Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoPoto
Otis Stocksdale: Stocksdale pitched for four MLB seasons, but never had a winning record; he did, however, hit .310. He was born in Maryland and attended Johns Hopkins University, which makes him the player with the highest major league batting average to come out of Johns Hopkins.
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By utilizing the magic that is the internet, I located the following starchy Stocksdale footnote in the SABR writeup for turn of the century pitcher Moxie Manuel:
The starch ball was likely invented by pitcher Otis Stockdale, who worked in the laundry business in the offseason. Mineral ingredients in the Atlanta soil gave the loaded spitball a soapy, oily feel. Stockdale used starch to counteract that condition, according to the article “Can’t Use the Spit Ball in Atlanta,” Altoona (Pennsylvania) Times, June 14, 1907
Brian