Bob Shawkey

James Robert Shawkey

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 168 lb.
• School Slippery Rock State Normal School
• Debut July 16, 1913
• Final Game September 29, 1927
• Born December 4, 1890 in Sigel, PA USA
• Died December 31, 1980 in Syracuse, NY USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Bob Shawkey played fifteen seasons in the majors, winning twenty games four times and reaching the World Series five times. He later managed the New York Yankees for a season.

Cartoon from 1913 when he was new with the team.

Shawkey began his pro career with the Harrisburg Senators of the Tri-State League in 1911 and reached the majors two years later when he joined the Philadelphia Athletics' rotation. He went 16-8 with 18 complete games and 5 shutouts in 1914 as the A's reached the World Series. However, he gave up three runs (two earned) in five innings in Game Four of the Fall Classic, as Philadelphia was swept by the Boston Braves. The following summer, Athletics owner/manager Connie Mack sold off many of his key players, and Shawkey was sent to the New York Yankees on June 28th.

In 1916, his first full season in New York, Shawkey won 24 games, posted a 2.21 ERA, and notched an American League best 8 saves. His performance declined the next year, and he missed most of the 1918 season serving in the Navy during World War I. After returning from the war, he had two straight 20 win seasons, and he paced the AL with a 2.45 ERA in 1920. He slipped to 18 wins and a 4.08 ERA in 1921 as the Yankees reached the World Series (falling to the New York Giants). Then, the next summer, he again recorded 20 wins as New York repeated as AL champs (and again lost to the Giants in the Series).

Shawkey made history early in the 1923 season, starting the first game at new Yankee Stadium. After winning 16 games during the season, he recorded a victory in Game Four of that year's World Series as the Yankees finally defeated the Giants for the crown. Over the next four years, his numbers fell off, however, and he suffered an injured foot, causing him to miss a portion of the 1926 campaign. He went on to appear in 19 games for the 1927 Yankees but did not appear in the World Series that season.

After pitching for the Montreal Royals in the International League in 1928, Shawkey joined the Yankees staff as pitching coach in 1929. Following the death of New York manager Miller Huggins, he became skipper of the club, spending one season at the helm and leading the team to a third place finish in 1931. He would go on to manage in the minors for several years with the Jersey City Skeeters in 1931, the Scranton Miners in 1932 and 1933, and the Newark Bears in 1934 and 1935. After scouting for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers in the 1940s, he returned to managing, leading the Tallahassee Pirates during part of 1949 and the Jamestown Falcons in 1950. He was then coach at Dartmouth College from 1952 to 1956.

In 1976, Shawkey threw out the ceremonial first pitch at newly-renovated Yankee Stadium. He died at age 90 following a long illness.

Notable Achievements

• AL ERA Leader (1920)
• 2-time AL Saves Leader (1916 & 1919)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 8 (1914, 1916 & 1919-1924)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 4 (1916, 1919, 1920 & 1922)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 9 (1914, 1916, 1917 & 1919-1924)
• Won three World Series with the Philadelphia Athletics (1913 - he did not play in the World Series) and the New York Yankees (1923 & 1927; he did not play in the 1927 World Series)

Preceded by Art Fletcher

New York Yankees Manager 1930

Succeeded by Joe McCarthy

Year-By-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs	Notes
1930	New York Yankees	American League	86-68	3rd	New York Yankees
1931	Jersey City Skeeters	International League	23-46	7th	none	none	replaced Specs Toporcer (42-56) on July 19
1932	Scranton Miners	New York-Penn League	41-27	4th	none	none	replaced Bill Clymer (30-41)
1933	Scranton Miners	New York-Penn League	64-70	5th	none	none
1934	Newark Bears	International League	93-60	1st	New York Yankees	Lost in 1st round
1935	Newark Bears	International League	81-71	4th	New York Yankees	Lost in 1st round
1947	Watertown Athletics	Border League	70-54	2nd	none	Lost in 1st round
1949	Tallahassee Pirates	Georgia-Florida League		--	Pittsburgh Pirates		replaced Norman Veazey / replaced by Johnnie Heving
1950	Jamestown Falcons	PONY League	60-64	6th	Detroit Tigers
1951	Watertown Athletics	Border League	22-30	--	none		Team disbanded on July 1

Related Sites

• Bob Shawkey at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Manager page
• Bob Shawkey Obituary