Former World Series champion Art Schallock passed away last week, according to multiple reports. He was 100 and had held the title of oldest living former MLB player.
Schallock was a native of Mill Valley, California. After serving in the Navy during World War II, he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers going into the 1947 season. The Dodgers traded him to the Yankees midway through the 1951 campaign. Schallock started six of 11 appearances as a rookie, working to a 3.88 earned run average across 46 2/3 innings. The Yankees defeated the Giants in six games in the World Series. Schallock didn’t make an appearance.
The 5’9″ southpaw bounced between the Bronx and the minors over the next few seasons. The Yankees won the World Series again in both 1952 and ’53. Schallock made an appearance in the latter Series, tossing two innings of one-run ball. He played in New York into 1955, when the Orioles claimed him off waivers. Schallock finished his career in Baltimore, where he worked to a 4.15 ERA across a personal-high 80 1/3 innings.
Over parts of five seasons, he pitched to a 4.02 earned run average in 170 1/3 innings. He recorded 77 strikeouts over his 58 appearances. MLBTR sends our condolences to Schallock’s family, friends and loved ones.
R.I.P. Art Schallock.
RIP. Just for trivia’s sake, the new oldest living big league player is former Cardinals hurler Bill Greason, who also pitched in the Negro Leagues.
The third oldest, Ed Mickelson, drove in the last run scored by the St. Louis Browns; he drove in just three runs in his MLB career.
Wow what a life. I wish his family and friends strength and peace.
It wasn’t uncommon before the 60s for pitchers to have more walks than strikeouts.
That is because batters that struck out a lot didn’t stay in the league very long. Batters did not want to strikeout 100 times in a year or else they might be replaced the next year. Reggie Jackson was always strange because f how many times he would strike out. Now, half the lineup on every single team strikes out at least 150 times per year. because there is no more shame for striking out. Pitchers are not better in the modern game, batters are just worse.
Before all the advances over time in field maintenance and player equipment. Putting the ball in play itself was at a greater advantage. Astro turf extended that through the 80s. With the 90s and advances in analytics and a return to natural surfaces….we saw the advent of where we are now….launch angle..obp..
Baseball is wonderful in how many different ways it can be played. I’m not sure today’s game is MORE enjoyable to watch. But that’s subjective.
I will say this. And as a guy that worked in scouting combining analytics with good old fashioned scouting. It’s analytics that have pushed starting pitching into this realm of Tommy Johns. It has a model of what the PERFECT game scenario is. But that doesn’t play out maxing closer mentality over 5-6 innings. And no team is going to 9 guys throwing 1 inning.
We’re still learning to figure out which “old ways” are better through this age of data.
“And no team is going to 9 guys throwing 1 inning.” I doubt that. Tampa or someone else will probably try it eventually.
Can’t stay here riding the fence lol. Learn to pitch or lower all the innings
RIP Art…..
When the Yankees returned struggling rookie Mickey Mantle to the minor leagues in July 1951, Art Shallock replaced him on the Yankees’ roster.
My apologies to Art Schallock’s family and friends for spelling his name wrong.
We are rapidly approaching an era where there will be no living players who experienced pre-expansion MLB (before 1961).
@Old York
I keep a running list of living MLB players who debuted before 1960. Due to your mention of pre-expansion, I’ve made another list of players who debuted in 1960. There are 131 players – 102 who debuted before 1960 and another 29 from 1960.
I’ll post the names here in three installments. In all, 131 pre-expansion players are still with us. At the start of 2024, there were 167 such players. Yes, they are disappearing fast. And they have interesting stories to tell if you google some names.
Listed 10 at a time to make for easier reading. If anyone notices someone I left out, please let me know.
Living MLB players who debuted pre-1960 (1-50) Hall of Famers in CAPS
Bill Greason, Bobby Shantz (1949), Ed Mickelson, Jim Willis, Bob Oldis, Roy Face, Billy Hunter, Bob Ross, Al Worthington, Joe Margoneri
Vern Law, Bob Lillis, Joe Morgan, Johnny O’Brien, Jim Marshall, Zach Monroe, Ray Crone, Chuck Essegian, Stan Pawloski, Ken Aspromonte
Fred Kipp, Bob Skinner, Gary Blaylock, Neal Hertweck, John Pyecha, Footer Johnson, Don Taussig, Lee Tate, Charlie Rabe, Bennie Daniels
Ron Necciai, Vicente Amor, Eric MacKenzie, Marty Kutyna, George Altman, Lloyd Merritt, Taylor Phillips, Al Spangler, Johnny James, John Fitzgerald
Johnny Goryl, Orlando Pena, Camilo Pascual, Joey Amalfitano, Ted Kazanski, Bill White, Ted Wills, Willie Kirkland, Don Lee, Wes Stock
Living MLB players who debuted pre-1960 (51-102)
Marty Keough, Jackie Brandt, LUIS APARICIO, Jim Mahoney, Jim Gentile, Russ Snyder, Ralph Mauriello, Bob Duliba, Ted Bowsfield, Don Kaiser
Mack Burk, Pedro Ramos, Felipe Alou, Ken Hamlin, Eddie Haas, Buddy Gilbert, John Edelman, Ken McBride, Bobby Richardson, John Patton
Jim Proctor, Jerry Mallett, Tony Kubek, Jim Perry, SANDY KOUFAX, Chuck Cottier, John DeMerit, Buddy Pritchard, Evans Killeen, Gene Leek
Cliff Cook, BILL MAZEROSKI, Gary Bell, Jay Hook, Jack Feller, J.C. Martin, Wayne Causey, Jim Small, Claude Raymond, George Thomas
George Perez, Ron Hansen, BILLY WILLIAMS, Bob Aspromonte, Alex George, JIM KAAT, Bobby Henrich, Jack Fisher, Claude Osteen, Jim Woods
Lou Klimchock. Bob Saverine
Living MLB players who debuted in 1960 (29)
Terry Fox, Frank Funk, Dick Stigman, Jim Golden, Floyd Robinson, Carl Mathias, Jim McManus, Julian Javier, Doug Camilli, Clay Dalrymple
Duane Richards, Phil Regan, Hal Stowe, JUAN MARICHAL, Charlie James, Chuck Estrada, Art Mahaffey, Bobby Wine, Leo Cardenas, Doug Clemens
Ty Cline, Joe Azcue, Phil Ortega, Len Gabrielson, Jim Maloney, JOE TORRE, Mike Lee, Nelson, Mathews, Danny Murphy
Lui Aparicio is the oldest living Hall of Fame.
Old, I’m still trying to grasp the number of players from the 1970s and 1980s who are passing away.
100. A heck of a run. Condolences to family, friends, teammates and his fans who remember him. Before my time, but I remember his name being mentioned as a member of some great Yankee teams from the ‘50s.
Congrats on a long, rich life. I would be lucky to match that long ride in life.
Art was before my time, but sounds like he had a nice run. Condolences to his family and friends. RIP.
His new title is most recently deceased former MLB player.
I live near Mill Valley and a local paper recently had a big write up on Art.
More complete games than Blake Snell my friend noted.
RIP Art Schallock.
Then you live in a beautiful part of the world. Mill Valley, and Marin County in general, is just amazing.
You can make field of dreams teams from players who passed away in these years:
2020
1972
2024
RIP