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T3-Helmar, #165
Urban Shocker

Picture, Helmar Brewing, T3-Helmar Card # 165, Urban Shocker, Throwing hard, yellow sky, New York YankeesPicture, Helmar Brewing, T3-Helmar Card # 165, Urban Shocker, Throwing hard, yellow sky, New York Yankees
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Customer Submitted Images


Picture, Helmar Brewing, T3-Helmar Card # 165, Urban Shocker, Throwing hard, yellow sky, New York Yankees

Treasure box of T-3!
T. Hallman

Picture, Helmar Brewing, T3-Helmar Card # 165, Urban Shocker, Throwing hard, yellow sky, New York Yankees

Collected one-by-one
Gary Stone

Picture, Helmar Brewing, T3-Helmar Card # 165, Urban Shocker, Throwing hard, yellow sky, New York Yankees

Getting close to the full set
Gary Stone

Card Statistics

Urban Shocker is presented in Helmar’s T3 series with the New York Americans in the balance point of his pitching motion, his weight gathered over the right leg as the left leg lifts outward and the glove arm extends to the side. The pale pinstriped uniform, deep blue cap, and blue stockings give the figure a clear Yankees identity, while the open stance and turned head create a strong sense of suspended motion just before the delivery continues forward. The low crowd and open field behind him keep the attention on the mechanics of the pose.

The original artwork was painted by Natalia Valiukavich in watercolor. She models the uniform with soft cream, gray, and cool blue washes, using the pinstripes and deeper folds around the torso and trousers to define Shocker’s movement. The saturated blue cap and stockings provide the principal color accents, while the dark glove and shoes balance the figure at opposite ends. The sky is especially effective, built from pale blue, yellow, and pink bands that give the scene a luminous, almost early-evening atmosphere.

Urban James Shocker was one of the American League’s most accomplished pitchers of the 1920s. He first reached the majors with the Yankees but established himself as a star with the St. Louis Browns, where he became known for his excellent control, durability, and mastery of the spitball. Shocker won 20 or more games in four consecutive seasons from 1920 through 1923 and was one of the few pitchers permitted to continue using the spitball after it was generally outlawed.

Shocker returned to New York in 1925 and became an important member of the Yankees staff during the rise of the Ruth-Gehrig dynasty. He won 19 games in 1926 and 18 in 1927, contributing significantly to the celebrated championship club of that season. His career was eventually shortened by serious heart disease, but during his peak he was one of the most dependable and effective pitchers in the league.

Numbered #165, the Shocker card adds another major pitching figure from the Yankees teams of the 1920s to the T3 checklist. His connection to both the Browns and Yankees, his status as one of the last legal spitball pitchers, and his important role on the 1927 championship club give the subject substantial historical interest.

Original watercolor artwork by Natalia Valiukavich.

 

  • Description: Throwing hard, yellow sky
  • Team: New York Yankees
  • Population (# Sold): 18
  • First Date Sold: 2021-12-21
  • Latest Date Sold: 2026-01-27
  • Card Status: Active
  • # Sold in past year: 2
  • Highest Auction: $ 56.00
  • Average Auction Result: $ 23.09

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Visit these teammates on the New York Yankees in the T3-Helmar series

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