Ross Grimsley had the kind of season in 1978 that sandlot players across the nation dream about. He became the first Montreal Expos pitcher ever to win twenty games in a season. In fact, he and the great Gaylord Perry were the only National League pitchers to win twenty that year. Grimsley, signed by the Expos in 1977 after a 14-10 season with the Baltimore Orioles, was 20-11 in 1978. The Jackson State Community College alumnus had a tremendous debut with the Expos, winning his first four decisions in April, gaining recognition as the National League Pitcher of the Month and the Expos Player of the Month. Grimsley won his twentieth game on the final day of the season, beating St. Louis, 5-1, and personally contributed to a four-run ninth inning with a key base-hit. He finished the year with nineteen complete games, second only to Atlanta’s Phil Niekro. Not surprisingly, Grimsley was selected as the Expos Player of the Year in an unanimous vote by the Montreal Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Although 1978 was the storybook year in Grimsley’s career, he also did win at least thirteen games five times. He ended his career uneventfully with the Cleveland Indians, but no one can ever take away 1978, the year Ross Grimsley had an arm made of pure gold.
