Music On and Off the Field: Jim "Mudcat" Grant

Grant's Humble Origins
Jim "Mudcat" Grant was born and grew up in Florida. He was a three-sport star in high school, and he went to Florida A&M to play football and baseball. His father died when he was a toddler, so he left school to find a way to help his family. Luckily, the Cleveland Indians kept an eye on him during his amateur days and signed him to a contract. 

His first professional stop was in Fargo, ND, with Cleveland's minor league affiliate in the Northern League. It was the first time he left Florida, and that move had to provide quite the culture shock. He moved quickly through Cleveland's system while winning multiple awards along the way. In his final minor league season, he went 18-7 with a 2.31 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. It was clear he was ready for the next step. 

Grant's MLB Career
Grant's first seven big-league seasons were played in a Cleveland uniform while amassing a 4.09 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. His first All-Star appearance came in 1963 when he went 13-14 with a 3.69 ERA. The 1964 campaign couldn't have started much worse as he allowed 41 runs in 62 innings. Cleveland shipped him to Minnesota, and a change of scenery was a blessing in disguise. 

Grant made 26 appearances for the Twins in 1964 with a 2.82 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. His 128 ERA+ was over 25 points higher than he had in any other season. His improved performance carried over into the 1965 season, which became one of the most important in Twins history. He earned his second All-Star nod and led the AL in wins and shutouts. By season's end, he finished sixth in the AL MVP voting. Mudcat was named The Sporting News American League Pitcher of the Year and was the first black pitcher in the American League to win 20 games in a season and the first black AL pitcher to win a game in the World Series.

Before Kirby Puckett in 1991, Grant gave the franchise a legendary Game 6 performance. During the 1965 World Series, he put the Twins on his back and carried them to Game 7. With the Twins up 2-0 in the sixth inning, the Dodgers intentionally walked a man to face Grant. He made them pay with a three-run home run. It was just the second home run by an AL pitcher in World Series history.

His pitching performance was even more masterful as he took the mound on two days' rest while battling a cold. Grant faced the minimum through four innings, and he tossed a complete game. Overall, he allowed one run on six hits while striking out five and walking none. He allowed the Twins to get to a decisive Game 7.

Grant finished his 14-year big-league career with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. He'd play for seven different organizations. He was a trailblazing African American pitcher, and he made sure his impact was felt after his retirement too. 

Grant's Off-Field Impact
Music was always an essential component of Grant's life, and he started a jazz group called "Mudcat and the Kittens." With Grant as the lead, this group got so popular they were asked to appear on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. "I made way more money in music than I did in baseball," Grant once said. Many Twins fans may recall his memorable singing performance at Harmon Killebrew's funeral service at Target Field. 

In retirement, he worked as a TV analyst for the Indians and the Athletics. He worked in the Indians community relations office, a group he worked with when he was playing in Cleveland. Hank Aaron requested Grant serve as a pitching coach in the Braves system, and that's a role he filled for multiple years. 

In 2005, Grant authored a book called The 12 Black Aces. In it, he chronicled the lives of all 12 black pitchers that had won 20 games in a season, which included himself. President George W. Bush honored him and the other pitchers in a White House ceremony. Later in life, he moved to Los Angeles and worked as a community activist and advocate for Black participation in sports. On June 11, 2021, Grant passed away at the age of 85. 

What stands out to you from Mudcat Grant's extraordinary life? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

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