Posted By:
Howard W. RosenbergI was just tipped off to the following links, and I apologize (in a non-profane way) if this subject was already raised:
http://s210975194.onlinehome.us/blog/?p=41
Robert Edward Auctions has found a presumably authentic contemporaneous parody (including actual curse words) about verbiage leading to the 1898 National League adoption of the "Brush rule." If you'd like a little background on the rule, here's something that I explained in one of my books: "Named for Cincinnati owner John T. Brush, its goal was to reduce obscene speech on the field. Dirty play had nothing to do with it. If a player did something dirty to another player and shouted an obscenity, the obscenity was what triggered the Brush rule. Expulsion was a potential punishment for a finding of obscenity."
Also, the following online chat room has been weighing in:
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/newsstand/discussion/can_we_even_run_this_1898_obscene_language_basebal l_document_not_for_kids/
Maybe having profane words appear on baseball cards would be a way to liven up the industry.
Howard