Art Shamsky
Encyclopedia
Arthur Louis Shamsky is a former Major League Baseball
player. He played right field, left field, and first base from to for the Cincinnati Reds
, New York Mets
, Chicago Cubs
, and Oakland Athletics
. In he was the manager of the Modi'in Miracle
of the Israel Baseball League
.
in St. Louis and played on the school's baseball team as did fellow major leaguer and Israel Baseball League manager Ken Holtzman
four years later. After playing ball for the University of Missouri
in -59, he was signed by Cincinnati as a free agent
in .
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 and hit .288, slugging .469 with 15 home runs.
In , he was with the Macon
Peaches. Shamsky played with Pete Rose
, Lee May
, Darron Johnson, and Mel Queen on the Peaches.
By , Shamsky made it up to the AAA
level with the minor league
San Diego Padres
and hit .267 with 18 home runs. 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.
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 . Perhaps most remarkable, the first three home runs were hit in a game in which he was inserted in the eighth inning as part of a double switch. He homered in the bottom half of that inning and remained in the game to hit home runs in his next two extra-inning at bats, extending the game each time. The feat made Shamsky the first player in Reds history to hit two extra-inning home runs in one game. He is also the only player in Major League history to hit three home runs in a game who was not in the starting lineup
when the game began. The fourth home run was hit as a pinch hitter in the next game. The bat that he used is on display in Baseball's Hall of Fame
in Cooperstown, New York
. He finished the year with 21 HR (2nd on the team) and 47 RBIs, and a .521 slugging percentage, in only 234 at-bats.
before the season. Originally he was unhappy with being traded to the Mets, as New York City "was really big. It was kind of intimidating." Eventually he "fell in love with the energy, got to know the city a bit. My life changed." He became a favorite of Jewish fans in New York.
In Shamsky hit .300, with a .375 on base percentage, as half of a right field platoon with Ron Swoboda
for the World Champion Mets. Shamsky was the regular starter against right-handed pitchers, with Swoboda starting against lefties. He batted .385 as a pinch hitter, and .388 in games that were late and close. People still approach him to share their memories about his decision not to play on Yom Kippur
in 1969. “The funny thing was, the Mets won both ends of a double header” that day, he cracked.
Shamsky's torrid hitting continued into the post-season. He started all three games of the NLCS, where he batted .538, leading all batters. In the World Series
, Shamsky started only in Game 3, which was played on his 28th birthday.
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.
in the first season of the Israel Baseball League
. Shamsky faced Ken Holtzman
as opposing managers for the first all star game of the Israel Baseball League. The Miracle finished the inaugural 2007 season 22–19 (.537), in third place, and after upsetting the # 2 Tel Aviv Lightning
in the semi-finals, lost to the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox
3–0 in the championship game. The Israel Baseball League did not resume play after 2007.
, WNYW
television, ESPN
television, WNEW
television Channel 5 in New York City, as well as a play-by-play and color commentator for the New York Mets on radio and television. In addition, he hosted a talk show on WFAN Sports Radio, and has written featured guest editorials for the sports section of The New York Times
.
He also owns a New York restaurant, "Legends."
He has also written a book, “The Magnificent Seasons: How the Jets, Mets, and Knicks Made Sports History and Uplifted a City and the Country,” with Barry Zeman (Thomas Dunne Books
). The book is about the New York Jets
, New York Mets, and New York Knicks
all winning championships for the first time in 1969 and 1970. He appeared as himself in a episode of Everybody Loves Raymond
along with several other members of the 1969 Mets.
As of 2007, he was embroiled in a divorce from his second wife, Kim Shamsky, whom he had married in 1994 in Saint John
in the Virgin Islands
.
He now runs Bravo Properties in South Orange, New Jersey
.
, Ray and Robert's childhood bulldog
was named Shamsky Number 1, after the player. As an adult, Robert named his new bulldog Shamsky Number 2. Shamsky made an appearance in this series as himself ('Big Shots' – Series 3, Episode 19).
Comedian Jon Stewart
named one of his pit bull
s Shamsky, after the player.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player. He played right field, left field, and first base from to for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, and Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. In he was the manager of the Modi'in Miracle
Modi'in Miracle
The Modi'in Miracle is an Israeli baseball team from Modi'in in the Israel Baseball League.The Miracle finished the inaugrual 2007 season 22-19 in third place, and after upsetting the # 2 Tel Aviv Lightning in the semi-finals, lost to Ron Blomberg's Bet Shemesh Blue Sox 3-0 in the championship...
of the Israel Baseball League
Israel baseball league
The Israel Baseball League was a six-team professional baseball league in Israel. The first game was played on June 24, 2007...
