Local papers are reporting that longtime pitcher Gerald Shearing, who has since 1910, been on the Oilers, will retire at season’s end. This article will look back towards the turn of the 20th Century where Mr. Shearing’s professional career began.
During his career as a Pitcher for the LBL, The Maryland native himself has registered a 28-19 record and 27 saves. His ERA stands at 2.06 and he has fired third strikes past 139 batters in 306.1 innings while giving up 68 walks. His professional Journey first began when in August of 1899 when he pitched for the Boston Banshees, putting up a stat-line of 0.53 ERA, 20 Strikeouts, 0.85 WHIP while only giving up 6 walks across 50.2 innings pitching during his Two and a half years playing for Boston. He was released from Boston in 1902 before turning towards the Brooklyn Whales, while despite only playing 4 games that year, he was a part of their Legacy Cup winning season before being cut in 1903. Despite there being reports that he was seen during Spring Training for the Whales’ rivals, the Richmond Rifles, but he never made the opening day roster before landing himself as a mid-season addition to the Cleveland Athletics at the Western Conference of the LBL.
Shearing’s Five-Year stint for the Cleveland ballclub was tumultuous, finding himself in the Clevelander ‘pen and in their Akron Farm team, while the only notable achievement was Shearing winning the 1907 Reserve League Cup. His two years spent in AAA, Shearing had racked a 1.0 WAR season, a 3.53 ERA across 21 games and striking out 19 batters while walking four. He was given his release there at the beginning of the 1909 season.
During the 1909 off-season, the New GM at the time of the Oilers was in his search of players who he felt had an edge or other qualities to create a more well-rounded ballclub with the goal of fielding a respectable team who can put up a respectable record, expecting this to last about 3-5 seasons before the ball truly can start rolling; he did not foresee the Oilers finishing in 1st place in the Western League so soon, even after only having one year of experience in this league. Deciding to give him the college try, and with the advantage of Gerald being a Left-Handed thrower, The Oilers GM had found Gerald and offered him a contract for his ballclub to begin playing again ahead for the 1910 season. There, Gerald felt 10 years younger, his role as a Reliever for the Oilers team played a part in their turnaround 1910 season as Pittsburgh finishing in 1st place after years of mediocrity before. The 36-year-old Pitcher that year racked a 1.87 ERA, 11 SV, fanning 58 Strikeouts and only walking 29 Batters across the 77 games he played that year, leading the league that year in games played, even being named WL Pitcher of the Month in August!
The remainder of his career had saw no other high-points beyond the 1910 season, while he had made the roster during the Oilers’ first Legacy Cup Series against one of his former teams but there was no joy in Pittsburgh for Gerald on that year. As of 1914, so far Mr. Shearing has marked a count of 3 strikeouts, a 1.69 ERA and a 0.1 WAR Record across 7 games so far into his final year.
A former teammate of his during his time in Pittsburgh reported, “Gerald was always full of himself, he never really grew attached to this city, but he knew how to be a team player, he always knew just what to do during those moments when we needed a good out. He likely had that one moment of glory but I don’t think he has not done anything like that before and probably never will live that year that Pittsburgh finished first place down. Happy Retirement to ol’ sonuvabitch”