Orator Shafer | |
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Right fielder | |
Born: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | October 4, 1851|
Died: January 21, 1922 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US | (aged 70)|
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
May 23, 1874, for the Hartford Dark Blues | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 13, 1890, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .282 |
Home runs | 11 |
Runs batted in | 317 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
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George W. Shafer [sometimes spelled Shaffer or Schaefer[1]] (October 4, 1851 – January 21, 1922) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. Nicknamed "Orator", because he was an avid speaker, Shafer played for 10 teams in four different major leagues between 1874 and 1890. Though he was a good hitter who batted over .300 three times, Shafer was best known for his defensive abilities. He led the National League's outfielders in assists four times. In 1879, he set an MLB single-season record with 50 outfield assists, which is a mark that has stood for over 130 years. He was considered by some to be the greatest right fielder of his era.
Shafer was 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and weighed 165 pounds (75 kg).[2]