Shea, nicknamed "Lefty", was signed by the Boston Red Sox on June 15, 1928, the day after he graduated from Boston College, where he had played college baseball.[1] He made his first professional appearance two weeks later, on June 30; it was also Shea's only major league appearance.[2] Hosting the New York Yankees at Fenway Park, the Red Sox were trailing, 9–3, at the end of the eighth inning in the first game of a doubleheader.[3] Shea was brought in to pitch the top of the ninth; the first batter that he faced was Lou Gehrig, whom he walked.[3] This was followed by a double and then three ground outs, which allowed two of the Yankees to score.[3] Thus, Shea was charged with two earned runs in one inning pitched, for an earned run average of 18.00[2]
