Former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Jerry Grote, who was also a key member of the 1969 New York Mets World Series team, passed away on Sunday at the age of 81.
The Mets announced Grote died at the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute in Austin.
Born in San Antonio, Texas, Grote began his career in Major League Baseball with the Houston Colt .45s in 1963. After a few seasons in the organization, he was traded to the Mets prior to the 1966 season.
In exchange for pitcher Tom Parsons, the Mets gained a player that would become a staple with the club for 12 seasons. Two seasons after the trade, Grote posted his best offensive season in Major League Baseball.
In 1968, Grote batted .282/.357/.349 with a 113 OPS+, being selected to his first of two career All-Star Game rosters.
Grote followed a career performance in 1969, when the Mets upset the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series. Catching every pitch of their postseason run, many members of that pitching staff credited the backstop with their success.
During his peak, Grote was the prototypical defense-first catcher of the time. Catching the likes of Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan during his early days, his pedigree as a game manager was second-to-none.
His time with the Dodgers was short after joining the team during the 1977 season. After two years with the club, Grote joined the Kansas City Royals for half a season, before returning to the Dodgers for a two-game stint.
It would be the final time he suited up for a big league team, but Grote’s Dodgers tenure saw him post a .649 on-base percentage, playing in 61 games.
Jerry Grote came out of retirement in 1981
After being out of baseball following the 1978 season with the Dodgers, the Royals were able to lure Grote out of retirement for a final go at the Major League level.
Then upon returning to the Dodgers, Grote was a backup to Steve Yeager and Mike Scioscia, and went 0-for-2 as a pinch hitter.
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