.
Early life
Shamsky is Jewish and was born in St. Louis. He attended University City High SchoolUniversity City High School (St. Louis)
University City High School is located in University City, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. As of 2009, 1,041 students were enrolled at the school.-Football:...
in St. Louis and played on the school's baseball team as did fellow major leaguer and Israel Baseball League manager Ken Holtzman
Ken Holtzman
Kenneth Dale Holtzman is a left-handed former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics...
four years later. After playing ball for the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
in -59, he was signed by Cincinnati as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in .
Minor league career
Shamsky began his professional baseball career as an 18-year-old with the GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
Redlegs
Redlegs
Redlegs is a term used to refer to the class of poor whites that live on Barbados, St. Vincent, Grenada and a few other Caribbean islands. Their forebears came from Ireland, Scotland and the West of England. Many of their ancestors were transported by Oliver Cromwell. Others had originally...
, and homered in his first at-bat. A roommate of Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
that year, he hit .271 and slugged .480. His 18 homers were second in the league, well ahead of Tony Perez
Tony Pérez
Atanasio Pérez Rigal , more commonly known as Tony Pérez, is a former Major League Baseball player. He was also known by the nickname "Big Dog," "Big Doggie," and "Doggie."...
and Dick Allen
Dick Allen
Richard Anthony Allen is a former Major League Baseball player and R&B singer. He played first and third base and outfield in Major League Baseball and ranked among his sport's top offensive producers of the 1960s and early 1970s...
. Shamsky led the league's outfielders in assists, and made the All-Star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
team.
He moved up to the Topeka Reds in and hit .288, slugging .469 with 15 home runs.
In , he was with the Macon
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
Peaches. Shamsky played with Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
, Lee May
Lee May
Lee Andrew May is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball. From through , May played for the Cincinnati Reds , Houston Astros , Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals . He batted and threw right-handed. He is the brother of former Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees outfielder...
, Darron Johnson, and Mel Queen on the Peaches.
By , Shamsky made it up to the AAA
AAA (baseball)
Triple-A refers to the highest level of play in minor league baseball in the United States and Mexico.-Purpose:Triple-A teams' main purpose is to prepare players for the Major Leagues:...
level with the minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres (PCL)
The San Diego Padres were a minor league baseball team which played in the Pacific Coast League from 1936 through 1968. The team that would eventually become the Padres was well traveled prior to moving to San Diego. It began its existence in 1903 as the Sacramento Solons, a charter member of the PCL...
and hit .267 with 18 home runs. Repeating with San Diego the next year, he batted .272 and hit 25 home runs to finish 8th in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
in that category and second on the Padres behind Perez's 34.
Cincinnati Reds (1965–67)
In , Shamsky made the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
out of spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
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 . Perhaps most remarkable, the first three home runs were hit in a game in which he was inserted in the eighth inning as part of a double switch. He homered in the bottom half of that inning and remained in the game to hit home runs in his next two extra-inning at bats, extending the game each time. The feat made Shamsky the first player in Reds history to hit two extra-inning home runs in one game. He is also the only player in Major League history to hit three home runs in a game who was not in the starting lineup
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
when the game began. The fourth home run was hit as a pinch hitter in the next game. The bat that he used is on display in Baseball's Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
in Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
. He finished the year with 21 HR (2nd on the team) and 47 RBIs, and a .521 slugging percentage, in only 234 at-bats.
New York Mets (1968–71)
Shamsky was traded to the New York Mets for Bob JohnsonBob Johnson (infielder)
Robert Wallace Johnson , nicknamed "Rocky," is a retired American professional baseball player. Largely a utility infielder and pinch hitter, Johnson appeared in 11 Major League Baseball seasons, from until . Johnson was a member of the 1966 World Series champion Baltimore Orioles...
before the season. Originally he was unhappy with being traded to the Mets, as New York City "was really big. It was kind of intimidating." Eventually he "fell in love with the energy, got to know the city a bit. My life changed." He became a favorite of Jewish fans in New York.
In Shamsky hit .300, with a .375 on base percentage, as half of a right field platoon with Ron Swoboda
Ron Swoboda
Ronald Alan Swoboda is a former Major League Baseball outfielder best remembered as a member of the Amazin' Mets.-MLB debut:...
for the World Champion Mets. Shamsky was the regular starter against right-handed pitchers, with Swoboda starting against lefties. He batted .385 as a pinch hitter, and .388 in games that were late and close. People still approach him to share their memories about his decision not to play on Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
in 1969. “The funny thing was, the Mets won both ends of a double header” that day, he cracked.
