Every Pitcher Tells a Story: Letters Gathered by a Devoted Baseball Fan - Hardcover

Swirsky, Seth

 
9780812930559: Every Pitcher Tells a Story: Letters Gathered by a Devoted Baseball Fan
Hardcover
ISBN 10: 081293055X ISBN 13: 9780812930559
Verlag: Times Books, 1999

Inhaltsangabe

A collection of personal letters exchanged between a devoted fan and some of baseball's finest pitchers, presenting the thoughts of Roger Clemens, David Cone, Tom Glavine, Steve Carlton, Juan Marichal, Satchel Paige, and many others. By the author of Baseball Letters. 25,000 first printing.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Seth Swirsky is a professional songwriter and lifelong New York Mets fan. He lives in Beverly Hills, California.

Aus dem Klappentext

is an Everyfan, writing letters to ballplayers, asking them about key details of their careers and their craft. Here, Swirsky has elicited enlightening responses from many of today's great pitchers, including Roger Clemens, Dave Cone, and Tom Glavine; received illuminating letters from Hall of Famers Steve Carlton and Juan Marichal; a surprising answer on the similarity between pitching and picking stocks from Warren Buffett; and uncovered such delights as the Sun-Maid Raisin lady who married a Major League pitcher. The result is a humorous, often moving testament to the greatness of the game and our admiration for players who hone their skills over a lifetime and achieve greatness on the field.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Chapter 1

CARL PAVANO

Born 1976, New Britain, Connecticut. On the final game of the 1998 season, Carl, a promising rookie with the Montreal Expos, faced the game's human home-run-hitting machine, Mark McGwire. McGwire had shattered Roger Maris's thirty-seven-year-old record of 61 homers in a year-the game's most prestigious record-in early September, becoming baseball's all-time single-season home-run leader. Now, in the final at-bat of his inspiring season, with 69 home runs already to his credit, "Big Mac" stood in to face the rookie again.

I asked Carl to recount McGwire's historic clout.

Carl Pavano

Seth,

In response to your letter, I am going to answer the question so many have asked. I knew it was the last game of the season and of my rookie year with the Montreal Expos. While sitting on the bench the previous three games against the Cardinals, I said to myself 'all along' if I get a chance to pitch against McGuire, I will not walk him. I will challenge and beat him.

First time in my professional career going into a game as a relief pitcher, he steps in as I tow the rubber. A 3 to 3 tie with 2 outs in the bottom of the eigth with 2 men on. 52,000 people up on their feet cheering.

First pitch, CRACK-GONE, #70

And the rest is History

Carl Pavano

STEVE CARLTON

Born 1944, Miami, Florida. "Lefty" has the second-most strikeouts in the game's history with 4,136 (first among left-handers). He won 329 games over his twenty-four-year career (1965-1988), spent most notably with the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies. He won 20 or more games six times. In 1972, playing for the last-place Phillies, Steve won 27 games of his team's 59 wins. He was the unanimous winner of the Most Valuable Player award that year and won the Cy Young Award four times. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1994.

His tempestuous relationship with the press was as well known as his sharp-breaking slider. I asked him what went into his decision not to speak to the media.

Steve Carlton

Dear Seth:

My decision not to speak to the media was not the result of any one incident. The media was crossing lines that had been drawn in baseball for many years. Reporting on the personal lives of players and breaking the trust that came with their access to the players. I felt it would be better for me and the fans if they covered me from the press box.

Looking back, I think that the writing was better and definitely more creative after I stopped speaking to the media.

Thanks for asking

Steve Carlton

CHARLIE BROWN

I wrote to "Peanuts" creator Charles M. Schulz and asked him if Charlie Brown had ever pitched in front of his lifelong crush, the "little red-haired girl," and if it made him nervous. In response, I received a series of comic strips that ran in August 1968.

KERRY WOOD

Born 1977, Irving, Texas. The unanimous 1998 National League Rookie of the Year with the Chicago Cubs, Kerry has been heralded as baseball's next dominant power pitcher, in the Roger Clemens mold. He won 13 and lost 6 but, most impressively, held opposing

hitters to a major-league-low .196 batting average. On May 6, he struck out twenty Houston Astros in one game, breaking Steve Carlton and David Cone's National League record of nineteen strikeouts and tying his idol Clemens's major-league mark for most strikeouts in a game.

