouts, games started, and innings pitched.
The Red Sox moved Grba up to higher minor league teams. He played for the San Jose Red Sox in 1955. Then, he joined the San Francisco Seals in 1956. His manager, Eddie Joost, started using Grba as a relief pitcher. This meant he would come into games after the starting pitcher.
Joining the Yankees and Army Service
In 1957, the Red Sox traded Grba to the New York Yankees. This happened during spring training. Soon after, he joined the United States Army. He spent two years serving his country. During this time, he played baseball and basketball for Army teams.
Major League Debut with the Yankees
Grba started the 1959 season in the minor leagues. He played for the Richmond Virginians. On July 10, 1959, he made his first appearance in Major League Baseball for the Yankees. He finished that season with the Yankees.
In 1960, Grba started strong with Richmond. He was promoted back to the Yankees in July. He had a good record of 6 wins and 4 losses for the Yankees that year. The Yankees even put Grba on their team for the 1960 World Series. He played in one game as a pinch runner.
First Pick for the Los Angeles Angels
After the 1960 season, the Yankees did not protect Grba in a special draft. This was called the 1960 MLB expansion draft. The Los Angeles Angels chose Grba as their very first pick. This was a big deal!
Grba started the first game in Angels team history. This happened on April 11, 1961. He pitched a full nine innings, helping his team win 7–2. In 1961, he had 11 wins and 13 losses. In 1962, he had 8 wins and 9 losses.
Later Career and Retirement
In 1963, Grba played 12 games for the Angels. The Angels later sold him to the Hawaii Islanders minor league team. He continued to play for different minor league teams. He even played in the Mexican League in 1966.
Grba tried to return to the major leagues in 1967. He played for the Indianapolis Indians. He retired from playing after the 1967 season. In his MLB career, he had 28 wins and 33 losses.
After Playing Baseball
After his playing days, Grba worked for the Oakland Athletics. He was a scout from 1969 to 1971. A scout finds new talented players. He also managed a minor league team, the Lodi Crushers, in 1969.
Grba returned to baseball in 1982. He became a pitching coach for the Vancouver Canadians. He also managed other minor league teams. These included the Reno Silver Sox in 1989 and the Princeton Patriots in 1990.
Later, Grba joined the Philadelphia Phillies team. He worked as a manager and pitching coach in their minor league system. He then became a scout for five more years. He retired from baseball in 1997.
Later Life
Eli Grba lived in Florence, Alabama. He passed away on January 14, 2019, at the age of 84.
