# Grover Powell
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{{short description|American baseball pitcher (1940-1985)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Grover Powell
|image=
|position=[Pitcher](/source/Pitcher)
|bats=Left
|throws=Left
|birth_date={{birth date|1940|10|10}}
|birth_place=[Sayre, Pennsylvania](/source/Sayre%2C_Pennsylvania), U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|1985|5|21|1940|10|10}}
|death_place=[Raleigh, North Carolina](/source/Raleigh%2C_North_Carolina), U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=July 13
|debutyear=1963
|debutteam=New York Mets
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 29
|finalyear=1963
|finalteam=New York Mets
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[Win–loss record](/source/Win%E2%80%93loss_record_(pitching))
|stat1value=1–1
|stat2label=[Earned run average](/source/Earned_run_average)
|stat2value=2.72
|stat3label=[Strikeout](/source/Strikeout)s
|stat3value=39
|teams=
*[New York Mets](/source/New_York_Mets) ({{baseball year|1963}})
}}
'''Grover David Powell''' (October 10, 1940 – May 21, 1985) was an American [baseball](/source/baseball) [player](/source/baseball_player), a [pitcher](/source/pitcher) who appeared in 20 [Major League](/source/Major_League_Baseball) [games](/source/games_pitched) for the [New York Mets](/source/New_York_Mets) in {{mlby|1963}}. Born in [Sayre, Pennsylvania](/source/Sayre%2C_Pennsylvania), he threw and batted left-handed, stood {{convert|5|ft|10|in}} tall and weighed {{convert|170|lb}}.
==Early years==
As a sophomore at the [University of Pennsylvania](/source/University_of_Pennsylvania), Powell went 4–0, and led all [college](/source/college_baseball) pitchers nationwide with 166 [strikeout](/source/strikeout)s, still a Penn record. He also hurled a [no-hitter](/source/no-hitter) against [Lafayette College](/source/Lafayette_College). His behavior, however, led coach [Jack McCloskey](/source/Jack_McCloskey) to kick him off the team. The Mets took a chance, signing Powell before [their inaugural season](/source/1962_New_York_Mets_season) in {{mlby|1962}} regardless of the fact that he hadn't pitched since his sophomore year.[{{cite web|url=http://www.ivy50.com/story.aspx?sid=1/5/2007|title=Grover Powell|publisher=Ivy@50}}]
Used as both a [starter](/source/starting_pitcher) and [relief pitcher](/source/relief_pitcher) in his first [professional](/source/professional_baseball) season with the [Auburn Mets](/source/Auburn_Mets) and the [Syracuse Chiefs](/source/Syracuse_Chiefs), Powell compiled a 4–12 record with a 5.45 [Earned run average](/source/Earned_run_average) and 121 strikeouts in 114 [innings pitched](/source/innings_pitched). Used more strictly as a starter in 1963 with the [Raleigh Mets](/source/Raleigh_Mets), Powell improved to 5–6 with a far more respectable 3.07 ERA.
==New York Mets==
The Mets called Powell up in July 1963. With the Mets behind 11–2 to the [Los Angeles Dodgers](/source/Los_Angeles_Dodgers), Powell made his major league debut in the ninth [inning](/source/inning) on July 13. Though he gave up two [walks](/source/base_on_balls), Powell escaped his one inning of work without further damage.[{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN196307130.shtml|title=Los Angeles Dodgers 11, New York Mets 2|website=[Baseball-Reference.com](/source/Baseball-Reference.com)|date=July 13, 1963}}] Despite this modest success, Powell was used strictly in "mop up duty" by Mets [Manager](/source/manager_(baseball)) [Casey Stengel](/source/Casey_Stengel) through his first five appearances. In all five cases, the Mets were down a minimum of five [runs](/source/run_(baseball)) when Powell was called upon to close out the game.
Powell had a 1.88 ERA and sixteen strikeouts over 13{{fraction|1|3}} innings pitched when he was given his first opportunity to [start](/source/starting_pitcher) on August 20 against the [Philadelphia Phillies](/source/Philadelphia_Phillies), who were coming off an eight-game winning streak. Powell and Phillies starter [Cal McLish](/source/Cal_McLish) engaged in a pitchers' duel through the first seven innings before the Mets finally broke through for two runs in the eighth and two more in the ninth. Powell allowed four [hits](/source/hit_(baseball)) and four walks, while striking out six in a [complete-game](/source/complete-game) [shutout](/source/shutout_(baseball)). After escaping a bases loaded jam in the sixth, Powell did not allow another base runner.[{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI196308201.shtml|title=New York Mets 4, Philadelphia Phillies 0|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=August 20, 1963}}] It would turn out to be his only Major League win.
In his next start on August 27,[{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT196308270.shtml|title=Pittsburgh Pirates 2, New York Mets 1|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=August 27, 1963}}] Powell was holding onto a 1–0 lead over the [Pittsburgh Pirates](/source/Pittsburgh_Pirates) when [Donn Clendenon](/source/Donn_Clendenon) lined a pitch off Powell's cheek. He remained in the game through the end of the inning. Afterwards, he was taken to Presbyterian University Hospital for X-rays. The Pirates would come back to win upon his departure.[{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ufQuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TdsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=746,4479126&dq|title=Roof Falls In and Bucs Win|newspaper=[The Beaver County Times](/source/The_Beaver_County_Times)|date=August 27, 1963}}]
His five innings of shutout ball against the Pirates lowered his season ERA to 0.95. From there, Powell pitched to a 5.06 ERA over the remainder of the season. He took his only career loss on September 5 against the [St. Louis Cardinals](/source/St._Louis_Cardinals).[{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196309050.shtml|title=St. Louis Cardinals 9, New York Mets 0|website=Baseball-Reference.com|date=September 5, 1963}}] All told, he went 1–1 with a 2.72 ERA. He struck out 39, allowed 37 [hits](/source/hit_(baseball)) and 32 [bases on balls](/source/bases_on_balls) in 49{{fraction|2|3}} innings pitched.
==After the majors==
Powell remained in the Mets' [farm system](/source/farm_system) through {{by|1966}}. [Tendinitis](/source/Tendinitis) limited him to just 42 innings, and cost him the entire {{by|1965}} season. He joined the [Cincinnati Reds](/source/Cincinnati_Reds) in {{by|1967}}, and seemed poised to return to the majors. In {{by|1968}}, he pitched 188 innings, and went 16–6 with a 2.54 ERA for the [Southern League](/source/Southern_League_(1964%E2%80%932020))'s [Asheville Tourists](/source/Asheville_Tourists). However, he was limited to just 45 innings in {{by|1969}}. Midway during the 1969 season, he was dealt to the [Atlanta Braves](/source/Atlanta_Braves) for former major league [infielder](/source/infielder) [Mike de la Hoz](/source/Mike_de_la_Hoz). As a minor leaguer with the Braves, Powell went 1–7 with a 7.60 ERA through the {{by|1970}} season before retiring.
Having left school to pitch for the Mets, he returned to the University of Pennsylvania to complete his degree in economics in 1966.[{{cite web|url=https://penntoday.upenn.edu/2011-05-05/record/grover-powell-new-york-mets-pitcher|last=Leong|first=Jeanne|date=May 5, 2011|title=Grover Powell, New York Mets Pitcher|publisher=Penn Today}}] In 1985, while visiting his son in the hospital, Powell was diagnosed with [leukemia](/source/leukemia). He died later that year.