▁of ▁the ▁Wisconsin ▁State ▁League ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁Law son ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁D onn ell son , ▁Iowa , ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 6 . ▁His ▁father , ▁William ▁Law son , ▁was ▁a ▁black sm ith . ▁ ▁The ▁family ▁moved ▁to ▁Stock port , ▁Iowa , ▁when ▁Law son ▁was ▁a ▁child . ▁He ▁played ▁baseball ▁at ▁Stock port ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁began ▁pitch ing ▁as ▁a ▁senior , ▁but ▁" he ▁was ▁so ▁wild ▁there ▁was ▁as ▁much ▁lik elihood ▁of ▁his ▁toss es ▁hitting ▁the ▁third ▁bas eman ▁as ▁there ▁was ▁of ▁them ▁arriv ing ▁somewhere ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁the ▁batter ." ▁ ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁high ▁school , ▁he ▁played ▁semi - pro ▁baseball ▁and ▁developed ▁a ▁reputation ▁for ▁his ▁ability ▁to ▁strike ▁out ▁ 1 0 ▁to ▁ 1 5 ▁bat ters ▁per ▁game . ▁ ▁Law son ▁attended ▁Iowa ▁Wes ley an ▁College ▁where ▁he ▁excel led ▁as ▁a ▁college ▁basketball ▁player . ▁After ▁it ▁was ▁discovered ▁that ▁Law son ▁had ▁played ▁semi - pro ▁baseball , ▁he ▁was ▁declared ▁in el ig ible ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁inter col leg iate ▁athlet ics . ▁ ▁According ly , ▁and ▁after ▁his ▁third ▁sem ester ▁at ▁the ▁school , ▁Law son ▁quit ▁college ▁and ▁told ▁officials , ▁" No ▁play , ▁no ▁study , ▁I ▁quit ." ▁ ▁Professional ▁baseball ▁▁ 1 9 2 9 – 1 9 3 4 ▁seasons ▁After ▁leaving ▁Iowa