Fothergill was an outstanding line-drive hitter more famous for his girth than his hits. Charitably listed at 230, the 5’10” outfielder was sensitive about his size and preferred Bob or Roy (his middle name) to Fat. The stories were told in every dugout: Leo Durocher once complained it was illegal to have two men in the batter’s box; during a crash fasting program, Fothergill supposedly bit an umpire after a called third strike; there were several accounts of his shattering outfield fences in pursuit of fly balls. But he could hit. In 1927, his top year, he batted .359 with 114 RBI for the Tigers. Eventually relegated to pinch-hitting, he led the AL with 19 in 1929. Of those with more than 200 pinch-hit at-bats, only Fothergill has posted a .300 career average.
