What happened to Tillie Shafer?

[H I Mcdonough]

I'm at 1923 in my current historical replay and Tillie Shafer has turned out to be one of the great hitters of his generation: 3-time MVP, career .343 average, nearly 2500 hits so far.

His real life stats come to an abrupt halt in 1913. My first thought was that perhaps he pulled an Addie Joss and died, but according to baseball-reference he died in 1962. So I looked around on this board and online, but I didn't really see anything that explained why his Major League career ended. Was it an injury? Does anyone happen to know what happened to the real-life Tillie Shafer?

[SandMan]

Originally Posted by H I Mcdonough

I'm at 1923 in my current historical replay and Tillie Shafer has turned out to be one of the great hitters of his generation: 3-time MVP, career .343 average, nearly 2500 hits so far.

His real life stats come to an abrupt halt in 1913. My first thought was that perhaps he pulled an Addie Joss and died, but according to baseball-reference he died in 1962. So I looked around on this board and online, but I didn't really see anything that explained why his Major League career ended. Was it an injury? Does anyone happen to know what happened to the real-life Tillie Shafer?

Tillie Shafer came from a wealthy family and was viewed by the fans and his teammates as sort of a snob and momma's boy. He simply retired from the game at age 23 to coach baseball in Japan, then after his return to the US he became a successful businessman in California. He did say when he was older that he regretted not giving it all for baseball and wished he would have stayed with it.

[Kelric]

I had to look him up just to see who he was and I've played the early 1910s twice lately.

Does this link work for everybody? Looks like he was an upper class guy who played for the fun of it and then just didn't want to deal with the game anymore.

That was the fourth link I got on a Google search.

[Kelric]

Beaten to the punch!

[H I Mcdonough]

Originally Posted by Kelric

I had to look him up just to see who he was and I've played the early 1910s twice lately.

Does this link work for everybody? Looks like he was an upper class guy who played for the fun of it and then just didn't want to deal with the game anymore.

That was the fourth link I got on a Google search.

I just knew somebody would find something easily that I overlooked and make me feel dumb.

Thanks, though. Strange that he quit just as he was breaking through. Oh well. Happy new year!

[RchW]

This may be the same link as Kelric posted. It didn't work for me.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wFs...4Ft1GgnFcvuiuU

Interesting story pp 58-60.

[Comedian2004]

Detective Comedian2004 decided to tackle this case pro bono.

October 10, 1912, A.J. Shafer was put on the Giants reserve list. No more than 25 players from one club could be on the list. (That could be 35, it is hard to read)

March 6th, 1913, Arthur Shafer, who has been holding out for a higher salary than the New York club named in two contracts sent to him, denies story sent out from the Giant's training camp at Marlin that he signed with the team for three years. Shafer says there was no truth in the report. He sent a long letter to Manager McGraw yesterday and in no uncertain terms explained to the New York manager just how he stood on the salary question. Neither of the contracts tendered to Shafer comes up to the expectations of the latter, and he again announced last night that he would retire from baseball this year unless his salary demands are met.

March 20, 1913





More coming..

[Comedian2004]

May 22, 1913

[Comedian2004]

April 4th, 1918, there was a mention of a minor league team that was 'captained' by an Art Shafer. I do not know if this is the same guy or not.

It gets even more interesting...

December 19, 1918

[Comedian2004]

February 3rd, 1921

He is mentioned in a story about players retiring in their prime. They mention Big Bill Lange, an outfielder, now an insurance salesman in California and Mr. Shafer, also in business in California.

February 17, 1921

[H I Mcdonough]

Wow! Thanks for the info! This is one of the many things I love about OOTP. Guys like this pop up and I learn about them, and it just deepens my interest in, and appreciation for, baseball and its history.

[84Hammy]

Tillie falls into that class of player whose nickname becomes the only name they are known by. Like "Kid" or "Doc". You are right about the game though, it really deepens one's appreciation of the historical aspect of baseball.

[Big Six]

I just discovered this thread...I should stop by this forum more often, I guess.

Tillie Shafer was a superstar in my Pat O'Farrell dynasty, too. He played 15 years for the Giants, before being traded to the Athletics in 1926. An eleven-time All-Star, he won four batting titles (1914, 1915, 1921, 1922), hitting between .375 and .396 each time. Tillie won the NL MOB in 1915 and 1921.

He regularly led the National League in runs scored and OBP, and stole between 80 and 100 bases a year in his prime. In other words, for a while he was the National League version of Pat O'Farrell.

Tillie retired in 1928 with a lifetime average of .327, over 2800 hits, over 1100 steals, and over 1500 runs scored. He is fourth all-time in walks, trailing Gehrig, Ruth, and O'Farrell; fifth in runs scored, behind O'Farrell, Gehrig, Ruth, and Cobb; and third in stolen bases, after O'Farrell and Cobb. Shafer was a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

[ctorg]

From some of the articles, it sounds like he might have been gay.

[Renner]

Originally Posted by ctorg

From some of the articles, it sounds like he might have been gay.

This coming from a guy with a hot dog for an avatar ??? (just kidding !!!)

[Jamee999]

Originally Posted by Big Six

I just discovered this thread...I should stop by this forum more often, I guess.

Tillie Shafer was a superstar in my Pat O'Farrell dynasty, too. He played 15 years for the Giants, before being traded to the Athletics in 1926. An eleven-time All-Star, he won four batting titles (1914, 1915, 1921, 1922), hitting between .375 and .396 each time. Tillie won the NL MOB in 1915 and 1921.

He regularly led the National League in runs scored and OBP, and stole between 80 and 100 bases a year in his prime. In other words, for a while he was the National League version of Pat O'Farrell.

Tillie retired in 1928 with a lifetime average of .327, over 2800 hits, over 1100 steals, and over 1500 runs scored. He is fourth all-time in walks, trailing Gehrig, Ruth, and O'Farrell; fifth in runs scored, behind O'Farrell, Gehrig, Ruth, and Cobb; and third in stolen bases, after O'Farrell and Cobb. Shafer was a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Knew I recognised his name from somewhere