10 bits of baseball history I learned from "A Game of Inches"

3. A designated hitter rule was considered as far back as 1928.

Steve Nesius/Reuters
Phillies outfielder Raul Ibanez plays in a league that still does not accept the designated hitter.

Ironically, it was contemplated by the National League, which has staunchly refused its adoption in the modern era. In 1928 there was plenty of offense in the game and no need to add “another bat” to the lineup. But that wasn’t the case in 1973, when pitching dominance had become a concern and the American League unilaterally decided to begin a three-year experiment with a designated hitter.

Mickey Mantle: Jane Leavy talks about "The Last Boy"

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