Wednesday, April 7, 2010

WSC Vintage: Ray Shook

Card #15 - Ray Shook

On April 16, 1916, Ray Shook made his debut in a Major League game in Chicago, in a loss to the St. Louis Browns. After the game, Shook was released to the Rockford Wakes of the Three-I League, without ever making a plate appearance.

Ray's career has always been an oddity. Until recently, no known pictures of him in a White Sox uniform had been widely circulated. In fact, some actually believed that Ray Shook did not exist.

Shook was a third string catcher for the White Sox, who was used mostly for exhibition games. Ray made the club in 1916, behind Ray Shalk and Jack Lapp. Shook was plucked out of the Racine, Wisconsin area and given a contract with the White Sox in late 1915. He had played with the Racine Belles of the Bi-State League and with the Racine clubs (the Malted Milks and the Belles) of the Wisconsin-Illinois League before his brief MLB career.

*** A great big thank you to the staff at Shoeless Joe Jackson's Virtual Hall of Fame for providing the photograph and a few vintage articles on Ray Shook.

1 comment:

Collective Troll said...

Dude, that is AMAZING!!! Not that I had any idea who he was or that I thought he was a great player, but it is great that you were able to find a photo and make a card of him! I love it!!!
On a different topic, did you ever make a card of my buddy Rich Saveur? Send me a link if you did...Rich loves your blog and reads regularly. I for one would love to see a custom card of the GREATEST SOX PLAYER TO WEAR #70!

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