Doc Amole

From BR Bullpen

Morris George Amole

Bats Right, Throws Left
Height 5' 9", Weight 165 lb.

Debut August 19, 1897
Final Game May 17, 1898
Born July 5, 1878 in Coatesville, PA USA
Died March 7, 1912 in Wilmington, DE USA

[edit] Biographical Information

"Doc Amole . . . had all sorts of curves and speed that kept the Tigers guessing so effectually that only once in the game was there anything that approached a base hit." - from the book Early Innings, recounting a well-attended game between Buffalo and the Detroit Tigers in 1900

Doc Amole was good when he pitched for the 1897 Orioles, a team which went 90-40. He was traded during the off-season to the 1898 Senators, and had a rough time on a team which went 51-101. Much of his professional career was spent in the Eastern League, and he often pitched for Buffalo, whether or not it was in the Eastern League.

Amole was only 19 years old when he was in the majors.

One source recounts a time when Amole was pitching for Wilmington, which was having trouble getting fans. Amole at one point supposedly threw a ball which had a firecracker inside it to batter Honus Wagner, and it exploded as Honus swung. The fans were apparently not impressed, as they rushed to get refunds. The book Honus Wagner (by Arthur D. Hittner) mentions the same episode.

The Sporting Life of December 13, 1902, reported that Amole was running a hotel in Buffalo, and Chummy Gray was working for him.

The quote above refers to a no-hitter Amole threw in Buffalo's first game of the season in the new American League. However, since the league was a minor league in 1900 and didn't become a major league until 1901, his performance has not been given the prominence that it might have had.

While he is usually called "Doc", some sources do refer to him as "Morris Amole".

He died young in 1912.