Antedating of "Designated Hitter"

[Mullins, Bill]

"Don't Handicap Complete Player, Gallagher Warns," by Bob Burnes, _The
Sporting News_ February 15, 1961, p 2. col 5 (quote from p 4, col 2,
after the jump)

" "I can see the merit to the idea of having a designated hitter for a
very weak-hitting pitcher." "


> designated hitter (OED 1973)
>
> 1969 _N.Y. Times_ 1 Feb. 34 (ProQuest)  International
> League--A permanet pinch-hitter for the pitcher can be
> designated before the game. ... During the game the manager
> can change to another player as the designated hitter, in
> which case the original special hitter is out of the game and
> the new one takes over his duties.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
>