Jerry Grote

MacArthur High School graduate, Jerry Grote, was a legend behind the plate for the New York Mets. Lou Brock once said that “Grote was the toughest catcher in the league to steal against.”​

Grote was behind the plate on his birthday when the Mets won their first pennant in 1969. He caught every game of the 1969 and 1973 league championship series and World Series, setting three World Series fielding records in 1973. He played in 1,421 games with Houston, the Mets, Los Angeles and Kansas City during 14 seasons in the majors, including the 1977 and 1978 World Series in a Dodgers uniform. Grote was named to All-Star teams in 1968 and 1974.​

Grote had a .252 career batting average with 39 home runs and 404 RBIs. In 15 World Series games, Grote hit .240 with one RBI.