Spec Shea Stats

Spec Shea was born on Saturday, October 2, 1920, in Naugatuck, Connecticut. Shea was 26 years old when he broke into the big leagues on April 19, 1947, with the New York Yankees. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Spec Shea baseball stats page.

Baseball Almanac Top Quote

"Everything I touched turned to gold that year. Getting credit for the win in the All-Star game. Two victories in the World Series. How fortunate I was. It was a year you dream about. The only thing I feel bad about was I hurt my arm that year. I had no problem winning in the big leagues." - Spec Shea in Connecticut Baseball:: The Best of the Nutmeg State (Don Harrison, the History Press, 09/11/2008, Page 98)

Spec Shea

Spec 'The Naugatuck Nugget' Shea Autograph on a 1991 Topps Archives Baseball Card (#164 | <a href='../baseball_cards/baseball_cards_oneset.php?s=1991top05' title='1991 Topps Archives Baseball Card Checklist'>Checklist</a>)

Spec 'The Naugatuck Nugget' Shea Autograph on a 1991 Topps Archives Baseball Card (#164 | Checklist)

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Birth Name:   Francis Joseph Shea
Nickname:   Frank - Spec - The Naugatuck Nugget
Born On:   10-02-1920  (Libra)
Place of Birth Data Born In:   Naugatuck, Connecticut
Year of Death Data Died On:   07-19-2002 (1,000 Oldest Living)
Place of Death Data Died In:   New Haven, Connecticut
Cemetery:   St. James Cemetery, Naugatuck, Connecticut
High School:   Naugatuck High School (Naugatuck, CT)
College:   None Attended
Batting Stances Chart Bats:   Right   Throwing Arms Chart Throws:   Right
Player Height Chart Height:   6-00   Player Weight Chart Weight:   195
First Game:   04-19-1947 (Age 26)
Last Game:   08-27-1955
Draft:   Not Applicable

Spec Shea

Spec Shea Pitching Stats

1947 27 Yankees 27 23 3 14 5 .737 3.07 13 3 1 178.2 734 127 61 63 10 89 1 89 0 4 0 -
1948 28 Yankees 28 22 4 9 10 .474 3.41 8 3 1 155.2 663 117 59 66 10 87 2 71 1 2 1 -
1949 29 Yankees 20 3 10 1 1 .500 5.33 0 0 1 52.1 239 48 31 36 5 43 0 22 1 0 0 -
1951 31 Yankees 25 11 7 5 5 .500 4.33 2 2 0 95.2 431 112 46 59 11 50 0 38 1 4 0 -
1952 32 Senators 22 21 1 11 7 .611 2.93 12 2 0 169.0 723 144 55 62 6 92 2 65 4 2 0 -
1953 33 Senators 23 23 0 12 7 .632 3.94 11 1 0 164.2 706 151 72 82 11 75 0 38 3 4 1 0
1954 34 Senators 23 11 9 2 9 .182 6.18 1 0 0 71.1 334 97 49 54 9 34 4 22 3 2 0 -
1955 35 Senators 27 4 16 2 2 .500 3.99 1 1 2 56.1 246 53 25 31 4 27 0 16 2 1 0 -
8 Years 195 118 50 56 46 .549 3.80 48 12 5 943.2 4,076 849 398 453 66 497 9 361 15 19 2 0

Spec Shea

Spec Shea Hitting Stats

1947 27 Yankees 27 56 8 11 2 1 0 0 1 5 0 9 8 0 0 1 .196 .262 .268
1948 28 Yankees 28 47 4 7 0 2 0 0 4 6 0 11 5 0 1 1 .149 .259 .234
1949 29 Yankees 20 12 1 3 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 .250 .357 .250
1951 31 Yankees 25 28 5 6 0 0 1 0 5 2 0 7 1 0 0 0 .214 .267 .321
1952 32 Senators 22 63 6 15 2 0 0 0 10 2 0 16 1 0 0 2 .238 .262 .270
1953 33 Senators 23 62 2 11 1 1 0 0 6 2 0 9 4 0 0 3 .177 .203 .226
1954 34 Senators 23 20 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 .050 .050 .100
1955 35 Senators 27 10 1 4 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 .400 .400 .600
8 Years 195 298 29 58 8 4 1 0 33 19 0 63 19 0 1 7 .195 .245 .258

