In March of 1897, Francis Joseph O’Doul was born in San Francisco, California. Lefty O’Doul would make his big league debut on April 29th, 1919, striking out as a pinch-hitter for the New York Yankees in a game at the Polo Grounds against Connie Mack‘s Philadelphia Athletics.
In those early years of his career, O’Doul was viewed as more of a pitcher, though he did see some time in the outfield with both the Yankees in 1919, 1920, and 1922 and with the Red Sox in 1923.
Unable to crack a big league lineup, O’Doul became property of the New York Giants and was sent to the minor leagues in 1924 to convert to the outfield on a full-time basis.