66,67,2017mfc Bob Shaw

Robert John Shaw (June 29, 1933 – September 23, 2010) was an Major League Baseball  player from Garden City, New York. A right-handed pitcher, he played on seven teams for eleven seasons, 1957 through 1967. In 1962, he was a National League (NL) All-Star player. In 1966, he led the National League with a perfect 1.000 fielding average as pitcher.

He pitched for the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Athletics, Milwaukee Braves, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, and Chicago Cubs. In 1959, he won 18 games for the American League pennant-winning White Sox. The White Sox lost the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games, but not before Shaw defeated Sandy Koufax with a 1–0 shutout in Game 5.

The White Sox dealt Shaw to the Kansas City Athletics in 1961 in a deal for Don Larsen, who in 1956 became the only pitcher to ever throw a perfect game in the World Series.

On December 15, 1961 Shaw was traded by the Kansas City Athletics with Lou Klimchock to the Milwaukee Braves for Joe Azcue, Ed Charles and Manny Jimenez.

While playing for the Milwaukee Braves, Mr. Shaw made his only All-Star appearance in 1962, pitching two scoreless innings to record a save in the National League's 3-1 victory in Washington, D.C. He won 22 games in two seasons with the Braves before being traded to the San Francisco Giants in a deal that sent All-Star outfielder Felipe Alou to the Braves.

Shaw holds the major-league record for the most balks by a pitcher in one game. He balked 5 times pitching for the Braves on May 4, 1963 against the Chicago Cubs. The balks netted the pitcher a $250 fine from the Braves and a trip to the bullpen.  On June 18, Bragan called on the right-hander to close out a 7-5, 10-inning win over Pittsburgh, and Shaw’s effectiveness marked the unofficial start of his new career as a reliever.

With the Giants in 1965, Shaw went 16-9 with a 2.64 ERA, receiving votes for NL MVP. The tall right hander came to the Mets in 1966, Wes Westrum's first year as manager in New York. He brought some veteran leadership to that staff before Tom Seaver arrived. He also brought a spit ball and threw it often. One game late in the 66 season Shaw and Jerry Grote got into a fist fight on the field after Bob threw a pitch Grote did not call. He pitched two more seasons with the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs before retiring in 1967.

Bob Shaw’s lifetime record in the majors was 108-98, with 32 saves, 14 shut outs, 55 complete games, 880 strikeouts, and a 3.52 ERA over 11 seasons. His brilliant 1959 campaign earned him a key role in White Sox lore.

After his professional playing days were over, Shaw managed the Florida State League's Daytona Beach Dodgers and was a pitching coach for the Milwaukee Brewers. Shaw, 77, died of liver cancer on September 23, 2010 in Tequesta, Florida.

1967 Mets Team Leaders / 1968 Fantazy Cards

WHATS THIS!? A batting average over .300?

*grabs chest*

Tommy Davis, an ex- N.L. batting leader twice over (1962,'63), joins Richie Ashburn (.306 in 1962) & Ron Hunt (.303 in 1964) as the only .300+ batters in the teams history up to now.

Tommy had a good season in his one year as a New York Metropolitan. He led the team in games (154), at bats (577), hits (174), runs scored (72) HR and batting average. Davis's slugging % (.440), OBP (.342), and OPS (.782) all led the team. He smashed 32 doubles and drove in 73 runs. His totals in at bats, hits and double all established new Mets team records.

Ed Kranepool is in the middle of all these team leader cards in the mid 60's and I'm lovin' it. I knew Ed was a lifelong fan favorite Met but I thought that was just through longevity, at which he excelled. But he put up some numbers, albeit numbers only a Met fan could love.

Jerry Buchek! You go Jerry.

Rocky Ron trying to act like he isn't hanging out at the Sadecki Spot.

Tom Seaver was great and would have been considered great on any team he debuted on (it almost wasn't the Mets). But can you imagine how he must have looked to a Met fan in 1967? After years of pitching ineptitude suddenly we had a real top knotch pitcher who was just starting his career. It must have been so exciting, like in 1984 when we saw Dwight Gooden and thought WOW, we got a stallion of a pitcher here.

Tom once told fellow pitcher Chuck Estrada: " Chuck, I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be this good. I knew I could play, but I never thought I was going to get to this level."

And Mets fans were in for a treat as they had the priveledge of witnessing as Seaver rose through the ranks to become one of the best pitchers in baseball history.