Ernie Shore

Ernest Grady Shore (March 24, 1891 – September 24, 1980) was an American professional baseball pitcher. Shore played in Major League Baseball for the New York Giants of the National League in 1912, and in the American League for the Boston Red Sox from 1914 to 1917, and the New York Yankees from 1919 to 1920.

Shore was born and raised on a farm near East Bend, North Carolina, in 1891. He played college baseball for Guilford College when he received a trial with the Giants in 1912. After being released to the minor leagues, the Red Sox purchased Shore in 1914, and he helped them win the World Series in 1915 and 1916. Shore pitched a combined no-hitter with Babe Ruth on June 23, 1917. After missing the 1918 season due to his military service during World War I, the Red Sox traded Shore to the Yankees, but an arm injury he suffered with the Red Sox limited his effectiveness. Shore finished his playing career in the minor leagues during the 1921 season.

After retiring from baseball, Shore went into business in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as a car salesman and insurance agent. He was elected sheriff of Forsyth County in 1936 and served in the role until 1970. Shore died in Winston-Salem in 1980.

Ernest Grady Shore was born on March 24, 1891, in Yadkin County, North Carolina, near East Bend. He was the second of five sons born to Henry and Martha Shore. The Shores lived on a farm with over 200 acres (81 ha) of crops, but Ernie did not enjoy farming. Every Saturday, he went into East Bend or Forsyth County to play baseball as an outfielder for a local amateur team.

Shore enrolled at Guilford College in 1910, and he played college baseball for the Guilford Quakers as a pitcher under Chick Doak. He studied to become a civil engineer at Guilford and graduated in 1914. Shore continued to return to Guilford during baseball offseasons to serve as a math professor.

In 1912, the New York Giants of the National League obtained Shore for a trial from Guilford. He traveled with the team during the summer, often pitching batting practice to Giants hitters. He made his major league debut on June 20 as a relief pitcher, replacing Hooks Wiltse in a 21–2 blowout against the Boston Braves. Shore allowed ten runs in the ninth inning, though only three were earned runs, as the Giants won 21–12. Giants manager John McGraw attempted to option Shore to the Indianapolis Indians of the Double-A American Association and wanted Shore to report to spring training with the Giants in 1913, but Shore refused and returned to Guilford. McGraw suspended Shore, who had to pay a $25 ($814 in current dollar terms) fine to the National Baseball Commission to be reinstated for the 1913 season.

After his junior year at Guilford, Shore pitched for the Greensboro Patriots of the Class D North Carolina State League in 1913, as Doak served as their manager. Shore had an 11–12 win–loss record and a 3.63 earned run average (ERA) for Greensboro. After the season, the Baltimore Orioles of the Double-A International League drafted Shore from Greensboro. Shore graduated from Guilford in June 1914 and reported to Baltimore on June 4. However, the Federal League, a major league, had debuted in 1914 with the Baltimore Terrapins competing directly with the Orioles; the Orioles struggled financially as they failed to draw fans to their games, forcing them to sell their best players. The Orioles sold Shore, Babe Ruth, and Ben Egan to the Boston Red Sox of the American League on July 9, reportedly for $11,000 ($353,571 in current dollar terms). With Baltimore, Shore won five games and lost three.

In his Red Sox debut against the Cleveland Naps on July 14, 1914, Shore pitched a complete game, allowing two hits. For the Red Sox in the 1914 season, Shore won ten games and lost five, pitching to a 2.00 ERA. Shore started the Red Sox' Opening Day game in 1915. During the 1915 season, Shore pitched to a 19–8 win–loss record and a 1.64 ERA. The Red Sox won the American League pennant and faced the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies in the 1915 World Series. Shore started Game 1 for the Red Sox against Grover Cleveland Alexander, and lost by a score of 3–1. The Red Sox won the next two games. Shore faced George Chalmers in Game 4, which the Red Sox won by a score of 2–1. The Red Sox won Game 5 to win the series. Shore had a 2.12 ERA in 17 innings pitched in the series.