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My fictional Universal Baseball Association has had its fair share of oddball players. Among the pioneers of the league was Detroit Wolverines outfielder Tyonus Highland. His hitting prowess was good enough that the hitting award was named The Highland Trophy in his honor.
Herman George was a lefthanded pitcher drafted by the Boston Beaneaters and by the late 1910s was among the leaders in wins, ERA, batting average and home runs, as George also played first base or right field when not pitching. Not hard to guess who HE was patterned after.
Two members of the 1922 draft class were power hitters Philpot Loveen and Puritan Ballou.
The early 1930s saw an influx of unusual named players. In 1930, OF Jacob Mudrock and 3B Bama Sax; in 1931 came OF Memo Fox and 3B Dixie Davenport; in '32 it was OFs Hermiston Boothby and Napoleon Frisbee.
In 1933 it was SS Winslow Beaver; in '35 it was catcher Braggo Benz and in '37 it was OF Wingo Becker.
Part of what makes such a league fun are the memorable players that give a little more life to a league.
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J. Henry Waugh
Universal Baseball Association
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