"in the clutch (baseball)--query

[Cohen, Gerald Leonard]

Today I received the following query from the library director of the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum:
 "Have you ever done any research on the word "clutch" as it relates to baseball or sports.  We have been doing some research for William Safire, without a tremendous amount of luck, and I wonder if you might be able to offer some assistance."

I checked Dickson's baseball dictionary, which gives 1937 as the first use, and adds: "The origin of the term ["clutch"]  is suggested in the 1954 _Gillette World Series Record Book_ (edited by Hy Turkin): 'When a clutch is engaged in any machinery, parts are made to move, and any defect in the clutch will cause faulty operation or danger. ...Extended use: A key situation in any endeavor."

    Is there anything to add to this?

Gerald Cohen