“When the Seals faced Adams, shortly after he had sent Graham crashing to the turf with the ‘brush back’ pitch that was heard all over the baseball world….” Christy Gregg, San Diego Union, August 5, 1948, p21
Note: Gregg is quoting an article by Bob Stevens of the San Francisco Chronicle, but I can’t find that article. The incident he’s describing involves Jack Graham of the Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres being hit in the head by a pitch from Los Angeles’ Red Adams and being knocked unconscious. Graham had hit his league-leading 46th home run earlier in the game. Graham’s mother, in the stands for the game, rushed onto the field and became so distraught, according to news accounts, that she had to be helped off the field herself. (Ken Liss)
No earliest use given in Dickson Baseball Dictionary
