Bobby Shantz

A left-hander, Shantz began his career as a starting pitcher, but about halfway through he converted to a competent relief pitcher. In 1951, he added the knuckleball to his repertoire. Standing only 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m), Shantz had a career record of 119 games won, 99 games lost, and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.38.\n', '

Shantz enjoyed his best season in 1952 when he led the American League in wins (24) and won the MVP Award. In the process, he led the A\'s to a fourth-place finish. This was their last winning season in Philadelphia. The 1952 A\'s had some good players, including batting champion Ferris Fain, shortstop Eddie Joost, home run hitter Gus Zernial, and fleet center fielder Dave Philley. In a September 1952 game, Shantz\'s left wrist was broken after it was hit by a pitch thrown by Walt Masterson. The following season, Shantz injured his shoulder in a game against the Bost…