The nickname first appeared in print in 1948, two years before Titcomb's death. The Haverhill Gazette of Haverhill, Massachusetts, published a profile of the long-retired player, and the article included the following passage: "Those who remember Titcomb will recall that his pitches were so fast that the only fellow who could catch them was Bill (sic) Robinson, who later became manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The nickname first appeared in print in 1948, two years before Titcomb's death. The Haverhill Gazette newspaper published a profile of the retired player, mentioning his fast pitches and that only Bill Robinson could catch them.