Urban Shocker

[dave_heller]

I was just looking at his stats, and man could he pitch:

- Never had a losing record in any season (even partial)
- Worst ERA+ was 103
- Won 20 games four consecutive seasons
- All-time winning percentage of .615
- Walked just 2.2 batters per 9 IP over his career
- Involved in perhaps the best trade in Browns history (doesn't hurt that they stole him from the Yankees; of course St. Louis gave him right back years later)

I just read where Shocker was deciding between becoming a catcher or pitcher when he broke a finger - and it didn't heal properly (it was crooked; I believe it is the right ring finger or the middle finger, which you can see below), which helped him put a funky spin on the ball. Decision made.

A tragic end to his career and life, but what a career it was. Here's to you, Urban!

[BenHertz]

http://baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=shockur01

How did he die? Car accident? Polio? He was 38.

[disgrig]

According to wikipedia it was pneumonia and a weakened heart from pneumonia.

[KCGHOST]

Yep, Urban had a fine career. There are several pitchers in the HoF who weren't near as good as Shocker.

[Brownieand45sfan]

Wow! Never looked into this before..

In '27 he pitches 200 innings and has an 18-6 record .. but in 1928 he doesn't get to pitch until May 30 ... and that ends up being his last game ever? What the heck happened??

[Brownieand45sfan]

Here's more info.

http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/...rban.Obit.html

3 questions:

1) Why did he grow not to like St. Louis?
2) Why is the Times saying he was born in Detroit when BR says Cleveland.
3) If he were inducted into the HofF, would he be the only French-American?

Wow! Never looked into this before..

In '27 he pitches 200 innings and has an 18-6 record .. but in 1928 he doesn't get to pitch until May 30 ... and that ends up being his last game ever? What the heck happened??

[Brownieand45sfan]

If only Urb had been able to keep his Yankee jinx going in '22, the Browns would have had the pennant.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstrac...B1668389639EDE

[dave_heller]

Here's more info.

http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/...rban.Obit.html

3 questions:

1) Why did he grow not to like St. Louis?

If I recall correctly, there was some dispute with Browns management. I think it had to do with the team not letting Shocker bring his wife on a road trip. Could have been about money, too. My memory fails me, although I do recall Shocker was dissatisfied. I believe he stayed with the team one year after this happened, but then was dealt away for some Yankee spare parts.

[dave_heller]

Larry Lajoie was born in the U.S. to French-Canadian parents. I guess that would qualify him as French-American.

[dave_heller]

According to wikipedia it was pneumonia and a weakened heart from pneumonia.

I believe I read that Shocker had a heart problem prior to this (enlarged heart?) and this was just the last straw from which he could not recover. I think it got to the point where he couldn't lay down on train rides.

[Brownieand45sfan]

What about pitching 2 complete games and winning both on the same day (9/6/24 ~ split doubleheader) ... has anybody else done that?

[RUKen]

What about pitching 2 complete games and winning both on the same day (9/6/24 ~ split doubleheader) ... has anybody else done that?

Yes; most notably, Ed Reulbach pitched two shutouts in one day.

[RUKen]

To expand on my previous reply, Baseball Almanac lists 45 instances of a major leaguer pitching two complete games in a doubleheader and winning both. Joe McGinnity did it three times in the month of August, 1903.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/feats24.shtml

[Brownieand45sfan]

Among those 47, were there any by identical scores

To expand on my previous reply, Baseball Almanac lists 45 instances of a major leaguer pitching two complete games in a doubleheader and winning both. Joe McGinnity did it three times in the month of August, 1903.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/feats24.shtml

[RUKen]

Among those 45 (corrected by RUKen), were there any by identical scores

No, there were not.