[brianp-beme]

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.

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