Washington, D.C. (March 11, 2010) -- Who was the first man captured on film flashing his middle finger? 

Baseball’s Old Hoss Radbourn, who won more major league games in a single season (59) than any pitcher in history, used his middle finger for more than pitching, a new book reveals. 

Radbourn was the first human being ever photographed making the obscene gesture known as flipping the bird – and he may have been the second as well, according to the new book, Fifty-nine in ’84, by Pulitzer finalist Edward Achorn. 

On April 29, 1886, when Boston and New York’s National League teams gathered on the field at New York’s Polo Grounds for a ceremonial opening-day photograph, Radbourn rested his right hand on the shoulder of the teammate sitting in front of him. But he lifted his left hand above his teammate’s other shoulder, and firmly thrust out his middle finger, Achorn notes. 

In a later baseball card – an image featured on the cover of the book – Radbourn posed with his hands on his hips, sticking out his middle finger nonchalantly. Baltimore Oriole Billy Ripken, who in a modern card holds a bat that features a scrawled obscenity, had nothing on the Hall of Fame pitcher. 

“Radbourn was a real character,” Achorn says. “Even hardcore baseball fans won’t believe what he gets up to in this book.” 

Fifty-Nine in '84 will be available in bookstores on March 16.

You can Pre-Order Fifty-Nine in '84 below for Amazon's special price of $17.15.

Fifty-nine in '84- Old Hoss Radbourn, Barehanded Baseball, and the Greatest Season a Pitcher Ever Had

For more information, please go to EdwardAchorn.com.

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