| George Shuba | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: December 13, 1924 Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. | |
| Died: September 29, 2014 (aged 89) Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 2, 1948, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 25, 1955, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .259 |
| Home runs | 24 |
| Runs batted in | 125 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
George Thomas Shuba (December 13, 1924 – September 29, 2014) was an American professional baseball utility outfielder and left-handed pinch hitter in Major League Baseball who played seven seasons for the Brooklyn Dodgers. His seven seasons included three World Series as well as a World Series championship in 1955. He was the first National League player to hit a pinch-hit home run in a World Series game.[1]
Shuba is often remembered for his symbolic role in breaking down Major League Baseball's tenacious "color barrier".[2] While playing for the AAA Montreal Royals in 1946, Shuba offered a congratulatory handshake to teammate Jackie Robinson, who went on to become the first African American to play in a major league game since the late 19th century.[2] The moment was captured in a well-known photograph dubbed A Handshake for the Century for featuring the first interracial handshake in a professional baseball game.[2]
In 1972, Shuba's major league career was featured in a chapter of Roger Kahn's The Boys of Summer, a tribute to the 1950s Brooklyn Dodgers.[1] Kahn observed in his book that Shuba earned his nickname, "Shotgun", by "spraying line drives with a swing so compact that it appeared as natural as a smile".[3][4]
- ^ a b Kovach, John (August 12, 2007). "'Shotgun' George Shuba recounts his baseball life". The Vindicator. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
- ^ a b c Anderson, Dave (April 17, 2006). "A silent, seminal moment in baseball history". New York Times. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
- ^ Kahn (1972), p. 224.
- ^ Schudel, Matt (October 1, 2014) "Dodger outfielder’s greatest hit: Handshake", The Washington Post, page B4 [1] Retrieved September 23, 2017