Coming Home to Lonaconing

Coming Home to Lonaconing. . In 1929, Grove opened "Lefty's Place", a duckpin and ten-pin bowling alley and pool hall located diagonally from Lefty Grove Memorial Park, on Union Street. He operated the establishment, with help during the baseball season, until 1961., Grove also managed the Lonaconing Republican Club team, the "Republicans," in the local Bi-State League. He supported youth baseball in the George's Creek area and donated baseball equipment to various teams, including John Meyers' Valley High School team when the high school opened near Lonaconing, Md., in 1953., Grove donated his 1931 American League MVP trophy and his B'nai B'rith Award given by the Boston Sports Lodge in 1955 to then Valley High School principal, Jack Petree. A mural depicting Grove making the presentation to Petree, a photo from the Philadelphia Athletics' dugout and a photo of Grove during his tenure with the Red Sox serve as background to both awards on display at the Georges Creek Regional Library, which is located two blocks north of Lefty Grove Park., Other memorabilia, such as Grove's golf club, an autographed baseball and vintage baseball cards, are on display at the library. In spite of numerous requests from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., Grove insisted the MVP trophy stay in his hometown., Grove retained a residence in Lonaconing throughout his baseball career. After the death of his wife Ethyl, he moved to Norwalk, Ohio, to live with his son Bobby and daughter-in-law Jean. Grove spent the last 14 years of his life in Norwalk and passed away on May 22, 1975., More than 350 mourners turned out for Grove's viewing at Eichhorn Funeral Home in Lonaconing. Floral arrangements including a three-foot diameter floral baseball sent by Ted Williams. During services at the Lonaconing Presbyterian Church, Kenneth Smith, president of the Baseball Hall of Fame, eulogized Grove to an overflow crowd as "the best left-handed pitcher in baseball history.", Grove is buried in Frostburg Memorial Park, Frostburg, Md., approximately 8 miles (13 min.) from his hometown., In 1981, then vice president of the Baltimore Orioles John "Jack" Dunn III, Grove's daughter Doris Monnett, and his friend Judge James S. Getty honored Grove's memory with a dedication ceremony and bronze plaque displayed at Lonaconing's Furnace Park., [Captions:] , Lefty's 1931 American League MVP trophy that is on display at the Georges Creek Regional Library., Lefty Grove was included in the Postal Service Legends of Baseball Collection pane of 20 commemorative stamps issued in 2000., [Captions from photo display above sign:] , Lefty Grove memorabilia display at the Georges Creek Regional Library, Lonaconing, Md., Lefty with his Aunt Melissa (left) and mother, Emma Catherine (Beeman) Grove, Lefty signing autographs at Gephart School in Cumberland, Md., circa 1960 (Courtesy Dan Whetzel), Lefty holding his daughter, Doris, while son, Bobby stands on the running board, circa 1923.