Biography
Polsgrove with Dubuque, 1927.
Polsgrove began playing semi-pro baseball in the mid 1920s. In 1926, he pitched for Dexter, MO in the semi-pro Southeast Missouri League.6 The following season, he earned a tryout with the Nashville Volunteers in the Southern Association, but was sent to Alexandria in the Cotton States League instead.7 After a poor start to the season in which he went 0-2 in four games, Polsgrove shifted to Dubuque in the Missouri Valley League. There, he performed remarkably well, winning 16 games while losing only 5. At the end of the season, he was sold to Des Moines in the Western League.8
In the spring of 1928, Polsgrove trained with the Des Moines club before being sent back to the Missouri Valley League. There, he played 10 games with the Marshalltown Ansons, but performed far less impressively than he had the prevision season as a result of arm trouble.9 After winning five games and losing four, he was released in June.10 In early July, he was given a trial with Chattanooga in the Southern Association, but played only a couple of games before he was released.11
Polsgrove was given yet another tryout with a Southern Association club in 1929 when he was signed by Memphis.12 However, he failed to make the team and was sent to Knoxville, with whom he played very briefly. Polsgrove was then sent to Jackson in the Cotton States League.13 Later in the year, he shifted to Vicksburg in the same league and finished the Cotton States season with a 6-4 record and a respectable era of 3.64.
Polsgrove lived most of his post-baseball life in his native southeast Missouri. In 1944, he enlisted to serve with the U.S. Army during World War II.14 He was married multiple times and died on February 12th, 1971 in Kennett, MO.15 He was buried in Stanfield Cemetery in Clarkton, MO.16
Excerpts
"The [Southeast Missouri League] second team pitchers are Donnell and Palsgrove. . . . Palsgrove, his successor has only pitched a few games for Dexter, but he seems to know how to smoke 'em down the line."17
"Palsgrove, aged 19, of Piggott, who was on the pitching staff of the Dexter team last year, went to Hot Springs today to begin training as a recruit of Nashville in the Southern Association. Palsgrove, who is only 19, made an exceptional record with the Dexter League team last season."18
" Along the first of June, when the Dubuque pitchers were going bad, “Spider” Palsgrove blew into the Dubuque camp for a try out. He went in against two tough ball clubs as relief pitcher. He showed then and there that he is a pitcher, a giver of the first class. After this he took his regular turn at pitching and today he has 12 victories and 2 defeats as his record. He is acclaimed the Ironman of the Speasmen because he can stand a lot of work. Several days ago he pitched a double header against Ottumwa and won both games, holding the Packers to three runs. He has the best run average per game of any pitcher in the league, not barring any of the old timers. If there is anything that Palsgrove rather do it is to pitch ball. He loves to work. He is every ready to step into a ball game to help the other fellows out. Once he gets in, he hates to get out. And it has been rare that someone had to step in and finish a game for him. Palsgrove is going to real live company, the Nashville club. He will report at the end of the Mississippi Valley season."19
"Memphis, March 29. — Cecil Palsgrove, a right-handed pitcher, has been turned over to the [Knoxville] Smokies by the Memphis club. He will leave Saturday for Knoxville. Palsgrove, [pitched for Chattanooga] last season and was given his unconditional release. In two games with the [Chattanooga] Lookouts he was charged with one defeat. Palsgrove, a native of Gideon, Mo., made his professional debut in 1927 with the Mississippi [sic] Valley League, winning 16 games and losing five games. He was picked up by a major club which sent him to Chattanooga. He complained of a sore arm last season but claims that his arm is now alright. Palsgrove is over six feet tall and weighs 175 pounds."20
"Pitcher Slim Palsgrove, formerly of the Mississippi League, has been turned over the Jackson of the Cotton States loop by Memphis of the Southern League. He will return to the Chicks at the close of the season."21
Stats
1927 Alexandria, 1929 Jackson/Vicksburg statistics at Baseball-Reference.com.
1927 Dubuque, 1928 Marshalltown statistics at Baseball-Reference.com.
1
Frequently spelled "Palsgrove" in contemporary newspapers.
2
Polsgrove's Birth Certificate.
3
Polsgrove's Birth Certificate.
4
1910 U.S. Census. Cecil is listed in the household of J. S. Russum. Cecil's parents' John and Edna Polsgrove are listed on previous sheet.
7
Arkansas Gazette, 2/15/1927
15
Polsgrove's Death Certificate.
18
Arkansas Gazette, 2/15/1927