H & B Louisville Slugger Phillies Ginos Centennial 1(contact info removed).

Heinie Groh was known for using a bottle bat. The diminutive 5-foot, 6-inch Groh had such small hands that he needed custom made bats to accommodate his small grip. The “bottle bat,” featuring a thicker barrel and thinner handle than normal, was designed for Groh and he became a holy terror with the bat. Groh’s best years were with the Reds where in 1918 he batted a lofty .320 and took over as manager at the end of the season when Christy Mathewson left to join Uncle Sam. He starred in the 1919 World Series against the infamous Black Sox, and in 1922 he had an outstanding Series against the Yanks, batting .474 in the five-game set. Groh also played on three other pennant-winning teams: the 1923 and 1924 Giants, and the 1927 Pirates.