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| '''Arthur Louis Shamsky''' (born ], ], in ]) was a ] player from ] to ] for the ], ], ], and ]. He played ], ], and ]. | '''Arthur Louis Shamsky''' (born ], ], in ]) was a ] player from ] to ] for the ], ], ], and ]. He played ], ], and ]. | ||
| Shamsky, who is ], was signed by Cincinnati as a free agent in 1959. | Shamsky, who is ], was signed by Cincinnati as a free agent in ]. | ||
| ==Minor league career== | ==Minor league career== | ||
| Shamsky began his professional baseball career as an 18-year-old with the 1960 ] ], and homered in his first at-bat. A roommate of ] that year, he hit .271 and slugged .480. His 18 homers were second in the league, well ahead of ] and ]. Shamsky led the league's outfielders in assists, and made the All-Star team. | Shamsky began his professional baseball career as an 18-year-old with the ] ] ], and homered in his first at-bat. A roommate of ] that year, he hit .271 and slugged .480. His 18 homers were second in the league, well ahead of ] and ]. Shamsky led the league's outfielders in assists, and made the All-Star team. | ||
| He moved up to the ] Reds |
He moved up to the ] Reds in ] and hit .288, slugging .469 with 15 home runs. | ||
| In |
In ], he was with the ] Peaches. Shamsky played with ], ], Darron Johnson, and ] on the Peaches. | ||
| By 1963, he was in AAA with the ], and hit .267 with 18 HR. Repeating with San Diego the next year, he batted .272 and hit 25 home runs to finish 8th in the ] in that category and second on the Padres behind Perez's 34. | By ], he was in AAA with the ], and hit .267 with 18 HR. Repeating with San Diego the next year, he batted .272 and hit 25 home runs to finish 8th in the ] in that category and second on the Padres behind Perez's 34. | ||
| ==Major league career== | ==Major league career== | ||
| ===Cincinnati Reds (1965-67)=== | |||
| In 1965, Shamsky made the ] out of ] as a sub and hit .260. | In ], Shamsky made the ] out of ] as a sub and hit .260. | ||
| Shamsky tied a major league record by homering in 4 consecutive at-bats for the Reds on August 12 and 14 of ]. He finished the year with 21 HR (2nd on the team) and 47 RBIs, and a .521 slugging percentage, in only 234 at-bats. On August 12, Shamsky became the first player in Reds history to hit two extra-inning home runs in one game. | Shamsky tied a major league record by homering in 4 consecutive at-bats for the Reds on August 12 and 14 of ]. He finished the year with 21 HR (2nd on the team) and 47 RBIs, and a .521 slugging percentage, in only 234 at-bats. On August 12, Shamsky became the first player in Reds history to hit two extra-inning home runs in one game. | ||
| ===New York Mets (1968-71)=== | |||
| Shamsky was traded to the New York Mets before the ] season. | |||
| ⚫ | Shamsky hit .300, with a .375 on base percentage, as a fourth outfielder and lefthanded pinch-hitter for the |
||
| ⚫ | In ] Shamsky hit .300, with a .375 on base percentage, as a fourth outfielder and lefthanded pinch-hitter for the World Champion Mets. He batted .385 as a pinch hitter, and .388 in games that were late and close. His .538 batting average and 7 hits led all batters in the 1969 ]. | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | In ] he hit .293 with a .371 on base percentage. Despite only 402 at bats, he was 7th in the league with 13 intentional walks. | ||
| ⚫ | He remained with the Mets until 1972, when he played 22 games for the Chicago Cubs and Oakland A's. | ||
| ===Chicago Cubs & Oakland A's (1972)=== | |||
| ⚫ | Nagging back problems hastened Shamsky's departure from the game in 1972. | ||
| ⚫ | He remained with the Mets until ], when he played 22 games for the Chicago Cubs and Oakland A's. | ||
| ⚫ | Nagging back problems hastened Shamsky's departure from the game in ]. | ||
| Shamsky retired after 13 years in pro baseball, with 170 homers and a World Series ring. | Shamsky retired after 13 years in pro baseball, with 170 homers and a World Series ring. | ||
Revision as of 00:12, 21 January 2007
Arthur Louis Shamsky (born October 14, 1941, in St. Louis, Missouri) was a Major League Baseball player from 1965 to 1972 for the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, and Oakland Athletics. He played right field, left field, and first base.
Shamsky, who is Jewish, was signed by Cincinnati as a free agent in 1959.
Minor league career
Shamsky began his professional baseball career as an 18-year-old with the 1960 Geneva Redlegs, and homered in his first at-bat. A roommate of Pete Rose that year, he hit .271 and slugged .480. His 18 homers were second in the league, well ahead of Tony Perez and Dick Allen. Shamsky led the league's outfielders in assists, and made the All-Star team.
He moved up to the Topeka Reds in 1961 and hit .288, slugging .469 with 15 home runs.
In 1962, he was with the Macon Peaches. Shamsky played with Pete Rose, Lee May, Darron Johnson, and Mel Queen on the Peaches.
By 1963, he was in AAA with the San Diego Padres, and hit .267 with 18 HR. Repeating with San Diego the next year, he batted .272 and hit 25 home runs to finish 8th in the Pacific Coast League in that category and second on the Padres behind Perez's 34.
Major league career
Cincinnati Reds (1965-67)
In 1965, Shamsky made the Cincinnati Reds out of spring training as a sub and hit .260.
Shamsky tied a major league record by homering in 4 consecutive at-bats for the Reds on August 12 and 14 of 1966. He finished the year with 21 HR (2nd on the team) and 47 RBIs, and a .521 slugging percentage, in only 234 at-bats. On August 12, Shamsky became the first player in Reds history to hit two extra-inning home runs in one game.
New York Mets (1968-71)
Shamsky was traded to the New York Mets before the 1968 season.
In 1969 Shamsky hit .300, with a .375 on base percentage, as a fourth outfielder and lefthanded pinch-hitter for the World Champion Mets. He batted .385 as a pinch hitter, and .388 in games that were late and close. His .538 batting average and 7 hits led all batters in the 1969 LCS.
In 1970 he hit .293 with a .371 on base percentage. Despite only 402 at bats, he was 7th in the league with 13 intentional walks.
Chicago Cubs & Oakland A's (1972)
He remained with the Mets until 1972, when he played 22 games for the Chicago Cubs and Oakland A's.
Nagging back problems hastened Shamsky's departure from the game in 1972.
Shamsky retired after 13 years in pro baseball, with 170 homers and a World Series ring.
After baseball
After his baseball career, Shamsky became a real estate consultant and a sports radio and television broadcaster in New York City, where he also owns a restaurant.
Trivia
He is a member of the New York Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
He was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.
In the American sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, Ray and Robert's childhood dog was named Shamsky Number 1, after the player. Shamsky made an appearance in this series as himself ('Big Shots' - Series 3, Episode 19).
He has written a book, “ The Magnificent Seasons,” with Barry Zeman (Thomas Dunne Books).
As of 2006, he was embroiled in a divorce from his second wife, Kim Shamsky.