Almost Perfect

The Heartbreaking Pursuit of Pitching's Holy Grail

Nonfiction, Sports, Baseball, History
Cover of the book Almost Perfect by Joe Cox, Lyons Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Joe Cox ISBN: 9781493019519
Publisher: Lyons Press Publication: February 1, 2017
Imprint: Lyons Press Language: English
Author: Joe Cox
ISBN: 9781493019519
Publisher: Lyons Press
Publication: February 1, 2017
Imprint: Lyons Press
Language: English

The rich, poignant tales of major league baseball’s most hard-luck fraternity—the pitchers of its Almost-Perfect Games

From 1908 to 2015, there have been thirteen pitchers who have begun Major League Baseball games by retiring the first twenty-six opposing batters, but then, one out from completing a perfect game, somehow faltering (or having perfection stolen from them). Three other pitchers did successfully retire twenty-seven batters in a row, but are still not credited with perfect games. While stories of pitching the perfect game have been told and retold, Almost Perfect looks at how baseball, at its core, is about heartbreak, and these sixteen men are closer to what baseball really is, and why we remain invested in the sport. Author Joe Cox visits this notion through a century of baseball and through these sixteen pitchers—recounting their games in thrilling fashion, telling the personal stories of the fascinating (and very human) baseball figures involved, and exploring the historical American and baseball backdrops of each flawed gem.

From George “Hooks” Wiltse's nearly perfect game in 1908 to “Hard Luck” Harvey Haddix’s 12-inning, 36-consecutive-outs performance on May 26, 1959 (the most astounding single-game pitching performance in baseball history) to Max Scherzer’s near miss in 2015, Joe Cox’s book captures the action, the humanity, and the history of the national pastime’s greatest “almosts.”

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The rich, poignant tales of major league baseball’s most hard-luck fraternity—the pitchers of its Almost-Perfect Games

From 1908 to 2015, there have been thirteen pitchers who have begun Major League Baseball games by retiring the first twenty-six opposing batters, but then, one out from completing a perfect game, somehow faltering (or having perfection stolen from them). Three other pitchers did successfully retire twenty-seven batters in a row, but are still not credited with perfect games. While stories of pitching the perfect game have been told and retold, Almost Perfect looks at how baseball, at its core, is about heartbreak, and these sixteen men are closer to what baseball really is, and why we remain invested in the sport. Author Joe Cox visits this notion through a century of baseball and through these sixteen pitchers—recounting their games in thrilling fashion, telling the personal stories of the fascinating (and very human) baseball figures involved, and exploring the historical American and baseball backdrops of each flawed gem.

From George “Hooks” Wiltse's nearly perfect game in 1908 to “Hard Luck” Harvey Haddix’s 12-inning, 36-consecutive-outs performance on May 26, 1959 (the most astounding single-game pitching performance in baseball history) to Max Scherzer’s near miss in 2015, Joe Cox’s book captures the action, the humanity, and the history of the national pastime’s greatest “almosts.”

More books from Lyons Press

Cover of the book Snowfly by Joe Cox
Cover of the book Great American Hunting Stories by Joe Cox
Cover of the book Historic Acadia National Park by Joe Cox
Cover of the book Letters from Leaders by Joe Cox
Cover of the book Looking for Hemingway by Joe Cox
Cover of the book The Santa Claus Man by Joe Cox
Cover of the book Unconditional Honor by Joe Cox
Cover of the book How the Hot Dog Found Its Bun by Joe Cox
Cover of the book U.S. Army Human Intelligence Collector Field Manual by Joe Cox
Cover of the book Lefty Kreh's Presenting the Fly by Joe Cox
Cover of the book Why I Hate the Yankees by Joe Cox
Cover of the book Classic Ghost Stories by Joe Cox
Cover of the book Fly Fishing for Bonefish, New and Revised by Joe Cox
Cover of the book Faraway Horses by Joe Cox
Cover of the book Running Dark by Joe Cox
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy