Doc Amole

Morris George Amole

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

• Debut August 19, 1897
• Final Game May 17, 1898
• Born January 1, 1874 in Coatesville, PA USA
• Died March 9, 1912 in Wilmington, DE USA

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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 Baltimore Orioles in 1897, a team which went 90-40. He was traded during the offseason to the Washington Senators, and had a rough time on a team which went 51-101 in 1898. 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.

One source recounts a time when Amole was pitching for Wilmington, which was having trouble getting fans. Amole 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, NY, and Chummy Gray was working for him. While he is usually called "Doc", some sources refer to him as "Morris Amole". He died young in 1912.

The quote at the top of the article 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 otherwise have had.

Related Sites

• Doc Amole at the SABR Bio Project
• Find-A-Grave Memorial for Doc Amole