Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-07-18
SHOCKER Deal
HUGS BONER
AYERS BROWN
Urban Traded to St.
Louis From Yanks
Making Good Rec
ord; Bought Back

Does the career Of Urban Shocker
veteran pitcher recently released by
the Yankees. reveal a "boner" in
the career of Miller Higgins As
pilot Of the New York club? One
of the boners that perha~s have
have been buried by the general
success the Yankee team has en-
joyed during the Higgins regime?
Miller Higgins became manager Of
the Gotham team in 1917. He set
q Immediately 20 rebuild the
team. Among othr things he want
cd a better infield-better from a
defensive and offensive standpoint.
He also wanted an experienced
hUrler.
One of the first moves he made
was to acquire Derrill Pratt, slug
ging second baseman Of the st
Louis Browns. and the late Eddie
Plank. once a star pitcher.
Now the Yankee team included.
among other youngsters, Urban
Shocker.
lie had been acquired from the
Toronto club Of the international
league AZ the close Of the 1916 cam
paign after winning Is and losing
out three games for the Canadians.
In 1917, breaking in with the New
York team, he had won eight and
lost five games. He had an earned
run average of .26l-a mighty good
showing for n green pitcher.
Looking over his team Higgins
selected Shocker as one OF the trad
ing possibilities, and he went 10 the
Browns.
IL took Shocker two years 70 find
himself with the tail-end Browns
outfit. but beginning with the 1920
campaign he became one Of the out
standing hurlers Of the league.
That season he won 20 games and
lost just half that number.
In 1921 - the first wear the
Yankees won the flag under Hug
gins-Shocker turned in 81 victories
and lost but II.
The following season he won q
and lost III.
IN 1928 Urban added 20 more vic
tories and but IL defeats.
Now u 50 happens that the Yank-
ees o the %pennant three Of those
four years without Shocker's help.
and despite the opposition he tossed
in their way. But had Shocker been
turning in that same number of
games for the Hugmen the Yankee
n would have evidenced itself
much sooner.
In 1924. with a h~aphazard team,
Shocker wen is games and lost but
13. The following winter Higgins
made a determined attempt to land
Shocker for the Yankees. believing
that his red-shirted right arm
would swing the Yankees back on
the pennant road. But Shocker had
reached and passed the peak. His
first year under Higgins he broke
in % games which were credit
ed to him. In 1926 he enjoyed his
hest year with the Ysnks. winning
10 and losing II games. Last year
he won Is and lost s. He was both
cred all three years with an uncer-
tain arm that seemed susceptible u
and iameness.
Eddie Plank. traded hv the Browns
10 the Yanks along with Pratt in
the Shocker deal. passed out Of the
game shortly afterwards. Pratt de-
in brilliant stvle for the
Yanks. it must be said in Huggins'l
nal 6tA was n MAfAAhEf VI ~ /
first Murderers' Row. consisting of
Roger Peckinpaugh. Walter
PPM and Babe Ruth. But Shocker
outlasted both Plank and Del.
Despite the fact that seven OF the
full seasons Shocker enjoved IN the
were spent with the Browns
IN and out outfit. Urban bears the
unusual distinction ~ having been
. winning pitcher every year Of his
big league career.
He is one Of the few pitchers Of
note who broke into baseball al an
other position. He played behind the
bat in his kid davs and as a semi
pro. and had his heart set on reach
ing the majors as a backstop. Then
In "fooling around" the pitchers
box one day he discovered a "spit-
ter His ability 10 control this
wierdest Of all shots prompted him
to try pitching. II was as a pitche-
that he broke into the pro ranks
with the Windsor. Ontario. team Of
the Border league, in 1918,