A Useful Skill
Vernon Deck hit .297 over parts of seven seasons for eight teams in the low minors from 1927 to 1938.
Deck
His one particular talent allowed him to be a featured member of the House of David club; barnstorming with the religious sect in the mid-1930s, and again briefly in the early 40s.
Deck’s talent was described in the HODs press materials as:
“The only man who can put a regulation baseball in his mouth.”
Deck demonstrating his skill
Advice for Baseballists
In 1884, The St. Louis Critic shared a list of “Advice for Baseballists.”
Among their suggestions:
“Try to hit the ball before it passes beyond the range of your bat.”
“If it hits you on the end of the nose do not try to knock it off. Have a little patience and it will fall off.”
“If it should become embedded in your brain, go on with the game as if nothing had happened.”
“Don’t let the bat slip from your hands when you miss the ball unless you are certain it will hit the umpire.”
“Never knock a ball out of the catcher’s hands. Most catchers don’t like it.”
“If you can manage it, try to send the ball among the spectators. They like to be noticed.”
“Always sneer at the pitcher of a rival club. It makes him feel good. If he plugs you in the eye, you must take it as a joke.”
“When you make a good strike, throw your bat in the air, look at the spectators, appear perfectly cool, and get put out.”
Baseball has Peaked, 1885 Version
In 1885, “An old baseballist,” told The Rochester Post-Express:
“(T)the game has lost interest to spectators.”
The reason?
“(B)y reason of the fact that it has become a mere battle of the pitchers.”
The “old baseballist” predicted:
“The American game of the future will be base ball with no pitcher. The ball will be sprung from a ground trap, and the best batters and fielders will win on a uniformly delivered ball for both sides. This will reawaken the old-time interest in the game.”
Another Useful Skill
In 1896, The Cincinnati Post reported that a local resident named Alvin Pietz had a sent a letter to Reds manager Buck Ewing requesting that Ewing get him appointed to the National League umpire staff—citing a particular skill”
Ewing
“I am very familiar with the rules and I am noted for the way I enforce discipline. I should like to tackle the Cleveland team the first day, and if I don’t control the game something will drop. I am a hypnotist, like Billy Earle, so you can see I can control most of the bullies.”
Billy Earle
The paper concluded Pietz’ chance of being appointed remained “decidedly slim.”
Baseball History Daily 
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