After Kerry's historic game, Clemens

called him. I asked him what "The

Rocket" said to him.

Kerry Wood

12/3/98

Seth,

The day after I struck out 20, I got a call from Roger. At first, when I was told he was on the phone I thought it was a joke. And when I picked up the phone he said, "Hey Kerry this is Rocket, congratulations." I didn't know what to say. I had never met Roger, just talked a couple of times on the phone. But still I was a little nervous. He just said that he was happy for me and proud to be sharing the record with me. I met Roger for the first time in Orlando, at the Players Choice Awards. He is a great person, has a wonderful family, and it was a honor to meet him. It's something I will never forget.

Sincerely,

Kerry Wood

ROGER CLEMENS

Born 1962, Dayton, Ohio. Boston Red Sox, 1984-1995, Toronto Blue Jays, 1996-1998, New York Yankees, 1999- . He will surely go down as one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the game. His numbers and awards speak of his dominance: He is the only pitcher to win the coveted Cy Young Award for pitching excellence five times (1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998); he was the 1986 American League Most Valuable Player; he shares the record for striking out the most hitters in one game with twenty (he's done it twice); he's had five twenty-win seasons. Over the past two seasons, at ages thirty-five and thirty-six, he has won 41, lost 13, and racked up 563 strikeouts in almost 500 innings (he has 3,153 career strikeouts). With a career 233-124 won-lost record and a 2.95 ERA, his place in Cooperstown is secure.

I asked Roger who inspired him to greatness growing up and who he learned the most from about pitching during his career.

Roger Clemens

(see p. 11 for typewritten letter)

CY YOUNG

Born 1867, Gilmore, Ohio. Died Newcomerstown, Ohio, 1955. Hall of Fame, 1937. Between his first game in 1890 with the Cleveland Spiders and his last game with the Cleveland Indians in 1911, Denton True "Cyclone" Cy Young amassed a set of statistics that all rank first, all-time: 511 victories, 316 losses, 749 complete games, and 7,356 innings pitched. In five seasons he won more than 30 games, and he won 20 in ten others. He won more than 200 games in both the American and National leagues and was the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in both leagues. He had seventy-six shutouts (fourth all-time) and once pitched twenty-four consecutive hitless innings over three games, which included the first perfect game in the American League (May 5, 1904). Cy once said, "Pitchers, like poets, are born, not made." He retired at age forty-four, because his expanding girth made it impossible for him to field bunts. Pitching's most prestigious honor-the Cy Young Award-was named after him in 1956.

In this letter, written to a fan in February 1945, Cy offers homespun advice on how to become a professional baseball player.

Cy Young

Dear Sir-

One way to learn this game is to take lots of time. Play ball as often as you can-Pick out some spot you like in the game-that was the way I done. Then get a chance for a try out. After you are serious you can make the grade.

Do not think you can learn it overnight. You can learn after 13 yrs-20 yrs. At least i learned till the end of my career

Yours

Cy Young

GARY KROLL

Born 1941, Culver City, California. Gary pitched for four teams in a four-year stint in the majors (1964-66, 1969). As a member of the New York Mets in 1965, he was the last man to start a game for the Mets before the Beatles played their famous concert at Shea Stadium a few days later, on August 15, 1965.

I asked Gary if he remembers the excitement of the Beatles coming to play in his home park.

Gary Kroll

Seth,

August 15, 1965, Shea, the Beatles

I was there, got to meet the Beatles. The atmosphere at the park that night was electrical hysteria, or better put a magical happening. It was the 60s, it was new york, it was the Beatles. A one time experience.

Gary Kroll

MACE BROWN

Born 1909, North English, Iowa. On his fifth day in the major leagues, May 25, 1935, rookie pitcher Brown watched from the Pittsburgh Pirate bench as Babe Ruth, playing for the Boston Braves and eight days from retirement, hit the...

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Verlag
Times Books
Erscheinungsdatum
1999
Sprache
Englisch
ISBN 10 
081293055X
ISBN 13 
9780812930559
Einband
Gebundene Ausgabe
Anzahl der Seiten
217
Kontakt zum Hersteller
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