“What’s more, there will be a bigger chance for a called ball than if the man were known to lay off first pitches.” Brooklyn Citizen, January 24, 1916, p4
“Whenever a batter figures the spitball is going to be fed to him, he ‘lays off’ of the pitch, if the count is such that he can.” Sunday Star (Washington), March 18, 1917, p48
No earliest use given in 2009 Dickson Baseball Dictionary