Shamsky's torrid hitting continued into the post-season. He started all three games of the NLCS, where he batted .538, leading all batters. In the World Series
1969 World Series
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...
, Shamsky started only in Game 3, which was played on his 28th birthday.
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.
Chicago Cubs & Oakland A's (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 68 homers and a World Series ring.Halls of Fame
Shamsky 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.Managing career
Shamsky was the Manager of the Modi'in MiracleModi'in Miracle
The Modi'in Miracle is an Israeli baseball team from Modi'in in the Israel Baseball League.The Miracle finished the inaugrual 2007 season 22-19 in third place, and after upsetting the # 2 Tel Aviv Lightning in the semi-finals, lost to Ron Blomberg's Bet Shemesh Blue Sox 3-0 in the championship...
in the first season of the Israel Baseball League
Israel baseball league
The Israel Baseball League was a six-team professional baseball league in Israel. The first game was played on June 24, 2007...
. Shamsky faced Ken Holtzman
Ken Holtzman
Kenneth Dale Holtzman is a left-handed former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Chicago Cubs and Oakland Athletics...
as opposing managers for the first all star game of the Israel Baseball League. The Miracle finished the inaugural 2007 season 22–19 (.537), in third place, and after upsetting the # 2 Tel Aviv Lightning
Tel Aviv Lightning
The Tel Aviv Lightning is an Israeli baseball team from Tel Aviv in the Israel Baseball League.The Lightning finished the inaugrual 2007 season in second place with a 26-14 record, and lost to the Modi'in Miracle in the semifinals of the 2007 IBL championship.6' 5" lefthander Aaron Pribble was...
in the semi-finals, lost to the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox
Bet Shemesh Blue Sox
The Beit Shemesh Blue Sox are an Israeli baseball team from Bet Shemesh.It is one of the inaugural teams in the Israel Baseball League. They had the best regular season record , and won the inaugural championship August 19, 2007, in Petach Tikva, shutting out Art Shamsky’s Modi’in Miracle 3-0 in...
3–0 in the championship game. The Israel Baseball League did not resume play after 2007.
After baseball
After his baseball career, Shamsky became a real estate consultant with First Realty Reserve and a sports radio and television broadcaster for WFANWFAN
WFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
, WNYW
WNYW
WNYW, virtual channel 5 , is the flagship television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in New York City. The station's transmitter is atop the Empire State Building and its studio facilities are located in the Yorkville section of Manhattan...
television, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
television, WNEW
WNYW
WNYW, virtual channel 5 , is the flagship television station of the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in New York City. The station's transmitter is atop the Empire State Building and its studio facilities are located in the Yorkville section of Manhattan...
television Channel 5 in New York City, as well as a play-by-play and color commentator for the New York Mets on radio and television. In addition, he hosted a talk show on WFAN Sports Radio, and has written featured guest editorials for the sports section of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
.
He also owns a New York restaurant, "Legends."
He has also written a book, “The Magnificent Seasons: How the Jets, Mets, and Knicks Made Sports History and Uplifted a City and the Country,” with Barry Zeman (Thomas Dunne Books
Thomas Dunne Books
Thomas Dunne Books, a division of St. Martin's Press, publishes popular trade fiction and nonfiction. Established in 1986 and based in New York City, Thomas Dunne Books publishes approximately 175 titles each year, covering a range of genres including commercial and literary fiction, mysteries,...
). The book is about the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, New York Mets, and New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
all winning championships for the first time in 1969 and 1970. He appeared as himself in a episode of Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
along with several other members of the 1969 Mets.
As of 2007, he was embroiled in a divorce from his second wife, Kim Shamsky, whom he had married in 1994 in Saint John
Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint John is an island in the Caribbean Sea and a constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. St...
in the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
.
He now runs Bravo Properties in South Orange, New Jersey
South Orange, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,964 people, 5,522 households, and 3,766 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,945.3 people per square mile . There were 5,671 housing units at an average density of 1,987.5 per square mile...
.
Sitcom/Comedic mention
In the American sitcom Everybody Loves RaymondEverybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
, Ray and Robert's childhood bulldog
Bulldog
Bulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
was named Shamsky Number 1, after the player. As an adult, Robert named his new bulldog Shamsky Number 2. Shamsky made an appearance in this series as himself ('Big Shots' – Series 3, Episode 19).
Comedian Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian...
named one of his pit bull
Pit bull
A Pit bull is any of several breeds of dog in the molosser breed group.Many jurisdictions that restrict pit bulls, including Ontario, Canada,, Miami, Florida, U.S...
s Shamsky, after the player.