| Joe Sprinz | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: August 3, 1902 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. | |
| Died: January 11, 1994 (aged 91) Fremont, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 16, 1930, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 18, 1933, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .170 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| Runs batted in | 2 |
| Teams | |
| |
Joseph Conrad "Mule" Sprinz (August 3, 1902 – January 11, 1994) was a Major League Baseball player[1] who attempted to beat the World Record for catching a baseball dropped from a great height.
Joseph Sprinz was a major league catcher who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1930 to 1931 and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1933.[2] He also played for the minor league team San Francisco Seals.[3]
As a member of the San Francisco Seals, Sprinz attempted to beat the World Record for catching a baseball dropped from a great height, set by members of the 1938 Cleveland Indians. In 1939, Sprinz had a blimp hover overhead at 800 feet (240 m), from which balls were to be dropped for him to catch. On his fifth attempt, a baseball entered his glove, slamming his glove hand into his face with such force that he broke his upper jaw in twelve places, fractured five of his teeth, and was rendered unconscious.[4][5]
Some believe that the San Francisco Seals were involved in arranging for Joe Sprinz to make an attempt at the world record despite the known danger. Even though no evidence has been shown in response to the claim, it is well known that Minor League Baseball needs promotional stunts for survival[2][3] and that it was a member of Sprinz's own team the San Francisco Seals that arranged for the ball to be dropped from the Goodyear Blimp.[3][6]