Interesting Autograph "Stuff"

[JimStinson]

Common players who played a significant "uncommon" role in baseball history, What was it ?
Thought this might be an interesting starter

BERT COLE Pitching On July 15, 1921, he gave up Babe Ruth's 139 career home run, breaking the previous record of 138 set by Roger Connor. Ruth went on to hit 714 home runs.
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jim@stinsonsports.com

[Exhibitman]

First Latin American ballplayer to win a MLB batting championship [he was Mexican]:

[JimStinson]

Nice !!!

Here is another ..
GINGER BEAUMONT As the Pirates' regular leadoff hitter, he was the first player ever to bat in a World Series game 1903
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jim@stinsonsports.com

[r2678]

[JimStinson]

In 1941 Joe DiMaggio set a major league record with a 56 game hitting streak on his way to winning the MVP award.
While Ted Williams became the last major leaguer to hit better than .400 in a season batting a robust .406.

Q: Who led the league in hits in 1941?
A: Not Joe, Not Ted (smile) it was CECIL TRAVIS who claimed that honor with 218
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jim@stinsonsports.com

[HexsHeroes]

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Robert "Bobby" Lowe - May 30, 1894

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[HOF Auto Rookies]

Originally Posted by r2678

Coaches Corner would certify that Ruth

[MooseDog]

Great thread Jim, here's one...

Got this back from Joe Sprinz a catcher who had a 21 game MLB career with the Indians but played several years with the SF Seals in the Pacific Coast League. He was nice enough to lay out his life/career and sign this one pager but he left out what might be the most significant event of his entire life, at least the one that he's remembered for.

As part of a publicity stunt for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition, the 100th "Anniversary" of baseball, and his 37th birthday, Sprinz, now a member of the Seals, agreed to attempt to catch a baseball dropped from a blimp from a height of 800 feet, to set a new world record.

The previous year Hank Helf and Johnny Pytlack of the Cleveland Indians caught balls dropped from the 708 foot Terminal Tower in Cleveland

Sprinz "caught" a ball on the fifth drop, but the force of the ball drove his glove into his face, breaking his jaw and basically making mincemeat of his face. He got knocked out cold, and reportedly dropped the ball, but for the sake of the world record, the Guinness folks ruled it a "catch".

It should be noted that this record has stood longer than Dimaggio's hitting streak.

SI Vault article on this short-lived fad