Books and articles about Urban Shocker

Shocker is a dim figure, an unappreciated, almost-forgotten great pitcher. In a 13-year career, he never had a losing season and compiled a .617 winning percentage. He was well-enough known in his time, yet he labored in relative obscurity. His best years were spent with the Sisler-era Browns, a so-so team that had the bad luck to be good when the Yankees were fantastic. His final years were spent as a Yankee, but as perhaps the least flamboyant of that vivid ensemble. And he died at the untimely age of 38, much too early to have become a legend.

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Shocker came late to the big leagues and did not even become a pitcher until 1913, his first professional season. Originally a catcher, he demonstrated such speed and accuracy in his throws that he was switched to the mound. He acquired a spitter, which he threw infrequently and as a breaking slow ball, and a variety of curves. His delivery was aided by a permanent crook in the end joint of his ring finger, suffered when he speared a ball while still a catcher. He always said the crooked finger improved his grip and thus the effectiveness of his pitches.

Two fine seasons with Ottawa, of the Canada League, brought him to the Yankees in 1916 for $750. In one of Miller Huggins's rare misjudgments, however, he was traded to the Browns in 1918, with Les Nunamaker, Fritz Maisel, Nick Cullop, and Joe Gedeon, for Del Pratt, Eddie Plank, and $15,000.

Thereafter, Shocker hit his stride, stringing together four 20-win seasons and proving a particular nemesis of the Yankees. In 1924 the Yanks stole him back for Joe Bush, Milt Gaston, and Joe Giard. Shocker had his only .500 season in 1925, the year of the great Yankee slump, but pitched marvelously well in 1926 and 1927.

After the 1927 season he voluntarily retired (he did pitch three innings in 1928). He had a successful radio shop in St. Louis, but evidently was too ill to run it. His death was attributed to an overstrained "athlete's heart."

