Tom Stouch

Thomas Carl Stouch (December 2, 1869 – October 7, 1956) was an American Major League Baseball second baseman who played four games with the Louisville Colonels of the National League in 1898. He is best known for "discovering" Shoeless Joe Jackson who played against him while Jackson was in a mill team in Greer, South Carolina in 1907.

Playing career Stouch was born in Perrysville, Ohio in 1869. His professional career started in the Texas League in 1892. He also played for a minor league team in Charleston in 1892. He moved on to Lancaster of the Pennsylvania State League in 1895. He got the chance to sign Jackson when he was offered the job of managing the Spinners in 1908. He quickly signed Jackson for $75 a month, more than Jackson made playing in the mill leagues. When the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League offered $900 for his contract, Stouch was the one who convinced Jackson who originally hesitated to play for the Athletics.

Later career Stouch was player-manager for the Greenville Spinners for four seasons from 1907 to 1912, with the exception of an eight-game stint with Augusta of the Sally League in 1911. He retired to Lancaster, where he died at the age of 86.