Art Schallock, the oldest living Major League Baseball player and a World War II veteran, has died at age 100.
Schallock pitched in 58 games with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles from 1951-55, winning three World Series rings along the way.
The Yankees shared their condolences on social media, honoring the former pitcher who had celebrated his 100th birthday just last April.
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Schallock’s path to the big leagues wasn’t a straight line. He played semi-pro ball during his high school summers before being drafted into the United States Navy.
He served in the Pacific during World War II from 1943-46.
His professional baseball journey began when he signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946. Five years later, he was traded to the Yankees and made his MLB debut in July 1951.
Here’s where things get interesting: when Schallock joined the Yankees, the team needed to make room on their roster. The player they sent down to Triple-A? A 19-year-old rookie named Mickey Mantle.
“They had to send someone down and it turned out to be Mickey Mantle,” Schallock recalled years later. “He came back quickly, but for many years Mickey and I would joke about it.”
Though Schallock appeared in only seven games during the 1953 regular season, he got to pitch on baseball’s biggest stage. He threw two innings in relief during Game 4 of the World Series against the Dodgers, even retiring the legendary Jackie Robinson.
The Yankees won that series in six games, giving Schallock a championship against his former team.
The Orioles claimed him off waivers from the Yankees in 1955. Over his five MLB seasons, he compiled a 6-7 record with a 4.02 ERA in 170 1/3 innings, splitting his time between starting and relief roles.
Schallock wasn’t just the oldest living MLB player – he was also the last surviving member of the 1953 World Series champion Yankees.
After hanging up his cleats, Schallock worked in public relations for several real estate firms. He and his wife, Donna, raised two daughters, Dianne and Nancy.
With Schallock’s passing, 100-year-old Bill Greason becomes baseball’s oldest living former player. Greason played in the Negro Leagues before joining the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954.
