Bobby Grich

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

In 1981, Grich led the American League in home runs and won a Silver Slugger Award. A six-time All-Star, he also excelled as a defensive player, winning four consecutive Gold Glove Awards between 1973 and 1976. In 1988, Grich became the first inductee into the California Angels Hall of Fame; he was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1998. Grich currently works in the Angels' front office.

In Their Own Story

The culmination of Grich's tenure came during the dramatic 1986 American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox. The Angels held a commanding 3-1 series lead and needed just one win to advance to the World Series. In Game 5, Grich hit a home run that deflected off center fielder Dave Henderson's glove, giving the Angels a 3-2 lead. However, with the Red Sox down to their final strike in the ninth inning, Henderson hit a home run to take the lead. The Red Sox won in extra innings and completed the comeback by taking the next two games at Fenway Park to win the pennant. Following this heartbreaking loss in Game 7, Grich announced his retirement at the age of 37, ending a career that saw him set all-time fielding records for second basemen with a .995 percentage in 1973 and a .997 record in 1985.

Reader's Guide

Grich attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, and graduated in 1967. He was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round (19th overall) of the 1967 Major League Baseball draft. He made his major league debut with Baltimore midway through the 1970 season. In 1973, Grich set the all-time major league fielding record at second base with a .995 fielding percentage. He became a free agent following the 1976 season and signed with the California Angels. In the strike-shortened 1981 season, Grich tied for the league lead in home runs (22) and led in slugging average (.543). He retired after the 1986 ALCS.

Did You Know?

• Grich was a six-time All-Star (1972, 1974, 1976, 1979–80, 1982).
• He won four consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 1973 to 1976.
• Grich led the American League in home runs in 1981.
• He was the first inductee into the California Angels Hall of Fame in 1988.
• Grich hit three consecutive home runs in a game in 1974.