George W. Shafer [sometimes spelled Shaffer or Schaefer] (October 4, 1851 – January 21, 1922) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. Nicknamed "Orator", because he was an avid speaker, Shafer played for 10 teams in four different major leagues between 1874 and 1890. Though he was a good hitter who batted over .300 three times, Shafer was best known for his defensive abilities. He led the National League\'s outfielders in assists four times. In 1879, he set an MLB single-season record with 50 outfield assists, which is a mark that has stood for over 130 years. He was considered by some to be the greatest right fielder of his era.\n', '

Shafer was 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and weighed 165 pounds (75 kg).\n', '

Shafer was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1851. He was a "promising young Philadelphia amateur" before starting his professional baseball career in 1874 in the National Association. That year, he played in nine games for the Hartford Dark Blues and in one game for the New York Mutuals, with a cumulative batting average of .225. His fielding percentage was a career-low .710. The following season, he played 19 games for the Philadelphia Whites and batted .243.\n', '

Return to Orator Shafer Autograph Profile