Ray Kolp played baseball as a youth (with the nickname "Jack") on New Berlin town teams and on the Electric Suction Sweepers, a team sponsored by the sweeper manufacturer that became the Hoover Company in 1922. Playing as "Ray Culp" for unclear contract-related reasons, he was a pitcher and shortstop for the Akron Numatics in 1920 in the minor\'s International League with famous teammate Jim Thorpe. In March 1921, Kolp was invited to a St. Louis Browns\' tryout camp for pitchers and made the team to start his major league career. Early on, he seemed to have a jinx over the Cleveland Indians, beating them repeatedly.\n', '

Over his career, Ray Kolp was a good pitcher, but never a great pitcher. He had an average fastball and mixed it with a sidearm pitch and various spinners. The most games he won in a season was 14 with the Browns in 1922. His overall major league won-loss record is 79-95. He gave up two home runs to Babe Ruth in one game in New York on August 5, 1923.\n', '

Ray Kolp was a stylish dresser with an assertive personality. On the field, Ray Kolp was cocky and vociferous, often taunting and scoffing at opposing players and advising umpires from both the pitching mound and dugout. He was an adept needler. His baiting harassment made him a famous bench jockey, even in those days of unruly and emotional baseball.\n', '

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