June 10, 1944 – The youngest player in MLB history makes his debut. Relief pitcher Joe Nuxhall at 15 years, 316 days, took the mound for the Cincinnati Reds. The current rules for Major League Baseball require athletes to be at least 18 years of age, but back then there was no such rule.
Nuxhall stood 6 foot-2 inches tall when in the ninth grade in Hamilton, Ohio. On the hill, he was a left-hander with a hard fastball but didn’t have the best placement of pitches. His father Orville Nuxhall was playing minor league ball and in 1943, the father-son tandem was playing together.
The Reds organization was trying to sign Orville to a contract but he declined on the account of having five kids at home. The scouts then became interested in Joe, who was only 14 at the time. Joe Nuxall would become an All-Star and later a radio broadcaster of MLB games.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
The Inspiring Comeback of Weightlifter Tim Caso
When I first started Olympic Weightlifting in 1981, at nineteen years old, Tim was
Chicago’s Weightlifting Legacy: Mark Levell
As with many weightlifters, Mark’s interest in the sport began with watching weightlifting on
Kentomania: A Sneak Peek at the Black Basketball Virtuoso in Communist Poland
With a “won’t be denied” attitude, he took basketball to a level that few
Cheers and Gears: The Tech Behind Today’s College Football Experience
The college football experience has evolved tremendously over the past decade, integrating new technologies
Pro Quarterback Magazine: A Nostalgic Journey Through NFL History
Although it is difficult to get much information on when the first issue was
Legends and Leisure: Stadium-Inspired Seating for Themed Restaurants
Sports culture has a powerful way of bringing people together, and themed restaurants are
The Greatest NFL Quarterbacks of the 1970s
Well, I have refrained from discussing this topic, because I know that it will
How Sports Betting Has Shaped Kansas – A Historical Overview
Sports betting has a rich history in the United States, with each state contributing