Heinie Groh

Famous for his unique “bottle bat,” with a non-tapered barrel and thin handle, the 5’8″ 158-lb third baseman was an outstanding leadoff man. He deftly dropped bunts from his peculiar wide-open stance, used his keen eye and short stature to draw walks, and kept his BA in the .280-.320 range. He had played only 31 games for the Giants when he was traded to Cincinnati, where he starred for eight seasons. He hit for the cycle on July 5, 1915. After a bitter holdout in 1921, he signed in June only on the promise that he would be traded. He was immediately swapped to New York but Commissioner Landis canceled the deal. In December, the Giants finally reacquired him and the still-peppery Groh helped them win three straight pennants. His older brother Lew played two games for the A’s in 1919 as a 36-year-old rookie.