SONOMA, Caifornia — Art Shallock, who celebrated his 100th birthday on Thursday, didn’t become a Hall of Famer. But the lefthanded pitcher sure did get a lot of them out during his seven-year Major League Baseball career.

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His birthday was held at Cogir on Napa Road in Sonoma, California, the luxurious assisted-living facility that he calls home, according to the Los Angeles Times. His celebration was open to the public and drew a big crowd. The Dodgers, who first drafted him in 1946, sent him a game jersey — No. 100, the Times reported. A representative of the New York Yankees, where he played most of his career, sent a jersey signed by the 2024 team.

Former MLB manager and player Dusty Baker, who lives nearby in California, dropped by to visit, as well.

Local wineries provided free drinks along with peanuts, popcorn and hotdogs. Shallock tried the wine, then switched to beer, a beverage of choice for ballplayers, the Times reported.

Shallock said he is happy because he’s healthy and alive. He signed baseballs, books and pictures while joking and laughing with the fans, one of whom was the mayor.

Shallock’s memory is as sharp as it ever was — he can remember every moment of the three World Series in which he pitched for the Yankees. The fourth game of the 1953 Series was particularly memorable.

Manager Casey Stengel brought him in to pitch the seventh inning to face Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges, Roy Campanella, Duke Snider and Carl Furillo. He got Robinson out on a line drive and fanned Hodges before walking Campanella, who scored on a double by Snider. That was four Hall of Famers before he got to Furillo, who grounded out. Schallock pitched a scoreless eighth, retiring Billy Loes, Jim Gilliam and Pee Wee Reese.

He said Stengel called on him because he had played with the Dodgers for 4 1/2 years and knew how to pitch them. He helped the Yankees win the Series, his third world championship with the team.

He played with Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra, who was his catcher and mentor. He said he always felt a thrill anytime he walked onto the field at Yankee Stadium.

“Those were some great times,” he said to MLB.com. “Hard to believe I’m hitting 100, but looking back on my life I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had.”

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