Who was Art Schallock married to? All about the oldest former MLB player as he dies at 100

Arthur Lawrence Schallock, popularly known as Art Schallock, passed away on March 5, 2025. He was the oldest living Major League Baseball player, and would have turned 101 next month. Schallock is survived by his two daughters, Dianne and Nancy, whom he had with his late wife Dona Bernard.

MLB's official social media pages reacted to Schallock's death along with a heartwarming note. The former athlete and Navy veteran was born in 1924 and led a life filled with achievements. He was known for replacing Mickey Mantle in the New York Yankees.

Sharing pictures of Schallock, @MLB posted on X:

"We are saddened to learn of the passing of Art Schallock, who we celebrated last year on his 100th birthday. Mr. Schallock pitched for the Yankees and Orioles from 1951-55. He was MLB’s oldest-living player and would have turned 101 next month."

Art Schallock left a lasting mark on the sport of baseball. In his early life, he attended Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley. As a student, he played baseball, golf, and tennis, and his dream was to play with the San Francisco Seals for Lefty O'Doul.

In his early twenties, Schallock joined the US Navy and served in World War II, in the Pacific Ocean on an escort aircraft carrier in 1942. The carrier survived a Japanese torpedo attack, but its 644 crew members failed to survive another one. Following this, the future-baseball player became a radio operator in 1944.

About two years later, after his discharge, Schallock met Donna Bernard on a blind date. The couple got married and spent several decades together. During many of his interviews, Schallock talked about his wife and how she supported him in his career.

How many teams did Art Schallock play for?

Art Schallock's career in baseball was illustrious. However, he faced many ups and downs. In 1946, Schallock's professional baseball journey began when he started playing for the Moffat Manteca team of South San Francisco. About a year later, he signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers and earned a good run average in the Class-A Western League, per The Sonoma Index Tribune.

Following his promotion, he played for the Triple-A Montreal Royals in the late 1940s. His performance led him to being sold to the Hollywood Stars for the Triple-A Pacific Coast League for $1. It turned out to be a good deal, and it also gave wife Dona lots of time to mingle with celebrities.

In 1951, when Art Schallock became a part of the New York Yankees, he led the team's batting for most of the season. The team also won three consecutive World Series against the New York Giants. In 1955, the team placed Schallock on waivers.

The same year, he was signed by another team, the Baltimore Orioles. Art Schallock played 30 games. One of the highlights from his many games was how he gave up a home run to Mickey Mantle. Following his run with the Orioles, the team sold him to the Seattle Rainiers. However. Schallock refused to accept the offer. Rather, he decided to retire from the sport due to his arm injury.

Many sportspersons have been paying tributes to Schallock, remembering his fantastic journey. Art Schallock will always be remembered for his legacy.