Conversation so far:
What was Joe McGinnity's first gig?
he worked as a coal miner, bartender, and operated a saloon.
where did he grow up?
While living in Decatur, McGinnity began playing baseball with other coal miners in their leisure time.
Are there any other interesting aspects about this article?
An outfielder, McGinnity substituted for his team's pitcher in an 1888 game, which he won.

Question: Did he do that often?
Self-contained rewrite: Did Joe McGinnity substitute for his team's pitcher often?