Chicago White Sox: Remembering Ray Schalk
A look at his career numbers would not make anyone think that former Chicago White Sox catcher Ray Schalk was a Hall of Fame player. But he was far more than his statistics showed.
Born on this day in 1892, it did not take long for Ray Schalk to become a star in the minors. Signed to a minor league contract in 1911, he tore up the Illinois-Missouri League, posting a .387 batting average with 18 doubles and ten triples. After a solid performance for the Milwaukee Brewers in the minor league American Association the following year, the Chicago White Sox bought Schalk’s contract, where he made his debut at just 19 years old.
From that point, he became a mainstay in the White Sox lineup. Schalk was a workhorse behind the plate, appearing in 120 or more games in 11 of his first 13 full seasons. In 1920, he appeared in an amazing 151 out of 154 games, starting all but one of those games behind the plate. Schalk proved to be a key member of the White Sox success during that time.
However, it is difficult to ascertain his value from his raw statistics. Schalk was a notoriously weak hitter, producing a lifetime .253/.340/.316 batting average. In his 18 year career, Schalk only hit 11 homers, with a career high of four in 1922. He made contact, striking out only 358 times in 6239 plate appearances, and had a solid batting eye, as he drew 638 walks. Yet, it would be quite the stretch to say that Schalk was an offensive weapon.
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In fact, his mediocre play at the plate has led to Schalk being named one of the worst players in the Hall of Fame. His batting numbers certainly are not worthy of immortality, as he has one of the lowest batting averages of any player in the Hall. It certainly makes one wonder why he was enshrined in the first place.
The reason was that Schalk was arguably the best defensive catcher in baseball history. In a time where the catcher position was important defensively, he was essentially a fifth infielder. In fact, Schalk managed to record a putout at every base as a catcher, showing his amazing range and instincts on the diamond.
That defensive acumen was even more important given the composition of the White Sox pitching staff. With spitballers Jim Scott and Ed Walsh, along with knuckleballer Eddie Cicotte, Schalk had to be active behind the plate. He also served as a defacto pitching coach on the field, taking charge of the rotation and guiding them to the World Series twice. He was also credited with catching four no hitters in his career, although one was later taken away when the rules governing no hitters changed. Until he passed away in 1970, Schalk would send congratulatory messages to any catcher who caught a no hitter.
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Ray Schalk may not have been much of a hitter, but he was a brilliant defensive catcher. Born on this day in 1892, he was a key part of the Chicago White Sox success before the Black Sox scandal decimated the franchise.