Autograph Of The Week: Frank "Spec" Shea
The Midsummer Classic series started in 1933. On July 8, 1947, Frank "Spec" Shea became the first rookie pitcher to earn the win at an All-Star Game.
Few pitchers will ever match this feat as its hard enough to make it to the All-Star Game in the first place, even harder for a rookie to make it, and probably even more difficult for a rookie pitcher to be named to the squad.
"(Spec) Shea would have been AL Rookie of the Year in 1947 if the BBWAA had given separate awards in the NL and AL; Jackie Robinson won in a landslide, but Shea led the AL candidates in votes." - The Ballplayers (1990)
Autograph of the Week2nd Week of July Recipient |
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| Frank "Spec" Shea Autograph | |
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Do you remember which team Spec Shea was playing for when he was named to the 1947 All-Star Game? Follow the link and read about the Midsummer Classic AND review the entire box score for further details!
The back side of the card above explained what happened after the All-Star victory, "That year (1947) he had a league leading 14-5 record, won 2 World Series games, and gained credit for the All-Star game victory. Arm trouble plagued Frank after '47. He had a 9-10 record in'48 and went to Newark in '49 and Kansas City in '50. In '51 he won 5 for the Yanks was traded to the Senators in May of '52."
Did you know that Spec Shea appeared in The Stratton Story (1949)? It was the story of White Sox pitcher Monty Stratton whose leg was amputated at age 26 after a hunting accident. The film was a box office smash starring Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson!
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