Lacoochee Hall Of Famer A Good Fit

Posted Feb 14, 2009 by Tom McEwen

Updated Feb 14, 2009 at 05:51 PM

Jim “Mudcat’’ Grant just made Lacoochee twice as famous as he had made it already. The Sports Club of Tampa Bay Friday night enshrined Cat into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, giving his hometown another moment in the good news.  Grant’s first contribution was by his parents. He was born in Lacoochee, a fun name to say aloud, oh, like Okeechobee and Kissmmee and Withlacoochee.

For newcomers, Lacoochee is an nonurban spot on the map about 35 miles north and a little east of I-75, on state road road 575 where it intersects U.S.  301. It became a sawmill town since the railroad ran through and trees were abundant in that neat, forrested rolling part of Florida where the Ed Rood and Bill Saxon lusted futily to move the 12 Hours of Sebring.

Mudcat’s mom was the choir director of the Baptist Church there, leading to Cat’s quick introduction to singing and dancing, talking and working at the saw mill. It was with the school baseball team found out he had a fine talent for that sport. Playing on the school and semi-pro teams—it was O.K. back then—he learned to pitch well enough for a scholarship to Florida A&M. But, impatience and the need to help his mom (his dad died when he was two) he worked in the mill, became a carpenter and a doggone good pitcher.

“I was playing baseball all over the place, with anybody, with everybody. Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Goodwin stuck with me. She educated me, and he taught me baseball.  It worked, I guess,’’ said Cat.

Sure did. Grant didn’t sing or dance at the Fame night but he read a poem he wrote as part of an acceptance speech that was clearly sincere. Things were never easy for Cat. He grew up in segregated times, went to “negro schools,’’ he said.  “But, it didn’t matter. We did what we did and we made it. I’m proud.’’

Ought to be.

He worked as a carpenter, and went to A&M for a time, but Mr. Goodwin thought he could play baseball.

“I was up at Raiford playing a game against the inmates at the prison there in 1953. I was 16, a scout from Cleveland was interested. When he found out I was only 16, he tore the contract up and left. Two years later,  Mr. Goodwin looked me up again. He introduced me to the Bethune-Cookman coach, Bunky Matthews and took me to Indianville where Cleveland was training. We were waiting to see the minor league man when a former Cleveland excecutive, Hank Greenberg, stopped by and said, “he’s here, why not give him a uniform and let him stay.’’

Mudcat Grant put on a baseball uniform and he never took it off until his career ended after eight teams (Cleveland, Minnesota, Los Angeles,  Montreal, St. Louis, Oakland and Pittsburgh), 145 wins and 119 losses, a World Series championship, an MVP Award and two All-Star selections.  Along the way, Mudcat, in the sixth game for the Twins in 1965 became only the second pitcher to hit a homerun in the World Series. He also was the American League player of the year with his 21 wins. Cat had a lifetime earned run average of 3.62 and struck out 1,267.

Mudcat Grant was a terrific pitcher of baseballs and winner of clutch games. Remember, his dad died when he was two. He was but a pup. His mother was carrying his brother. Not much was easy for Mudcat growing up in Lacoochee. Clearly, he said, he contributed to his work ethic, his views and no-quit attitude.

“Never did.  Never will,’’ said Cat. “I have no regrets about Lacoochee. Learned much of which I know there. May not have made it had it been easy.’’

Sure Grant went by Lacoochee Saturday after his Hall of Fame inuduction Friday night. 

“I looked over the list of previous inductees,’’ Mud said. “Some real cats in there, and now there’s a Mudcat.”

  “Saw you there Friday sitting at a table with three of them—Coach Billy Reed, Freddie Solomon and Larry Smith. Good company.”

  Yes, but it is better now with the newest inductee.