The great Dick Groat passes

Arguably the greatest athlete to hale from Pittsburgh. He played in the NBA and MLB. Branche Rickey talked him into concentrating on baseball. He won an MVP and two WS. He was Dukes all time scoring leader for 25yrs. His Jersey was the first to hang at Cameron indoor arena. He’s was a consensus all American in baseball too. He never spent a minute in the minors. He went straight from the college championships to the Polo Grounds and pinch hit for the Pirates. Red Auerbach said he was a better point guard than Bob Cousy. He was also a very good golfer. He owned Champion lakes golf course in Ligonier. I got to meet him there while at a golf outing. Longtime Pitt basketball announcer. He and Hillgrove were a great pair. Happy Trails Dick!

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I thought he should have been in the inaugural Pirates’ HOF class last summer. They inducted a lot of guys who were dead, and even if some of them were more deserving, I thought it would have been nice to honor some of the great players like Groat who still were alive at that time. I know he is to be inducted this year, but it’s a shame he couldn’t have been honored while he still was alive.

I thought he should have been in the inaugural Pirates’ HOF class last summer. They inducted a lot of guys who were dead, and even if some of them were more deserving, I thought it would have been nice to honor some of the great players like Groat who still were alive at that time. I know he is to be inducted this year, but it’s a shame he couldn’t have been honored while he still was alive. Originally Posted by Smarty1

I think he should be in the MLB HOF. His stats are good enough. He had a riff with the Pirates and Joe L Brown for trading him. He didn’t have any pictures of the Pirates at Champion Lakes. His wife told him to bury the hatchet with the Pirates before she died. He finally did.

Fairfield Township entirely encompasses Champion Lakes. Jerry Lynch's kids went to our school Laurel Valley just a few miles away from the the Lynch/Groat golf course. Joe Page former Yankee and his son Jon exerted a far more beneficial effect on the local baseball scene than Dick

Fairfield Township entirely encompasses Champion Lakes. Jerry Lynch's kids went to our school Laurel Valley just a few miles away from the the Lynch/Groat golf course. Joe Page former Yankee and his son Jon exerted a far more beneficial effect on the local baseball scene than Dick Originally Posted by DaveTamjr

Boy, you learn something new everyday. I haven’t read that about Groat in any of his Bio’s.

Thank you valued poster

"I haven’t read that about Groat in any of his Bio’s".
Astute observation. It's rare to write about the absence of something.
Lynch's sons at least two were particularly good ballers and golfers at Laurel Valley HS, shuttered for ?20 years. Dick and Jerry allowed the LVHS golf team to compete at Champeen Lakes

"I haven’t read that about Groat in any of his Bio’s".
Astute observation. It's rare to write about the absence of something.
Lynch's sons at least two were particularly good ballers and golfers at Laurel Valley HS, shuttered for ?20 years. Dick and Jerry allowed the LVHS golf team to compete at Champeen Lakes Originally Posted by DaveTamjr

Well, it seems like you were taking a shot at Groat. ( you were) I thought that was a little out of bounds. Groat had 3 daughters and lived in Edgewood, not Laurel Highlands. If Lynch had sons that played there, he should support the program. Like all good parents do.

"Taking a shot" at The great Dick Groat is the antithesis of hagiography, right? Groat's absence from his community within our community was indeed our loss and his too. I'm his namesake, Richard, and never Dick like Groat and, yes, he was big enough (just not in stature) to be the first to admit to that behavior. He was never as thinned skin as you by some odd expression of transference seem to want to make the Groat Dick out to be.

"Taking a shot" at The great Dick Groat is the antithesis of hagiography, right? Groat's absence from his community within our community was indeed our loss and his too. I'm his namesake, Richard, and never Dick like Groat and, yes, he was big enough (just not in stature) to be the first to admit to that behavior. He was never as thinned skin as you by some odd expression of transference seem to want to make the Groat Dick out to be. Originally Posted by DaveTamjr

What? He grew up in Swissvale and lived in Edgewood, far from Uniontown. He was a partner in a golf course there. He had many other interests going on. BTW, has Gus Gerard spent anytime with the Laurel Highlands basketball team? He was a star there. He’s a guy who should.

No clue about Laurel Highlands as no one referred to the area as Laurel Highlands back then. Laurel Valley HS still stands... empty. Then there's Laurel Valley Country Club the opposite direction down 711 in Ligonier