|
==Transition to the majors==
During [[spring training]] in 1940, Hall of Fame pitcher [[Ted Lyons]] said that Grove would have a great career, stating, "They'll never drive that sinker very far."<ref name=james>{{cite book|first=Bill|last=James|coauthorsauthor2=Rob Neyer|title=The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers|year=2004|publisher=Simon and Schuster|isbn=0-7432-6158-5|page=226}}</ref> Grove was an official part of the [[40-man roster]] as the 1940 season began (teams started rather than ended the season with 40 men at this time), but had not made an appearance after a month on the roster.<ref name=cubs>{{cite news|first=Ed|last=Burns|work=The Sporting News|title=Mortality on Bags Mortifying to Cubs|date=May 30, 1940|page=6}}</ref> The White Sox planned to use three rookie pitchers, including Grove, during the final week of May, as they had three [[doubleheader (baseball)|doubleheaders]] that week.<ref name=cubs/> Grove made his Major League debut on May 28, 1940.<ref name=br>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/groveor01.shtml|title=Orval Grove Statistics|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference, LLC|accessdate=May 29, 2009}}</ref> He pitched in two more games for the White Sox that season before being sent back to Oklahoma City. Grove finished 1940 with six innings of major league work over three games, allowing two [[earned run]]s.<ref name=br/> The highlight of Grove's 1940 season came on August 11 against the Oilers; he pitched a complete game that lasted 12 innings, winning 1–0 against [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Hall of Famer]] [[Dizzy Dean]].<ref>{{cite news|first=John|last=Cronley|title=Okla. City Sells Skeets Dickey, Brother of Bill, to White Sox|work=The Sporting News|date=August 22, 1940|page=5}}</ref> Grove finished the minor league season with nine wins and eight losses, but the team saw issues with his control, and as a result he spent most of the next season in the minor leagues.<ref name=vaughan/>
In 1941, Grove played two games for the White Sox, pitching seven innings and allowing eight runs during the two outings.<ref name=br/> He spent the start of the 1941 season at Oklahoma City, though on May 19 he was sent to the [[Shreveport Sports]] of the Texas League, where he spent the rest of the season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Vitter Makes Self Valuable to Sports|work=The Sporting News|date=May 22, 1941|page=16}}</ref> Grove concluded the year at Oklahoma City with a 17–7 record, an improvement over the previous season. However, Grove received a knee injury late in the season, which he did not think much of at the time.<ref name=vaughan/> In October, Grove injured his other knee when he was involved in an automobile accident in Missouri.<ref name=accident>{{cite news|title=$310 Awarded Orval Grove in Accident Suit|work=Chicago Daily Tribune|date=January 28, 1945|page=A3}}</ref>
|