Prior to becoming a physician, Hub Pruett was a major league pitcher from 1922-1932. He won 29 games, but was saddled with 49 defeats. A medium pitcher at best.
Between 1922-1924, Pruett hurled for the St. Louis Browns. During these three seasons, he faced the iconic Babe Ruth in 30 plate appearances.
Using a fade-away pitch made famous by Christy Mathewson of New York Giants fame, he struck out “the Bomber” 15 times.
Early in 1948, shortly before Ruth succumbed to throat cancer, he met Pruett and told his old nemesis, “If there would have been more like you, no one would have heard of me.”
Knowing that fanning the Baltimore-born slugger likely kept him on a fine Browns’ team and later in the big leagues, Pruett replied, “I want to thank you, Babe, for putting me through medical school.”
Bob Nieman had a successful, 12-year tenure in the major leagues. Playing for seven teams, he compiled a solid .295 batting average, coupled with 125 round-trippers.
Today, what Nieman is mostly known ...