It Happens Every Spring

WorldCat: The story of a research fellow in chemistry and his attempts to attain his professorship and the president's daughter. He is on the verge of a discovery when a baseball shatters his window, and his beakers. Magically, the resulting mix of chemicals has the power to repel wood, hence a baseball with a dab of his formula on it will avoid the bat trying to hit it. Our chemistry teacher uses the formula to become the rookie pitching sensation. Back flap of 1949 Farrar, Straus edition (seen on eBay) says "he pitched like Feller, read like Einstein, and talked like Fu Manchu"; back cover of 1950 Avon edition (seen on BookScans) says "HE PITCHED LIKE FELLER, READ LIKE EINSTEIN, AND TALKED LIKE CONFUCIUS!"