Vince Shupe
{{short description|American baseball player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Vince Shupe
|image=Vince_Shupe.jpg
|image_size=
|caption=Shupe with the Boston Braves, c. 1945
|position=First baseman
|bats=Left
|throws=Left
|birth_date={{birth date|mf=yes|1921|9|5}}
|birth_place=East Canton, Ohio
|death_date={{death date and age|mf=yes|1962|4|5|1921|9|5}}
|death_place=Canton, Ohio
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=July 7
|debutyear=1945
|debutteam=Boston Braves
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 30
|finalyear=1945
|finalteam=Boston Braves
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=Batting average
|stat1value=.269
|stat2label=Home runs
|stat2value=0
|stat3label=Runs batted in
|stat3value=15
|teams=
- Boston Braves ({{mlby|1945}})
}}
Vincent William Shupe (September 5, 1921 – April 5, 1962) was a professional baseball first baseman who played for the 1945 Boston Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Listed at {{convert|5|ft|11|in|m}} and {{convert|180|lb|kg}}, he batted and threw left-handed.
Biography
Shupe's minor league career spanned 1939 to 1950; he did not play professionally for two seasons (1942–1943) during World War II. He appeared in 1153 minor league games, playing for seven different teams, including four seasons in the Pacific Coast League.{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=shupe-001vin |title=Vince Shupe Minor Leagues Statistics & History |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=July 21, 2020}} Primarily a first baseman, he also made nine appearances as a pitcher early in his career, and five appearances in the outfield late in his career.
Shupe is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II. His first major league experience was on July 7, 1945,{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/S/Pshupv101.htm |title=Vince Shupe |website=Retrosheet |access-date=July 21, 2020}} for the Boston Braves against the Pittsburgh Pirates.{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1945/B07070BSN1945.htm |title=Boston Braves 7, Pittsburgh Pirates 6 |date=July 7, 1945 |website=Retrosheet |access-date=July 21, 2020}} He played first base regularly for the Braves through the end of the season, taking over from Joe Mack, whose last game had been on July 4.{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1945/Imackj1010011945.htm |title=The 1945 BOS N Regular Season Batting Log for Joe Mack |website=Retrosheet |access-date=July 21, 2020}} Baseball records list Shupe as appearing in a game earlier in the season, against the Brooklyn Dodgers on June 17;{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1945/Ishupv1010011945.htm |title=The 1945 BOS N Regular Season Batting Log for Vince Shupe |website=Retrosheet |access-date=July 21, 2020}} however, that was a suspended game, and he only played in the completion of the game, when it was resumed on August 4.{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1945/B06172BSN1945.htm |title=Boston Braves 4, Brooklyn Dodgers 1 (2) |date=June 17, 1945 |website=Retrosheet |access-date=July 21, 2020}} Shupe played in 78 major league games, registering a .269 batting average (76-for-283), 15 RBIs, and no home runs. Defensively, he made eight errors in 703 total chances for a .989 fielding percentage.
Shupe was a native of East Canton, Ohio. At one time, he dated actress Jean Peters.{{cite web |url=https://www.cantonrep.com/news/20160714/starks-famous-vincent-w-shupe |title=Stark's Famous: Vincent W. Shupe |website=The Repository |location=Canton, Ohio |date=July 14, 2016 |access-date=July 21, 2020}} After his professional baseball career, he worked as a petroleum salesman.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/55816553/former-major-league-player-dies-at/ |title=Former Major League Player Dies at Canton |agency=AP |newspaper=The Marion Star |location=Marion, Ohio |page=17 |date=April 7, 1962 |access-date=July 21, 2020 |via=newspapers.com}} Shupe died at the age of 40 in Canton, Ohio.
Retrosheet
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{baseballstats |br=s/shupevi01 |brm=shupe-001vin |retro=S/Pshupv101}}
- {{findagrave|52517855}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shupe, Vince}}
Category:Baseball first basemen
Category:Boston Braves players
Category:Johnstown Johnnies players
Category:Hartford Laurels players
Category:Indianapolis Indians players
Category:San Diego Padres (minor league) players
Category:Portland Beavers players
Category:Oklahoma City Indians players
Category:People from East Canton, Ohio