Friday, September 15, 2023

#261 Bobby Shantz - Kansas City Athletics


Robert Clayton Shantz
Kansas City Athletics
Pitcher


Bats:  Right  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'6"  Weight:  139
Born:  September 26, 1925, Pottstown, PA
Signed:  Signed by the Philadelphia Athletics as an amateur free agent before 1948 season
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Athletics 1949-1954; Kansas City Athletics 1955-1956; New York Yankees 1957-1960; Pittsburgh Pirates 1961; Houston Colt .45s 1962; St. Louis Cardinals 1962-1964; Chicago Cubs 1964; Philadelphia Phillies 1964

Bobby Shantz pitched in 16 big league seasons, winning A.L. MVP honors in 1952 and earning eight consecutive Gold Gloves between 1957 and 1964.  Shantz was one of the last All-Stars for the Philadelphia Athletics, winning 18 games in 1951 and a career-high 24 games in his MVP season of 1952.  He was dealt to the Yankees following the 1956 season.  In 1957, Shantz was named to his third All-Star team and he'd lead the league with a 2.45 ERA.  He appeared in the World Series with the Yankees in 1957 and 1960, and won a ring with the team in 1958 although he didn't get into any of those Series games against the Braves.  Shantz was selected in back-to-back expansion drafts by the Senators in 1960, and by the Colt .45s in 1961.  He returned to Philadelphia for his final season, appearing in 14 games for the Phillies in their disastrous 1964 season.

1992 Philadelphia Phillies Photo Cards
ALS Autograph Party
Shantz owned a lifetime record of 119-99 with a 3.38 ERA and 1,072 strikeouts over 1,935 2/3 innings pitched.  He was inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame in 1994, back when the Phillies inducted a former member of the Athletics each year.  As of this writing, the soon to be 98-year-old Shantz is scheduled to appear as an autograph guest at the late September Philly Show.  He's the last surviving member of the Philadelphia Athletics, and the oldest living former player from the Phillies, Astros and Cubs.  His brother Billy Shantz was a catcher for the Athletics and Yankees between 1954 and 1960.

Building the Set
October 10, 1993 in Winston-Salem, NC (Tommy's Collectibles) - Card #121
This is one of three cards purchased right around my 20th birthday in 1993 from Tommy's Collectibles in Winston-Salem, not far from the campus of Wake Forest University, where I had just started my sophomore year.  We only added 13 cards to our 1956 Topps set in 1993, and this is one of seven cards we purchased for our set from Tommy's Collectibles between October 1993 and December 1996.  My records show this Shantz card cost us $10.

I have mostly wonderful memories of my early college years, as I was in that sweet spot between leaving behind high school and figuring out what I would do next.  Majors hadn't yet been declared and while there was plenty of studying, I also recall having my share of fun too.  My family visited for my birthday in early October 1993, and this card was purchased shortly after their visit.

The Card / Athletics Team Set
Shantz returned to a Topps set after a one-year absence.  This is the first card of the fourth and final series in the set, and Topps used a star of the day to kick off each of its second, third and fourth series of cards.  Roy Campanella (#101) was the first card of the second, while Billy Martin (#181) was the first card of the third series.  The back of the card highlights his 1952 MVP win, but also mentions Shantz was frequently injured.  Over three seasons between 1953 and 1955, Shantz was limited to just 41 games due primarily to a lingering shoulder injury.  His excellent fielding skills are highlighted in the final cartoon panel, foreshadowing his eight Gold Glove wins beginning in 1957.

1956 Season
In his final season with the Athletics, Shantz was used mainly as a reliever and occasional closer.  He was 2-7 with a 4.35 ERA in 45 games, recording nine saves.  That mark led the team, as the Athletics won only 52 games to 102 losses in 1956.  Only Jack Crimian (#319), with 47 relief appearances was used more than Shantz, as Shantz came in to relieve 43 times.  Shantz made two starts all season, including a game on April 19th when he threw a complete game, allowing just a run against the Tigers.

Phillies Career
Shantz began the 1964 season, his last in the majors, with the Cardinals and was dealt to the Cubs on June 15th as part of the Lou Brock deal.  Two months later, on August 15th, the Cubs sold Shantz to the Phillies, as the Phillies were desperate for pitching reinforcements as they attempted to win the National League pennant.  Shantz pitched fairly well in his big league swan song, appearing in 14 games and earning a 1-1 record with a 2.25 ERA over 32 innings pitched.  He had one last stellar performance, pitching seven shutout innings of relief against the Dodgers on September 19th, in a game lost by the Phillies, 3-1.

The Phillies asked Shantz to return for the 1965 season, but the veteran pitcher opted to retire.

1950 Bowman #234
1952 Topps #219
1954 Topps #21
1958 Topps #419
1964 Topps #278

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1950 Bowman #234
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (13):  1952-1954, 1956-1964, 1975
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2013 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-BS

137 - Shantz non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 9/10/23.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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