Shocker was an intense, unsmiling fellow, a studious pitcher widely admired for an artful delivery and a profound knowledge of hitters. He allowed almost exactly a hit per inning, yet, as his ERA shows, not many runs. He was stingy with walks, averaging one every four innings. A serious professional, he was known as an excellent fielder and capable hitter, perhaps too serious to have a nickname. (ADS)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » January 22, 1918: The Yankees trade P Nick Cullop, P Urban Shocker, C Les Nunamaker, 3B Fritz Maisel, and infielder Joe Gedeon to the Browns for P Eddie Plank and 2B Del Pratt. Plank, a 300-game winner, retires, but Pratt gives New York three good years at 2B. Shocker is the gem, posting four straight seasons of 20 or more wins in St. Louis. Maisel, who the Yankees refused to trade in early 1916 for either Boston's Tris Speaker (and cash) or Chicago's Joe Jackson, will hit just .232 in 90 games and be gone. » December 17, 1920: The American League votes to allow pitchers who used the spitball in 1920 to continue using it as long as they are in the league. The National League will do the same. There will be 17 designated spitters in all, eight in the NL and nine in the AL. For the NL: Bill Doak, Phil Douglas, Dana Fillingim, Ray Fisher, Marvin Goodwin, Burleigh Grimes, Clarence Mitchell, and Dick Rudolph. For the AL: A.W. Ayers, Slim Caldwell, Stan Coveleski, Red Faber, H.B. Leonard, Jack Quinn, Allan Russell, Urban Shocker, and Allen Sothoron. » September 5, 1921: Browns pitcher Urban Shocker takes his first loss after winning nine in a row. Elmer Smith's two home runs pace a 10–5 Indians win in a morning game to back Guy Morton's pitching. In the afternoon game, a 12–8 St. Louis win, Smith starts off with another one. Having hit one in Detroit the day before, Smith has seven straight extra base hits in three games—a ML record—for 22 total bases (3 doubles, four home runs + two walks). Earl Sheehy, in 1926, will seven long hits in just two games—a ML record—but he will sandwich those around a sac fly. » September 27, 1921: The Browns Urban Shocker stops the Yanks, 2–0, racking up his 5th win in nine decisions against NY this year. It is his 27th win of the year. » April 8, 1922: At Sportsman's Park, the Cardinals wear their new uniforms (two red birds on a bat with the words "Cardinals" across the front) for the first time in an exhibition contest with the Browns. The Browns Urban Shocker tops Willie Sherdel, 3–2, the same result as their matchup a week ago. » April 12, 1922: In an Urban opener, the Browns Urban Shocker tops the White Sox Urban Faber, 3–2. The Sox outhit the Browns, 9–3. » April 30, 1922: Ken Williams is homerless, but the Browns beat the Indians, 11–9, despite hitting into a triple play. Urban Shocker is the winner for St. Louis, now tied (11-5) with the Yankees for first place. » May 20, 1922: Babe Ruth and Bob Meusel (and since-traded pitcher Bill Piercy), suspended on October 16, 1921, by Judge Landis, are reinstated and return to the New York lineup going hitless in New York's 8–2 loss to the rallying Browns at the Polo Grounds. The Browns, down 2–0 after 7, score one in the 8th and seven in the 9th, six of them coming after the game-ending out is called by ump Ollie Chill at first base. Pitcher Sam Jones, taking the throw at 1B from Wally Pipp, apparently makes the 3rd out and fans swarm the field. But Jones does not hold onto the ball cleanly and plate ump Brick Owens instructs Chill to make a safe call. The tying run scores on the play and, when the action resumes 15 minutes later, Wally Gerber singles to make the score 3–2. Walks to Sisler and Williams force home another run, and Baby Doll Jacobson clears the bases with a grand slam into the RF stands to complete the scoring. Winner Urban Shocker allows just three hits, including a two-run homer by second baseman Aaron Ward. The loss to Jones starts him on a 10-game losing streak, while a cold Ban Johnson will let umpire Ollie Chill go after the season. » May 23, 1922: George Sisler and Frank Baker match homers as the Browns and Yankees go into the 7th tied 3-3. Ken Williams #12, with two on, gives St. Louis a 6–3 lead, and Browns add five more off reliever Lefty O'Doul to win, 11–3. Urban Shocker is the winner. » May 26, 1922: In Chicago, Sox OF Bibb Falk singles with one out in the 8th to break Urban Shocker's bid for a perfect game. Ray Schalk's double ties the game, and the Sox score an unearned run in the 10th to win, 2–1. Red Faber is the winner over the Browns Urban Shocker. The Sox win the 2nd game, 3–2, scoring the winner again on an unearned run. » May 30, 1922: Playing without Heilmann and Ty Cobb, the Tigers down the Browns, 6–5 in the A.M. game. The Browns Urban Shocker then allows just one run in 14 1/3 innings before he and Tobin are tossed out of the game for protesting umpire Owens ball and strike calls. Tobin's argument gets him a week's suspension. The Browns win, 2–1, in the 16th on catcher Pat Collins single. Hub Pruett picks up the win, striking out four of the last five batters. » June 2, 1922: The Browns Urban Shocker scatters 14 hits, while the Browns tally the same number, in beating Chicago, 12–4. Ken Williams homers in the Browns 7-run third. » June 10, 1922: In St. Louis, Babe Ruth's 2-run homer in the third, off Urban Shocker, ties the game. Shocker then plunks Frank Baker, and a double, single, two errors on the same play, and sac fly score four more. Shocker then sends Carl Mays sprawling on three straight pitches before walking him, and fires his first pitch right at Whitey Witt. The Yanks score six off Shocker, and another six off relievers to win, 14–5. A foul fly in the seventh beans St. Louis owner Phil Ball, sitting behind the dugout. He has a slight concussion and requires four stitches. » June 11, 1922: Insisting on another start, Urban Shocker is again beaten by the Yankees, 8–4. New York scores three in the seventh on a walk, three hits, and a Williams throwing error. Gene Robertson, a subs adds the game's topper in the seventh when he lifts a high fly behind the Browns' dugout and the ball strikes owner Phil Ball on the cheek giving him a mild concussion and requiring four stitches. Following the game, Shocker will miss three weeks in June and July because of an injury, but still rack up 348 innings, second in the AL. » July 29, 1922: The Browns host the Red Sox and beat them, 4–1, behind Urban Shocker. However, both George Sisler and C Hank Sevreid are