Bob Fothergill

Robert Roy Fothergill (August 16, 1897 – March 20, 1938), nicknamed "Fats" or "Fatty," was an outfielder in Major League Baseball who played twelve seasons with the Detroit Tigers (1922–1930), Chicago White Sox (1930–1932), and Boston Red Sox (1933).

Playing career

Born in Massillon, Ohio, Fothergill weighed 230 pounds (100 kg)—standing 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m)—and threw and batted right-handed. He first played professional baseball in 1920 with Bloomington. The Tigers then acquired him and sent him to Rochester where he hit .338 in 1921. In 1922, he led the International League with a .383 batting average and was called up to the big leagues. (David Porter, "Biographical Dictionary of American Sports:A-F," p. 494)

Despite being a consistent .300 hitter from 1922 to 1925, Fothergill was unable to win a starting spot in a star-studded Tigers outfield that featured Ty Cobb, Harry Heilmann, Bobby Veach, and later Heinie Manush. It was not until 1926 that Fothergill won a starting spot in the outfield, as Cobb's defensive play forced him to withdraw from his spot in center field.