Joseph Conrad "Mule" Sprinz (August 3, 1902 – January 11, 1994) was an American professional baseball player who attempted to beat the world record for catching a baseball dropped from a great height.
Baseball career
Joseph Sprinz was a major league catcher who played for the Cleveland Indians from 1930 to 1931 and the St. Louis Cardinals in 1933.
Sprinz spent 23 seasons in minor league baseball from 1924-1946, registering 7,364 plate appearances for 13 different teams, batting .270 and hitting 26 home runs. He spent the last nine of those seasons with the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League.
Attempt at world record
As a member of the San Francisco Seals, Sprinz attempted to beat the world record for catching a baseball dropped from a great height. On May 10, 1939, Sprinz was one of three players who caught balls dropped 437 feet (133 m) by Seals manager Lefty O'Doul from a tower at the Golden Gate International Exposition. O'Doul forbade the practice after the initial stunt but, that summer, Sprinz returned to the Exposition to make another attempt.
On August 3, 1939, Sprinz attempted to catch balls dropped from a blimp hovering approximately 800 feet (240 m) overhead. 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 several of his teeth, and rendered him unconscious.
Baseball writer Lee Warren has speculated that, given the ubiquity of publicity stunts in Minor League Baseball, the San Francisco Seals were likely involved in arranging for Joe Sprinz to make an attempt at the world record despite the known danger. However, no firm evidence exists for this.