George Shoch

George Quintus Shoch

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 6", Weight 158 lb.

• Debut September 10, 1886
• Final Game October 2, 1897
• Born January 6, 1859 in Philadelphia, PA USA
• Died September 30, 1937 in Philadelphia, PA USA

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Biographical Information

"A very hard worker and fair hitter, he was of great assistance to his club when any regular was out of the game." - Fred Tenney in an article in the New York Times of March 14, 1911, writing about George Shoch

George Shoch was a multi-position player who had an eleven-year major league career in 1886-89 and 1891-97. His best year statistically was the one year he played in the American Association in 1891, its last year. The 1891 Milwaukee Brewers played 36 games, and Shoch appeared in 34 of them.

He appeared in 179 games at shortstop, 159 in right field, 157 at second base, 99 in left field, 73 at third base, 41 in center field, and 1 as a pitcher. As a pitcher, he pitched three innings in 1888 without giving up a run.

He originally broke in during the 1886 season, when Davy Force was still the Washington Nationals shortstop and Paul Hines was in the outfield.

For the last five years of his major league career, he found a home with the Brooklyn Grooms, managed during most of that period by Dave Foutz. During most of that time, he was one of the ten oldest players in the league. In spite of that, he continued to get at least 200 at-bats each year and hit well enough to keep a job.

One fan lists Shoch in 1897 as having one of the top 100 seasons by a 38-year-old player (he's listed at # 86).

See also 1887 baseball card of George Shoch and Jim Gaffney.

Related Sites

• George Shoch at the SABR Bio Project