Autographs of Bobby Shantz
Robert Clayton Shantz (born September 26, 1925) is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1949 through 1964, and won the 1952 American League Most Valuable Player Award as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics. A three-time All-Star, Shantz won eight consecutive Gold Glove Awards and won a World Series championship with the 1958 New York Yankees. He is the last living Philadelphia Athletics player, the oldest living MLB MVP, and the last surviving MLB player who played in the 1940s.
He also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Colt .45s, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, and the Philadelphia Phillies. 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.
Shantz was born on September 26, 1925, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, to Wilmer A. and Ruth E. (Ebert) Shantz. His father was a semi-pro baseball player in the 1920s. During the Great Depression, Wilmer found the means to take Shantz and his younger brother Bill (Wilmer Jr.) to baseball games in Philadelphia. Shantz attended Pottstown High School, where he starred in multiple sports (including at least baseball, basketball and swimming), graduating in 1943. Shantz played semi-pro and sandlot baseball during and after high school, with his father's encouragement. Shantz also worked at an aircraft plant and then at a saw company in Philadelphia. He was drafted during World War II and assigned to serve in the Philippines toward the War's end. He played baseball on military teams, some of which included major league players.
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Current items with a signature of Bobby Shantz
These are the most current items with a signature of Bobby Shantz that were listed on eBay and on other online stores - click here for more items.
Traded items with a signature of Bobby Shantz
The most expensive item with a signature of Bobby Shantz (Connie Mack Bobby Shantz JSA Cert Signed Vintage 3x2 Photo Autograph) was sold in December 2025 for £287.58 while the cheapest item (BOBBY SHANTZ Hand Signed CUT With 4X6 Photo - PITCHER 8 GOLD GLOVES NY YANKEES) found a new owner for £0.17 in February 2022. The month with the most items sold (34) was December 2025 with an average selling price of £36.14 for an autographed item of Bobby Shantz. Sold items reached their highest average selling price in June 2026 with £41.23 and the month that saw the lowest prices with £0.54 was July 2023. In average, an autographed item from Bobby Shantz is worth £27.58.
Most recently, these items with a signature of Bobby Shantz were sold on eBay - click here for more items.
