Post by fwclipper51 on Apr 25, 2024 15:06:28 GMT -5
MLB's oldest living player is turning 100
Art Schallock pitched for the Yankees and Orioles in the 1950s
12:00 AM EDT MLB.com
Dan Cichalski Dan Cichalski@NJ_baseball
Art Schallock was born on April 25, 1924.
Art Schallock was born on April 25, 1924.(Wendy Cornejo/Cogir on Napa Road)
On Thursday, Major League Baseball’s oldest living player turns 100 years old.
Art Schallock, a left-hander, who had pitched in 58 games with the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles over a 5-year MLB playing career in the 1950s, will celebrate the milestone with family and friends at Cogir on Napa Road, the senior living facility in Sonoma, Calif., where he resides.
Memorabilia from his playing career will be on display, he will sign some baseballs and staff at the facility will dress up in Yankees gear, serve a Yankees-themed cake and roll out the literal red carpet.
“Those were some great times,” Schallock said of his time with the Yankees, which included three World Series championships. “Hard to believe I’m hitting 100, but looking back on my life, I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had.”
Schallock was born on April 25, 1924, in Mill Valley, Calif., about 9 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge -- which is 13 years younger than he is. After graduating from high school in 1942, Shallock registered for the military draft and joined the Navy. He spent time as a radio operator on the USS Coral Sea, earning 11 battle stars for action that included the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
“I was 2 weeks out of high school when they drafted me,” Schallock told SABR biographer Bill Nowlin. “I went in the Navy and I didn’t see a baseball for 3 years.”
Discharged in 1946, Schallock would played semi-pro ball in San Francisco that summer before signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He would spend Spring Training 1947 with the club in Havana, training with their Triple-A Montreal Royals affiliate alongside Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe.
Schallock would pitched for Dodgers affiliates until 1951, when the Yankees, in need of a left-handed pitcher, had purchased his player contract. Following a rough stretch for its pitching staff, New York would called up Schallock on July 12, 1951 and sent down struggling 19-year-old rookie Outfielder Mickey Mantle to the AAA Kansas City Blues (American Association).
“They had to send someone down and it turned out to be Mickey Mantle,” Schallock told interviewer Ed Attanasio. “He came back quickly, but for many years Mickey and I would joke about it.”
Phil Rizzuto, Joe DiMaggio, Art Schallock and Manager Casey Stengel in July, 1951.
Though Mantle was sent down, Schallock found himself getting close with another Hall of Famer, when he learned who his Yankees roommate would be.
“I didn’t know who they would assign me to be with,” Schallock told Attanasio. “I figured it would be with another rookie or another young player, but when they told me it would be Yogi Berra, I was surprised. It was a great experience, because Yogi knew all of the batters in the American League at that time. He knew how to pitch to them and what their weaknesses were. Yogi never wrote anything down; it was all up there in his head. He knew his stuff and I learned a lot from him. People used to joke about Yogi being not that smart, but he was sharp as a tack and a wonderful guy.”
From 1951-1954, Schallock would appeared in 28 games (8 starts) with the Yankees, topping out at 11 in his rookie season. He was placed on waivers in April 1955, Schallock went to the Orioles and was called upon 30 times that season, making 6 starts. He allowed 11 HRs in his career – and the last 1 was hit by Mantle.
“[W]hen I was pitching for the Orioles, he hit a monster HR against me and smiled all around the bases,” Schallock once said.
Schallock inherited the title of the oldest living player upon the death of George Elder in July 2022.
“Art loves to reminisce about his time with the Yankees and the other teams,” said Wendy Cornejo, executive director of the senior living community where Schallock resides. “He lights up when he’s talking about baseball. We hope to make his birthday a fitting celebration of his long life and exciting accomplishments.”
Art Schallock pitched for the Yankees and Orioles in the 1950s
12:00 AM EDT MLB.com
Dan Cichalski Dan Cichalski@NJ_baseball
Art Schallock was born on April 25, 1924.
Art Schallock was born on April 25, 1924.(Wendy Cornejo/Cogir on Napa Road)
On Thursday, Major League Baseball’s oldest living player turns 100 years old.
Art Schallock, a left-hander, who had pitched in 58 games with the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles over a 5-year MLB playing career in the 1950s, will celebrate the milestone with family and friends at Cogir on Napa Road, the senior living facility in Sonoma, Calif., where he resides.
Memorabilia from his playing career will be on display, he will sign some baseballs and staff at the facility will dress up in Yankees gear, serve a Yankees-themed cake and roll out the literal red carpet.
“Those were some great times,” Schallock said of his time with the Yankees, which included three World Series championships. “Hard to believe I’m hitting 100, but looking back on my life, I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had.”
Schallock was born on April 25, 1924, in Mill Valley, Calif., about 9 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge -- which is 13 years younger than he is. After graduating from high school in 1942, Shallock registered for the military draft and joined the Navy. He spent time as a radio operator on the USS Coral Sea, earning 11 battle stars for action that included the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
“I was 2 weeks out of high school when they drafted me,” Schallock told SABR biographer Bill Nowlin. “I went in the Navy and I didn’t see a baseball for 3 years.”
Discharged in 1946, Schallock would played semi-pro ball in San Francisco that summer before signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He would spend Spring Training 1947 with the club in Havana, training with their Triple-A Montreal Royals affiliate alongside Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe.
Schallock would pitched for Dodgers affiliates until 1951, when the Yankees, in need of a left-handed pitcher, had purchased his player contract. Following a rough stretch for its pitching staff, New York would called up Schallock on July 12, 1951 and sent down struggling 19-year-old rookie Outfielder Mickey Mantle to the AAA Kansas City Blues (American Association).
“They had to send someone down and it turned out to be Mickey Mantle,” Schallock told interviewer Ed Attanasio. “He came back quickly, but for many years Mickey and I would joke about it.”
Phil Rizzuto, Joe DiMaggio, Art Schallock and Manager Casey Stengel in July, 1951.
Though Mantle was sent down, Schallock found himself getting close with another Hall of Famer, when he learned who his Yankees roommate would be.
“I didn’t know who they would assign me to be with,” Schallock told Attanasio. “I figured it would be with another rookie or another young player, but when they told me it would be Yogi Berra, I was surprised. It was a great experience, because Yogi knew all of the batters in the American League at that time. He knew how to pitch to them and what their weaknesses were. Yogi never wrote anything down; it was all up there in his head. He knew his stuff and I learned a lot from him. People used to joke about Yogi being not that smart, but he was sharp as a tack and a wonderful guy.”
From 1951-1954, Schallock would appeared in 28 games (8 starts) with the Yankees, topping out at 11 in his rookie season. He was placed on waivers in April 1955, Schallock went to the Orioles and was called upon 30 times that season, making 6 starts. He allowed 11 HRs in his career – and the last 1 was hit by Mantle.
“[W]hen I was pitching for the Orioles, he hit a monster HR against me and smiled all around the bases,” Schallock once said.
Schallock inherited the title of the oldest living player upon the death of George Elder in July 2022.
“Art loves to reminisce about his time with the Yankees and the other teams,” said Wendy Cornejo, executive director of the senior living community where Schallock resides. “He lights up when he’s talking about baseball. We hope to make his birthday a fitting celebration of his long life and exciting accomplishments.”
