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When Major League Baseball outlawed the spitball in 1920, seventeen active hurlers were grandfathered in and allowed to legally throw the pitch until they retired. Thirteen retired by the end of the decade. By the time 50-year old Jack Quinn then of Cincinnati threw the last pitch of his career on July 7, 1933, only one spitballer remained in each league – Red Faber in the AL and Burleigh Grimes in the Senior Circuit.

After being released by the Cubs on July 30, 1933, Grimes signed the next day with the Cardinals for whom he’d pitch until St. Louis cast him away in May, 1934. When Faber concluded his 20-year career with the White Sox at the end of ’33, Grimes became the last remaining pitcher legally permitted to throw the spitball.

Though Faber was the last AL spitballer at the time of his retirement, Grimes signed with the New York Yankees on May 28, 1934 to supersede him. Grimes would stay with the Yankees for a month before ending his career with a three-month stint back in the NL with the Pirates.

Grimes is well known as the last legal spitballer in big league history but a little known fact is that he was the last man to throw it in both the AL and the NL.

In the CooperstownExpert.com collection is the only contract Grimes ever signed to pitch for in the American League, his 1934 deal with the New York Yankees. The contract is historically significant as Grimes was the only man allowed to throw the pitch when he signed it. The agreement calls for the 270-game winner to make $5,000 as the final man in AL history to throw the outlawed pitch.

 

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The front page of this historic contract can be seen here in the deal between the American League of Professional Baseball Clubs and Burleigh Grimes of St. Louis Missouri. Notice the start date of May 28, 1934 and $5,000 salary for the remainder of the season. Pre-World War II contracts for members of the Hall of Fame are rarely seen. This one remains historically significant. By signing it and appearing with the Yankees, Grimes became the last American League hurler to legally throw the spitball.

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The inner fold of the contract shows the signature page and the back page of the document. Yankee General Manager Ed Barrow has filled out the document, penning the date of May 28, 1934. Barrow has also signed the name of Yankee owner Jacob Ruppert. Barrow’s initials can be seen just under Ruppert’s name. Hall of Fame pitcher Burleigh Grimes has signed just below that.

The four pages of the agreement also feature the signature of Hall of Fame executive and American League president William Harridge.

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Remembered today primarily as the last pitcher to legally throw the spitball, Burleigh Grimes was also a five-time 20-game winner who posted 270 career wins. Shown here is a vintage original 1933 Goudey baseball card signed by Grimes. A 19-year veteran who pitched for seven teams, Grimes had his best years as a Brooklyn Dodger from 1918-1926.

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In the collection is this autographed 1962 Fleer card of Hall of Fame pitcher Burleigh Grimes. The hurler had a significant advantage when the spitball was outlawed in 1920. Seventeen pitchers were allowed to continue to throw this pitch and Grimes would pitch another 15 seasons after it was outlawed. Asked what he used to load up the ball, Grimes said, “”I used to chew slippery elm – the bark, right off the tree. Come spring the bark would get nice and loose and you could slice it free without any trouble. What I checked was the fiber from inside, and that’s what I put on the ball. The ball would break like hell, away from right-handers and in on lefties.”

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After baseball banned the spitball for safety reasons in 1920, pitchers who already threw it were grandfathered in. That year Burleigh Grimes was a 26-year old with a career 34-39 record.

Armed with the banned pitch, Grimes pitched another 15 seasons. His record the rest of the way was a stellar 236-173 mark.

When Burleigh Grimes retired after the 1934 season the spitball was forever legally retired with him.

His final game game on September 20, 1934 at Ebbets Field. In the bottom of the 8th Grimes came on in relief against with his Pirates down 2-1.

He retired Tony Cuccinello on a fly out to center then induced Johnny Frederick to ground out to short.

Up came Brooklyn third baseman Jersey Joe Stripp. Grimes ended the inning in style, striking out the 31-year old Dodger. It was his last time on a big league mound and the last time a spitball was legally thrown.

In the collection is this 3×5 index card signed by Stripp, forever linked to Burleigh Grimes and the spitball.

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Among the many accolades Burleigh Grimes earned is induction into the Birmingham Barons Hall of Fame in 2008. He was one of four who earned the distinction that year. The others included Rubin E. Grant, and Cooperstown men Rollie Fingers, and Leroy “Satchel” Paige.

The Barons Hall describes Burleigh on its website, “In 1914, Grimes helped the Barons to their third Southern Association title and paced the 1915 team with 158 strikeouts. The 1916 season marked his most-prominent as a Baron as he led the team to wins (20), games (40), and innings pitched (276). Grimes earned selection to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964.”

Shown here is a correspondence on ornate Birmingham letterhead. Dated July 6, 1950, it is signed by Eddie Glennon, Birmingham Barons Hall of Fame class of 2010. The letter is to George Trautman, the president of the National Association.

Glennon writes of the recall of Dick Littlefield for his big league debut. Littlefield is best remembered as the pitcher the Giants traded to the Dodgers for Jackie Robinson on December 13, 1956. Rather than report to his rival team, Robinson retired from the game.