Arthur Louis Shamsky (born October 14, 1941), nicknamed "Sham" and "Smasher",[1] is an American former Major League Baseball player.

"[1] Shamsky began his professional baseball career in 1960 with the Geneva Redlegs of the New York–Penn League, where he was the roommate of Pete Rose.

[1] Shamsky tied a major league record by homering in four consecutive at-bats for the Reds on August 12 and 14, 1966.

The feat made Shamsky the first player in Reds history to hit two home runs in extra innings in one game.

He is also the only player in Major League history to hit three home runs in a game in which he was not in the starting lineup.

[5] Having suffered from back pain the prior season, he had off-season surgery to have a cyst removed from his tailbone.

[5] He did this in pain, while suffering from a slipped disk in his back that was pressing against his sciatic nerve; one doctor told him he might never play again.

[12] In April 1972, he was released by the St. Louis Cardinals, and five days later signed as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs.

[5] After playing 22 games for the Chicago Cubs in 1972, Shamsky was purchased by the Oakland A's in June of that year, but he was released in July.

[5] A chronic back injury was a factor in his decision to retire in 1972 at age 30 after 13 years in pro baseball, with 68 homers and a World Series ring.

[13] Shamsky faced Ken Holtzman as opposing managers for the first All Star game of the Israel Baseball League.

[4] The Miracle finished the inaugural 2007 season 22–19 (.537), in third place, and after upsetting the # 2 Tel Aviv Lightning in the semi-finals, lost to the Bet Shemesh Blue Sox 3–0 in the championship game.

Shamsky made an appearance, along with several other members of the 1969 Mets, in the series as themselves ("Big Shots" – Season 3, Episode 19).