Ray Shore
Encyclopedia
Raymond Everett Shore nicknamed "Snacks," was an American
pitcher
, coach
and scout in Major League Baseball
. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio
, Shore threw and batted right-handed, stood 6'3" (191 cm) tall and weighed 230 pounds (104 kg).
Shore broke into professional baseball as a catcher
before World War II
, but by the time he mustered out of military service in 1946, he had converted to pitching. While his major league pitching career was ordinary — he appeared in 31 games over parts of three seasons with the St. Louis Browns
, winning one of four decisions and compiling an earned run average
of 8.23 in 62⅓ innings pitched — Shore would become a stellar relief pitcher
with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Triple-A International League
during the 1950s. However, by the end of the 1957
season, Shore's active career was over. He was out of the game for three seasons.
In , Bill DeWitt
, who was the owner and general manager
of the Browns when Shore pitched there, assumed the same positions with Shore's hometown Cincinnati Reds
. DeWitt hired Shore as the Reds' batting practice pitcher in -, then promoted him to a full-time coaching position, which Shore held from through .
In , Shore became the Reds' "superscout," serving as both the advance scout analyzing upcoming opponents and as a special assignment scout asked to evaluate playing talent at the major league level. He became one of the most respected scouts of this kind in baseball, advising then-Cincinnati general manager Bob Howsam
on a series of trades — including the deal that netted eventual Baseball Hall of Fame second baseman
Joe Morgan
from the Houston Astros
— that helped Cincinnati win four National League
pennants and World Series
titles in 1975
and 1976
. Shore switched allegiances to the Philadelphia Phillies
on November 8, 1983, and was still scouting for them when he died, at age 75, during a scouting trip to St. Louis
in 1996.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
, coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and scout in Major League Baseball
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...
. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, Shore threw and batted right-handed, stood 6'3" (191 cm) tall and weighed 230 pounds (104 kg).
Shore broke into professional baseball as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but by the time he mustered out of military service in 1946, he had converted to pitching. While his major league pitching career was ordinary — he appeared in 31 games over parts of three seasons with the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, winning one of four decisions and compiling an earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 8.23 in 62⅓ innings pitched — Shore would become a stellar relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Triple-A International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
during the 1950s. However, by the end of the 1957
1957 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Milwaukee Braves over New York Yankees ; Lew Burdette, MVP*All-Star Game, July 9 at Busch Stadium: American League, 6-5-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Marianao *College World Series: California...
season, Shore's active career was over. He was out of the game for three seasons.
In , Bill DeWitt
Bill DeWitt
William Orville DeWitt Sr. was a longtime executive in Major League Baseball whose career spanned more than 50 years in the game. His son William DeWitt, Jr. is currently the principal owner and managing partner of the St. Louis Cardinals, while grandson William O...
, who was the owner and general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
of the Browns when Shore pitched there, assumed the same positions with Shore's hometown 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....
. DeWitt hired Shore as the Reds' batting practice pitcher in -, then promoted him to a full-time coaching position, which Shore held from through .
In , Shore became the Reds' "superscout," serving as both the advance scout analyzing upcoming opponents and as a special assignment scout asked to evaluate playing talent at the major league level. He became one of the most respected scouts of this kind in baseball, advising then-Cincinnati general manager Bob Howsam
Bob Howsam
Robert Lee Howsam was an executive in American professional sport who, in 1959, played a key role in establishing two leagues — the American Football League, which succeeded and merged with the National Football League, and baseball's Continental League, which never played a game but forced...
on a series of trades — including the deal that netted eventual Baseball Hall of Fame second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Joe Morgan
Joe Morgan
Joe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
from the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
— that helped Cincinnati win four National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
pennants and World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
titles in 1975
1975 World Series
The 1975 World Series was played between the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds . It has been ranked by ESPN as the second-greatest World Series ever played...
and 1976
1976 World Series
The 1976 World Series matched the defending champion Cincinnati Reds of the National League against the New York Yankees of the American League, with the Reds sweeping the Series to repeat. The Reds became the only team to sweep an entire multi-tier postseason. The Reds are also the last National...
. Shore switched allegiances to the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
on November 8, 1983, and was still scouting for them when he died, at age 75, during a scouting trip to St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in 1996.