Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Garner
As covered in Scott Longert's excellent book, Addie Joss King of Pitchers (1998), I would add to Mark's excellent research that Addie Joss and George Mullin co-owned a billiard parlor in downtown Toledo, OH together during this same time period.
Undoubtedly, there was heavy smoking, drinking and late nights going on in this establishment, knowing the time period. It's only an assumption, but I've wondered if these conditions caused the lung infection that ultimately led to Addie's early demise...
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Caused is a tricky word, Scott. Spending a lot of time in an establishment like that, during that time period, certainly would have been a higher risk for catching an illness like TB which is transmitted by coughing. If you then add on the unhealthy lifestyle choices including smoking, poor nutrition, and lack of sleep, I'm sure just about any significant illness would get worse.
Back in those days the treatment for TB was to go to a sanitarium and "rest". I think pitching in the rowdy days of baseball and spending your nights in a billiard parlor qualifies as pretty much the opposite of "rest." His untimely demise is really not a huge surprise once you analyze it all.