Spec Shea

Spec Shea Fielding Stats

1947 Yankees P 27 23 536 23 0.9 23 9 14 0 0 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.16
1948 Yankees P 28 22 467 22 0.8 21 4 17 1 0 n/a n/a n/a .955 1.21
1949 Yankees P 20 3 157 12 0.6 11 2 9 1 1 n/a n/a n/a .917 1.89
1951 Yankees P 25 11 287 22 0.9 21 7 14 1 3 n/a n/a n/a .955 1.98
1952 Senators P 22 21 507 37 1.7 37 14 23 0 1 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.97
1953 Senators P 23 23 494 29 1.3 29 5 24 0 2 n/a n/a n/a 1.000 1.59
1954 Senators P 23 11 214 23 1.0 22 5 17 1 1 n/a n/a n/a .957 2.78
1955 Senators P 27 4 169 12 0.4 10 3 7 2 0 n/a n/a n/a .833 1.60
P Totals 195 118 2,831 180 0.9 174 49 125 6 8 n/a n/a n/a .967 1.66
8 Years 195 118 2,831 180 0.9 174 49 125 6 8 n/a n/a n/a .967 1.66

Spec Shea

Spec Shea Miscellaneous Stats

1947 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 6.2 56.0 1.00 4.48 4.48
1948 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 4.3 11.8 0.82 4.10 5.03
1949 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 6.0 3.0 0.51 3.78 7.39
1951 Yankees 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 28.0 4.0 5.6 0.76 3.57 4.70
1952 Senators 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 3.9 6.3 0.71 3.46 4.90
1953 Senators 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 6.9 10.3 0.51 2.08 4.10
1954 Senators 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 3.3 20.0 0.65 2.78 4.29
1955 Senators 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 0.0 3.3 5.0 0.59 2.56 4.31
8 Years 0 0 .000 0 0 n/a 298.0 4.7 9.0 0.73 3.44 4.74

Spec Shea

Spec Shea Miscellaneous Items of Interest

1947 New York Yankees 20 $5,000.00 Stats Stats
1948 New York Yankees 20 $15,000.00 - -
1949 New York Yankees 20 $11,250.00 - -
1951 New York Yankees 19 $5,000.00 - -
1952 Washington Senators 17 $5,000.00 - -
1953 Washington Senators 17 $14,000.00 - -
1954 Washington Senators 17 $14,000.00 - -
1955 Washington Senators 17 $10,500.00 - -

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These New York Yankee pitchers led all American League pitchers in winning percentage prior to Spec Shea (1947): Jack Chesbro (1904), Nick Cullop (1916), Carl Mays (1921), Joe Bush (1922), Herb Pennock (1923), Johnny Allen (1932), Russ Van Atta (1933), Lefty Gomez (1934 & 1941), Bump Hadley (1936), Atley Donald (1939), Tiny Bonham (1942) and Spud Chandler (1943). Names in bold were not just rookie pitchers, they were playing in their first major league season!

Did you know that Spec Shea, during his first season in the majors, pitched three innings of the 1947 All-Star Game, allowed one earned run, won the game, and became the first pitcher in baseball history (from either league) to win a Midsummer Classic during their rookie season?

Spec Shea, Beer Advertisement

Spec Shea | Hull's Beer Standee | Image from Hake's Collectibles Auction (Link)

Spec Shea almost became the first Bronx Bomber to win Rookie of the Year. How? In 1947 and '48, the Baseball Writers Association of America gave only one player the Rookie of the Year, a practice they changed in 1948, when they began awarding it to the top player in both the American and National League. Spec (67 votes) finished third in voting in 1947, behind two National League players, Jackie Robinson (129 votes) and Larry Jansen (105 votes), but most amongst all American Leaguers that year, so Shea would have been the Rookie of the Year if there were separate winners.