Dick Groat was an American professional baseball and basketball player.
Dick Groat died Thursday, April 27, 2023, at the age of 92 as a result of stroke complications.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of such a beloved member of the Pirates family and Pittsburgh community,” Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting said in a statement released Thursday. “He was a great player and an even better person … His was a life well lived. He will be missed.”
Dick Groat is survived by his daughters Tracey, Carol Ann and Allison, along with 11 grandchildren.
Dick Groat was a dual-sport athlete who was selected third overall by the Fort Wayne Pistons in the 1952 NBA draft.
Dick Groat was an eight-time All-Star shortstop in Major League Baseball and a two-time World Series champion.
He is regarded as one of the most accomplished two-sport athletes in American history, having been a college All-American in both baseball and basketball and being one of only 13 players to have played both at the professional level.
Dick Groat had 829 runs scored, 707 runs batted in, 352 doubles, 67 triples, and 39 home runs in 1,929 games. At shortstop, he assisted in the conversion of 1,237 double plays, the 14th most in MLB history.
