Hall of Fame Pitcher Addie Joss was discovered, according to his first professional manager, by a man who made a living playing pool with his nose.
Addie Joss
Bob Gilks was Joss’ first manager with the Toledo Mud Hens in the Interstate League. In 1910 he told the story of the pitcher’s discovery to a reporter for The Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader:
“’About ten years ago,’ says Gilks. ‘I was running the Toledo team in the Interstate League for Charlie Strobel.“
Gilks said he was approached by “Professor Lewis.” Professor Henry Lewis was the stage name of a man named Herman Cohn, who preformed billiards exhibitions using his fingers, nose and other body parts; Cohn/Lewis also considered himself a good judge of baseball talent:
“(Lewis said) ‘Gilks, I’ve found a pitcher who is a wonder. He’s playing…in the wilds of Wisconsin, and if you get him and he makes good all I want is $25. His name is Joss.
“I went after Joss and signed him. When he showed up at Toledo he looked like an animated bean pole. He seemed about six and half feet tall and weighed more than 75 pounds, but not much more.
“Joss was a weakling then. He would go into a game and pitch all kinds of curves and benders for three innings. Then he’d get tired and I‘d have to take him out. He complained of pains and I took him to a doctor who decided that Addie had growing pains.
Joss went along this way all year, and next season he showed up sick again. The doctor gave him some pills and cured him, and Addie grew strong. He filled out and began to pitch like a whirl wind.”
Wilks’ contention that he was often required to “take him out” is belied by the statistics—Joss had 33 complete games in 34 starts in 1900.
“Joss did so well the next year (25-18) I knew some big league club would grab him, so I told Strobel, and he decided to go to Addie’s home, invite him to spend a few weeks in Toledo and keep him under cover so no one would find him.
“This was just before Easter and Addie didn’t want to leave home until after that day. He persuaded Strobel to return to Toledo, promising to follow later. And a couple of days afterward Bill Armour slipped into Juneau (Wisconsin) with Charlie Somers’ bankroll and signed Joss.”
Joss was 17-13 for Cleveland in 1902.
According to The Times-Leader, Gilks and Strobel failed to pay the pool player his $25 despite the tip which led to Joss’ signing.
A Ripley’s Believe it or Not Drawing about one of “Professor Lewis'” billiard feats.
Baseball History Daily 