Urban Shocker

It almost seemed unfair that the Yankees obtained Urban Shocker from the St. Louis Browns. Shocker won 20 games four years in a row for the Browns, and now he was an added gun to the best team in baseball. Especially when one considers the Yankees were Shocker’s first major league club and they unloaded him to St. Louis in 1918. “There were a lot of things I had to find out, even about my own players,” said Miller Huggins, who had just taken over as manager of the Yankees in 1918. “So I poked around and found out as much as I could about them before the training season started. One of the things I was told was that I would do well to get rid of Shocker as quickly as possible because he was a trouble-maker. I later discovered that my information had done Shocker a grave injustice. Urban has never made trouble for anyone.” Huggins righted his wrong, reacquiring the St. Louis ace.(source SABR)

Note: Urban Shocker is not “Sailor Bob” Shawkey.

Entries in “1927: The Diary of Myles Thomas”

Urban and Eddie  (May 2, 1927)
I admire Urban Shocker more than any man I’ve ever met. But I’ve promised Urban and Miller Huggins, and Eddie Bennett, that I won’t tell anybody why.
Saving Shocker's Game  (June 29, 1927)
Shocker is always thinking at least one pitch ahead — sometimes two or even three — and the same number of at bats — armed with the knowledge he’s gleaned from his fastidious studying of newspaper box scores.
Big Bill Dinneen Doesn’t Appreciate Me  (July 4, 1927)
Fork Me.  (July 11, 1927)
Cabbage And Ribs  (July 19, 1927)
"Hey, Rooms?"  (August 16, 1927)
Babe Ruth Is On A Tear  (September 27, 1927)