Euclid community mourns the loss of longtime scorekeeper/statistician Jim 'Grinny' Grinstead

Aug. 19—The year was 1954 and Harold "Doc" Daughterty had just taken his first coaching job as the junior high coach at Euclid Central when he was approached by a young man who asked if he could be the team's manager.

That boy's name was Jimmy Grinstead. That year as manager was the start of a wonderful and brilliant lifetime dedicated to Euclid sports service.

Grinstead, known to virtually everyone as "Grinny," passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Aug. 14, leaving behind a loving family that extends well beyond his blood relatives and to the thousands of lives he touched as a statistician, announcer and other sports-related venues.

"Grinny," said former Euclid coach Tom Gibbons, pausing for a deep breath. "He was an institution at Euclid. He graduated in 1962, became a hall of famer there... He will certainly be missed."

Grinstead is survived by his wife Karin, his son Jimmy, stepsons Bruce, Brian and Bret and a trio of grandchildren — Ethan, Collin and Jillian.

His impact in area sports is immeasurable.

"He couldn't have been more of a Euclid man than anyone else who ever walked through those doors at that school," Daugherty said.

Grinstead served as the statistician for many Euclid sports, including basketball and football, and announced at many basketball games. A bus driver for more than 30 years in the school district, Grinstead was also a longtime commissioner for the Euclid Boys league, ran the CABA baseball tournaments in Euclid and worked on the grounds crew at the old Cleveland Stadium.

"My dad used to tell me stories of how he played poker with Gaylord Perry, Mickey Mantle and others one time," Jimmy Grinstead said. "They sat in the clubhouse and played."

To which longtime Euclid baseball coach and educator Paul Serra asked, "Did he win?"

Grinstead also loved his trips to Las Vegas, playing Pai Gow "all day and night" according to his family.

He was a man who loved competition, sports and Euclid.

"When he was inducted into Euclid's Hall of Fame, he said, 'I'm usually out a heck of a lot more than I'm at home,' " Jimmy Grinstead said. "Mom knew it was going to be that way. She probably didn't always love that, but that was him.

"My dad was always on the go. Always involved with sports."

Later in his career, he worked games at NDCL as well.

"Grinny, oh he was the best," said former Euclid basketball coach Sean O'Toole, who is now the athletic director at Gilmour. "He was a guy who cared. He wasn't a one-sport guy. He just liked being involved and being involved. We were blessed to have him."

Grinstead also ran the clock at The News-Herald's senior basketball classic games for a number of years and worked in a multitude of capacities at the annual Senior Bowl football game.

"Whatever you needed, Grinny was there and willing to help," said John Kampf of The News-Herald. "He'd always call me and ask what we needed to be done and he was there — always with a smile on his face. The people loved him and his demeanor."

Serra and Grinstead remained close until his final days.

"I'll always remember the vibrant and outgoing person he was," Serra said. "It's heart-warming just to think of him.

"He was so involved. He did stats and he knew everybody in the city."

To which Gibbons added, "he had a log of stats from the old Greater Cleveland Conference back in the 90s. It was like fantasy football stuff before there was fantasy football. Any stat you could imagine, he compiled it."

Gibbons also joked that, "you'd never leave a Euclid tournament game hungry because Grinny always made sure there were food donations for the hospitality rooms."

"We were originally the only ones who knew how to do the stat boards at the school," longtime friend Denny Turkall said. "He knew the program when no one else in the school did."

In short, Jim "Grinny" Grinstead dedicated his life to helping others. While he was a loving husband, father and grandfather, he was also a loyal friend who wanted the best for everyone he knew — including student-athletes.

Daugherty noted that Grinstead wasn't as coordinated as he would have liked to have been in order to play sports. But he contributed in the best way he knew how — and he did it to an unprecedented level.

"On my last day at work," said Jimmy Grinstead, who is a teacher in the Euclid City School District, with his voice cracking with emotion, "I'm going to go to that press box one last time and say goodbye."