Orval Grove - Transition To The Majors

Transition To The Majors

During spring training in 1940, Hall of Fame pitcher Ted Lyons said that Grove would have a great career, stating, "They'll never drive that sinker very far." Grove was an official part of the 40-man roster as the 1940 season began (teams started rather than ended the season with 40 men at this time), but had not made an appearance after a month on the roster. The White Sox planned to use three rookie pitchers, including Grove, during the final week of May, as they had three doubleheaders that week. Grove made his Major League debut on May 28, 1940. He pitched in two more games for the White Sox that season before being sent back to Oklahoma City. Grove finished 1940 with six innings of major league work over three games, allowing two earned runs. The highlight of Grove's 1940 season came on August 11 against the Oilers; he pitched a complete game that lasted 12 innings, winning 1–0 against Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean. Grove finished the minor league season with nine wins and eight losses, but the team saw issues with his control, and as a result he spent most of the next season in the minor leagues.

In 1941, Grove played two games for the White Sox, pitching seven innings and allowing eight runs during the two outings. He spent the start of the 1941 season at Oklahoma City, though on May 19 he was sent to the Shreveport Sports of the Texas League, where he spent the rest of the season. Grove concluded the year at Oklahoma City with a 17–7 record, an improvement over the previous season. However, Grove received a knee injury late in the season, which he did not think much of at the time. In October, Grove injured his other knee when he was involved in an automobile accident in Missouri.

The following season, Grove was provided an opportunity to be a starting pitcher for the White Sox. Over the course of the season, he started eight games and played in four more en route to a 4–6 record and a 5.16 ERA. In the middle of July, Dr. Philip Kruescher discovered that Grove had torn cartilage in his left knee, a result of the same injury which caused him problems for most of the season and the previous off-season. Grove was scheduled for knee surgery, which necessitated two months of recovery, effectively ending his season. Issues with his knee drew concern both during and after the season. Dr. Kruescher stated that Grove had a "1 in 100" chance of playing again, but the surgery was a success, and by season's end Grove was able to test the knee and do light workouts. Complications arose shortly thereafter as an abscess developed on the back of his knee, prompting another operation in December to correct the problem.