Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Groth began his professional career in the Wisconsin State League in 1942. After his rookie season, he spent the next three years serving in the military during World War II. After he returned, he spent more time in the minor leagues, then spent parts of the 1947 and 1948 seasons with the Cleveland Indians. After the end of the 1948 season, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox, and played with them in 1949. He spent the next seven seasons pitching in the minor leagues, retiring at the end of the 1956 season. After his retirement, he ran Groth\'s Nursery and worked for Standard Steel, and died in 2004.\n', '

Groth was born in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania to William T. and Clara Court Groth. He played American Legion Baseball in East Palestine, Ohio in his teens, and attended Beaver Falls High School. He grew up pitching in the county league, and was both a right fielder and pitcher for the Chippewa Indians. After pitching for Chippewa in 1941, he was offered a contract for the 1942 season by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Groth turned down the offer instead signing with the Cleveland Indians, spending the 1942 season with the Indians\' D-Class (Rookie League) affiliate, the Appleton Papermakers of the Wisconsin State League, where he played alongside future teammate Mike Garcia. In 26 games, he pitched in 203 innings, had a 16–10 win–loss record and a 3.59 ERA.\n', '

After the 1942 season, Groth spent the following three years serving with the United States Army in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II. After the war, he returned to baseball, spending the 1946 season with the Wilkes-Barre Barons, a Cleveland Indians minor league team that played in the Eastern League. His performances that season included a one-hitter against the Elmira Pioneers in the second game of a doubleheader on August 19. In 29 games, Groth finished with a 13–7 record and a 2.98 ERA. Shortly afterward, he became engaged to Blanche Klein, a fellow graduate of Beaver Falls High. The two were married shortly after.\n', '

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