Al Grunwald

Who was Al Grunwald?

Alfred Henry Grunwald ["Stretch"] was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played parts of two seasons in Major League Baseball in 1955 and 1959. He also played one season in Nippon Professional Baseball in 1962.

Grundwald stood 6 feet 4 inches tall, weighed 210 pounds and threw and batted left-handed. He was born in Los Angeles, California.

Grunwald was a first baseman in the minor leagues for the first five years of his professional career, before converting to pitcher. He hurled for the Pittsburgh Pirates during the 1955 season and with the Kansas City Athletics in 1959. He lost his only decision, giving up four runs on 25 hits and 18 walks while striking out in 19 innings of work.

Grundwall also played 13 minor league seasons between 1947 and 1961, including stints in Mexico and Japan, and returned to first base duties during his final two seasons. He posted a 41-31 record and a 3.96 ERA in 160 pitching appearances. As a hitter, he collected a .295 average with 111 home runs and a slugging of .469 in 1392 games.

Grundwall died in Chatsworth, California, at the age of 80.