injured, the latter with a split finger on a foul tip. Sisler is spiked in the 4th. » August 6, 1922: In St. Louis, Walter Johnson gives up the first grand slam of his career, a third inning shot by Jack Tobin, as the Browns top the Senators, 8–4. George Sisler is 2-for-2 against the Big Train, as Urban Shocker picks up the victory. » August 19, 1922: In Philadelphia, the Browns and A's split a pair, with St. Louis taking the opener, 9–5. Urban Shocker is backed by Ken Williams 31st HR. He hits his 32nd in the nitecap, but the A's win, 6–5, when Bing Miller bangs a 2-run HR in the eighth off Rasty Wright. The split allows the Yankees, winner over Chicago, to move back into first place. » August 25, 1922: In the first of a doubleheader before a sold-out Polo Grounds, the Browns beat the Yankees, 3–1, behind Urban Shocker. Waite Hoyt is the loser, but stops Ken Williams hit streak at 28 consecutive games. George Sisler hits in his 24th straight game. In game two, the Yankee jump to a 2–0 lead on Ruth's 2-run triple, then extend it to 6–1 behind Joe Bush. The Browns close to 6–5, but that is it. » September 4, 1922: At home, the Browns win decisively, beating the Indians, 10–3 and 13–2. Urban Shocker wins his 23rd in the morning and Ken Williams hits his 33rd. Sisler is 4-for-4 in the opener and 3-for-5 in game two to run his hit streak to 34 straight games. Vangilder is the winner in the nitecap. » September 5, 1922: The Browns take over 1st place by beating the Indians, 10–9 as Urban Shocker wins his 23rd, in relief. He'll win no more. Ken Williams hits his 34th, a grand slam. » September 8, 1922: Detroit beats the Browns, 8–3, on Bobby Veach's two homers off Urban Shocker. First baseman Lu Blue pulls off two unassisted DPs, tying the American League record, and both are off line drives by Johnny Tobin. » September 16, 1922: Pennant fever rages in St. Louis, as the Yankees come to town with a half-game lead. Bob Shawkey outpitches Urban Shocker 2–1, as Sisler ties Ty Cobb's 1911 record by hitting in his 40th straight game. While chasing a fly ball in the 9th, New York OF Whitey Witt is hit in the head and knocked cold by a soda bottle thrown from the bleachers. Ban Johnson will initially offer a $1,000 reward for the name of the bottle-thrower. Then, to calm the crowds, the American League offers the theory that Witt stepped on the bottle and it flew up and hit him. The incident leads to a ban on the sale of bottled drinks in ballparks. » May 9, 1923: At St. Louis, A's pitcher Walt Kinney relieves in the 3rd with his team down 3–0, and helps tie the score in the 6th by reaching Urban Shocker for a solo home run. The Browns rock Kinney for four runs in the 7th and he is lifted, and St. Louis goes on to win, 10–5. For Kinney, his home run comes on his last ML at bat. » September 6, 1924: Urban Shocker of the Browns hurls two complete–game victories over the White Sox, winning each contest by a score of 6–2. He fans only one batter in the two games. » December 17, 1924: The Yankees get 4-time 20-game winner Urban Shocker from the Browns for pitchers Milt Gaston, Joe Giard, and Joe Bush. Shocker led the Browns in wins in each of the past five seasons and will be a mainstay on two pennant-winning staffs for New York. Bush had beaten the Browns 17 straight times after losing to them on June 12, 1922. » October 3, 1926: Grover Alexander (9-7) faces Urban Shocker (19-11) as a record 63,600 look on. The Yankees score twice in the 2nd, but Old Pete sets down the last 21 batters, striking out 10. Billy Southworth and SS Tommy Thevenow collect three hits each, including a home run apiece, for a 6–2 St. Louis win. Thevenow's is a line drive that skips by Ruth for an inside-the-park homer: Thevenow will hit two regular season home runs in his career-both inside the park. » October 9, 1926: Grover Alexander scatters eight hits in game six while the Cards tee off on Bob Shawkey (8-6), Urban Shocker, and Myles Thomas for 10 runs and 13 hits in a 10–2 romp. » October 23, 1926: In South Bend, Indiana, the Babe Ruth All Stars, including Johnny Mostil, Marty McManus and Urban Shocker, beat the local South Bend Indians 7-3 in a game called after six innings because of a late start. The all stars were delayed two hours when their vehicle broke down, as researched by historian Kevin Paczkowski. The Babe is 3-for-4 and hits a home run estimated at 600 feet. In preparation for the Babe's visit, the local team stocked up on baseballs at a cost of $1.23 each: in Montreal on October 17, the Babe hit 36 into a nearby river, according to the South Bend Tribune, and the ensuing game had to be stopped for lack of balls. Babe's squad will tie tomorrow when the Indians pitch the Giants Fred Fitzsimmons, who lives nearby. Joining Freddie is Fred Lindstrom. » May 31, 1927: The Yankees slug the 3rd-place Athletics into submission, winning 10–3 and 18–5. Babe Ruth homers in each game to run his string to four straight games. He finishes the month with 12 homers, and 16 altogether. Rookie strongboy Jimmie Foxx belts his first ML homer, off Urban Shocker, in game 2. Tony Lazzeri and Mark Koenig homer in game 2, while Lou Gehrig has two singles to go along with his double, triple and homer in the opener. » July 6, 1928: Urban Shocker, in poor health, is released by the Yankees after one appearance on the mound. » September 9, 1928: At age 38, Yankee P Urban Shocker dies of pneumonia in Denver, where he had gone for his health. Only now does it become known that he had suffered from an enlarged heart and was unable to sleep lying down for two years. Shocker, who never had a losing season, was 18-6 in 1927 but appeared in only one game in 1928. » February 2, 1930: The Yankees waive Leo Durocher out of the American League and sell him to the Reds. Whispered rumors, repeated by Urban Shocker in his 2001 autobiography, contend that Leo was stealing money and jewelry from his teammates. Allegedly, roommate Babe Ruth beat up Durocher after a theft of marked money confirmed his suspicions. The Yankees, according to Shocker, prevail on the rest of the AL to waive Durocher. [Another story has Durocher, in debt, asking for a $1,000 advance on his salary from Ed Barrow so he can pay a hotel bill. When Barrow turns him down, Leo curses him, and Barrow trades him the next day to the Reds.] » April 25, 1943: Rufe Gentry of Buffalo (International League) wins an 11-inning no-hitter against Newark 1-0. The last IL no-hitter of this length was thrown by Toronto's Urban Shocker on July 22, 1916.