Joe Sprinz

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. He also played for the minor league team San Francisco Seals.

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 ft 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. Sprinz attempted to catch balls dropped from a blimp hovering approximately 800 ft 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.

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 and that it was a member of Sprinz's own team the San Francisco Seals that arranged for the ball to be dropped from a Goodyear blimp.