Wicked Curve
The Life and Troubled Times of Grover Cleveland Alexander
Published on 1. June 2006
Book
Paperback/Softback
244 pages
978-0-7864-2412-2 (ISBN)
Description
When in 1911 Phillies pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander set the National League record for wins by a rookie (28), it was a sign of things to come. Alexander went on to win 373 games over his 20-year career, the third highest total in major league history, and he would lead the league in ERA four times, shutouts seven times, complete games six times, and wins six times. But he also became a deeply troubled man. After the Shell-Shocked pitcher returned from World War I, he would battle alcoholism, epilepsy, and personal demons that damaged his reputation and proved disastrous for his life outside of baseball.
This biography sheds new light on the pitcher and the man, focusing on Alexander's personal life, especially his complex relationship with his wife, Aimee, as well as their marriages and divorces. His Hall of Fame career, wartime service, and long decline are also documented.
This biography sheds new light on the pitcher and the man, focusing on Alexander's personal life, especially his complex relationship with his wife, Aimee, as well as their marriages and divorces. His Hall of Fame career, wartime service, and long decline are also documented.
Reviews / Votes
"absorbing...Skipper has done an admirable job...Wicked Curve deserves its place on the bookshelves of the serious lover of baseball history. The book is thoroughly researched and...is written with the aplomb expected from a professional journalist. Most of all, Skipper writes with sympathy about a man who lived during an unforgiving era with 'the epilepsy that he tried to hide and the alcoholism that he could no longer hide'"-Nine; "Skipper is a seasoned baseball researcher and writer...an easy read...worthy"-The Inside Game (SABR Deadball Era Committee Newsletter).More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Jefferson, NC
United States
Target group
Interest Age: From 18 years
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
19 photos, appendix, notes, bibliography, index
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
405 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7864-2412-2 (9780786424122)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
John C. Skipper, a political reporter for the Mason City (Iowa) Globe Gazette, has written numerous books on politics and baseball, including a history of the The Iowa Caucuses and acclaimed biographies of Grover Cleveland Alexander, Dazzy Vance and Charlie Gehringer.
Content
Table of Contents
Preface
1. Alone in a Crowd
2. A Stone's Throw Away
3. A Big League Pitcher
4. A Pennant Flies in Philadelphia
5. Nobody Does It Better
6. The Changing of the Uniforms
7. The Cub Years
8. Managerial Merry-Go-Round and McCarthy
9. A Strikeout for the Ages
10. Forty Years Old and Counting
11. The End of the Road
12. When the Cheering Stopped
13. The Long Road Downhill
14. Brother Can You Spare Me a Dime?
15. The Last Hurrah
16. Coming Home
17. Bottom of the Ninth
Appendix: Lifetime Statistics
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Preface
1. Alone in a Crowd
2. A Stone's Throw Away
3. A Big League Pitcher
4. A Pennant Flies in Philadelphia
5. Nobody Does It Better
6. The Changing of the Uniforms
7. The Cub Years
8. Managerial Merry-Go-Round and McCarthy
9. A Strikeout for the Ages
10. Forty Years Old and Counting
11. The End of the Road
12. When the Cheering Stopped
13. The Long Road Downhill
14. Brother Can You Spare Me a Dime?
15. The Last Hurrah
16. Coming Home
17. Bottom of the Ninth
Appendix: Lifetime Statistics
Notes
Bibliography
Index