The Designated Hitter - article from 1910
 

Posted By: <b>runscott</b><p>This morning I was having a cup of coffee on the porch and reading the newspaper (the December 17,1910 "Sporting Life"), and ran across this:<BR><BR>"The Playing Rules. Though the usual suggestions for changes in the rules are as prevalent this Winter as ever, it is not at all likely that there will be any material changes made in the playing rules. The suggestion providing for the elimination of the pitcher from the batting order is being pushed in certain quarters, but there is hardly a chance of such a change being made. In the first place, the rules would either have to be changed as to give one man the privilege of batting for the pitcher or have a different man go up every time it is the pitcher's turn to hit. Though there are few good hitters among the pitchers, it would be a mistake to eliminate them from the batting order. There is just as much pleasure to a home crowd to see the opposing pitcher up in a pinch which gives hope that the other side will get out of a tight place as there is in seeing base hits made. Furthermore, it gives grounds for a hard-luck story when a weak-hitting pitcher breaks up a game with an unexpected hit."<BR><BR>"...and no one really wants to see Ron Blomberg bat anyway" (lol)