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Today we welcome back Michael Keedy with an interesting essay detailing the long, highly successful career of Charlie Grimm. Michael calls him the original “Mr. Cub.” He makes a strong case that Charlie deserves a plaque in Cooperstown. I tend to agree with him. Very few can match Charlie’s player-plus-manager stats. Read Michael’s highly informative essay and see if you agree. -GL
The Original Mr. Cub:
“Jolly Cholly” Grimm
Virtually every surviving baseball fan who lived and died with the Chicago Cubs in the latter half of the Twentieth Century remembers and adores “Mr. Cub” to this day. He didn’t get to play a single inning of post-season ball in his 19 years in the majors, but he will forever be associated with 500-plus career home runs, back-to-back MVP awards while with a second-division team, and an infectious enthusiasm for the game he so obviously loved. Who else but the incomparable Ernie Banks, then, to carry the mantle of Mr. Cub?
Nice essay but I am a little confused.
In the opening, it states, “He didn’t get to play a single inning of post-season ball in his 19 years in the majors”but it later says, “In his first two World Series, 1929 and ’32, Grimm batted a combined .364 with four runs, two doubles, a home run, five runs-batted-in, and three walks in just nine games.”
In looking at his stats, Grimm seems a borderline player who shouldn’t be in the Hall. For some reason, Don Mattingly comes to mind but I do not know if that is a legitimate comparison.
Well written, entertaining essay, MK, thanks!
I agree with Curcio that Jolly Cholly doesn’t really jump out as a Hall candidate. You do make a good case in your essay. But when you look him up there are no bold league leading entries, always the kiss of death for votes. Caught my eye that Grimm had 108 triples and only 79 homers. But his left-handed banjo gets him into my “Honorable Mention” wing!
When TV was new they had field microphones that would pick up some beauties from irate players and managers. Circa 1949, a close friend and Dodger fan was tuned into a Cubs Dodgers game at Ebbets Field. Jackie Robinson was on third, dancing up and down and driving the Chicago pitcher nuts. Finally the Little Bear on the mound waved to Robinson to go ahead and steal home. Jackie did just that, beating the pitcher’s throw to the plate!
Grimm came racing out of the dugout and as he approached the ump, clear as day was heard, “Oh, Jesus Christ, that’s a God blank shame!!”
To George’s question: My opening paragraph refers to Ernie Banks. The rest of the essay is dedicated to Charlie Grimm.
And George could well be right about “Jolly Cholly” and The Hall. He is certainly aligned with The Lords of Baseball in calling Grimm a borderline player; I just find the man’s combined and excellent careers an unusually persuasive factor in qualifying him for induction. (To each his own.)
To Sir William: Indeed! The southpaw banjo ought to put him over the top.
Real nice essay Michael…and I agree with all that, especially the left-handed banjo putting him over the top!
Welcome back!
And thanks for the clarification of George’s comment. I was thinking, “Now how did that get past me?”
Jolly Cholly was a real cut-up. When the impossibly slow Ernie Lombardi would smack one of his patented smashes on the ground to Grimm, instead of stepping on the first base bag, Grimm would toss the ball to second sacker Billy Herman and Herman would toss it back as they sang the Vaudeville tune “Oh, Mr. Gallagher. Yes, Mr. Shean.”
Thank you for the nice highlights about my grandfather. He told me some really funny stories….
Thanks for contacting us, Charlie! I’ll be sending you an email, as I’d love to do a short interview with you about your granddad!