Tillie Shafer
Encyclopedia
Arthur Joseph "Tillie" Shafer (March 22, 1889 - January 10, 1962) was a Major League Baseball
infielder
with the New York Giants
from 1909 to 1913.
Shafer was an accomplished athlete in college on the west coast, winning numerous track and field medals. He was once timed at 3.2 seconds running from the batter's box to first base.
However, his time in major league baseball wasn't very happy for him. A young, shy man from a wealthy family, Shafer was hassled from the moment he first entered the Giants' clubhouse as a rookie. Outfielder Cy Seymour
gave him the feminine nickname Tillie, which stuck. Throughout his tenure in New York, Shafer was branded as a "momma's boy" and razzed by his teammates.
After two seasons of sitting on the bench, Shafer took 1911 off to go home and also to play baseball in Japan. He returned the following season, and in 1913, he was a regular in the Giants' starting line-up for the first time. He got to play in the 1912 and 1913 World Series
.
On December 16, 1913, Shafer announced his retirement. He summed up his time with the Giants with: "I have satisfied every ambition in a baseball way. Now I want to forget I was ever in it. It is an episode in my life that I am trying hard to forget."
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
with the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
from 1909 to 1913.
Shafer was an accomplished athlete in college on the west coast, winning numerous track and field medals. He was once timed at 3.2 seconds running from the batter's box to first base.
However, his time in major league baseball wasn't very happy for him. A young, shy man from a wealthy family, Shafer was hassled from the moment he first entered the Giants' clubhouse as a rookie. Outfielder Cy Seymour
Cy Seymour
James Bentley "Cy" Seymour was an American center fielder and pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1896 through , Seymour played for the New York Giants , Baltimore Orioles , Cincinnati Reds and Boston Braves...
gave him the feminine nickname Tillie, which stuck. Throughout his tenure in New York, Shafer was branded as a "momma's boy" and razzed by his teammates.
After two seasons of sitting on the bench, Shafer took 1911 off to go home and also to play baseball in Japan. He returned the following season, and in 1913, he was a regular in the Giants' starting line-up for the first time. He got to play in the 1912 and 1913 World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
.
On December 16, 1913, Shafer announced his retirement. He summed up his time with the Giants with: "I have satisfied every ambition in a baseball way. Now I want to forget I was ever in it. It is an episode in my life that I am trying hard to forget."