When I was growing up and started getting interested in baseball, one of the things that accelerated my appreciation for the sport and its history was reading books on the subject. One of my early favorites was Behind the Mask, Bill Freehan’s journal of the 1969 season as the Tigers attempted to defend their 1968 championship, only to be foiled by one of the better teams of that era, the 1969 Baltimore Orioles. That started a connection that I feel towards Freehan that still exists to this day, and as I’ve mentioned before on this site….if Freehan ever makes the Hall of Fame, the drinks are on me.
I also enjoyed, at a fairly early age, The Glory of Their Times by Lawrence Ritter (1966) , a collection of interviews that he conducted (and retold in the first person) with 26 notable players who mostly played in the first half of the 20th century. Among the stars interviewed were Paul Waner, Edd Roush, Sam Crawford, Hank Greenberg, Goose Goslin, Stan Coveleski, and Harry Hooper, but it also included players who were not quite as well known as those others, such as Specs Toporcer, Al Bridwell, George Gibson, and Davy Jones. It also included interviews with players who were involved with two of the more famous incidents in World Series history, Bill Wambsganss (he of the unassisted triple play in 1920) and Fred Snodgrass ("Snodgrass's Muff, in 1912).
The success of that book spawned several others of that same genre, including Baseball When the Grass Was Real, (1975) by Donald Honig (Ritter and Honig, you might recall, later teamed up for a book about the 100 greatest players of all time that Bill referenced often when compiling his initial top 100 list in the first Historical Abstract). Similar in format to The Glory of Their Times, Honig’s book mostly focused on the late ‘20’s through the ‘40’s, and included narratives from the likes of Charlie Gehringer, Lefty Grove, Bob Feller, Johnny Mize, Billy Herman, and "Cool Papa" Bell. It also contained a memorable entry by Clyde Sukeforth, a Dodger coach and scout, who was a witness to history by participating in the very first meeting between Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson.
There were others along the way. The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book by Brendan C. Boyd & Fred C. Harris in 1973 was great fun. Baseball is a Funny Game by Joe Garagiola (1960) was enjoyable as well. And of course, as I got a little older, the introduction to Bill James’ Baseball Abstracts and other publications completely changed my way of thinking about and analyzing baseball.
But, the very first baseball book I ever owned and read was Strange But True Baseball Stories by Furman Bisher, the long-time sportswriter from the Atlanta area, who ended up with nearly 60 years on the job. The subtitle on the cover referred to it as "Amusing, amazing, and offbeat moments in baseball history", and it certainly was that and more. The book was first published in 1966, so it now celebrating 50 years of existence.
It’s definitely a book geared towards the young reader. It’s classified as being geared to ages 10-14, and that seems about right. I was probably about 10 when I read it, and it had a huge impact on me.
It covered a wide spectrum of events, players, and stories. I no longer have the book, but I was able to locate a table of contents online. Below is a list of the chapters/titles, along with my personal summary of each story’s main topic:
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Chapter/ Title
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Story
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1. Immortal by Accident
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Stan Musial’s injury forces a switch from pitcher to the outfield
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2. The Greatest Defeat
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Harvey Haddix's "Perfect Game"
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3. The One-Armed Big Leaguer
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The story of Pete Gray
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4. One Last Game
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Jim O'Rourke, future Hall of Famer, returns at age 54 for one game after more than a decade away from the game
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5. The Pitcher Who Pitched All Night
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Catcher Odell "Red" Barbary pitches all 22 innings of a minor league game
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6. The "Miracle Braves" of 1914
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George Stallings manages an unlikely champion
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7. The Dog That Made a Box Score
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Minor league game in which a player's dog joined him on the basepaths and received a footnote in the box score
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8. Corporal Brissie and Dr Brubaker
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Lou Brissie suffers a major injury in World War II but manages to make the Majors wearing a brace on his leg, and even makes the All Star team
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9. The Midget of St Louis
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The story of Bill Veeck’s famous stunt of having Eddie Gaedel take a turn at bat.
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10. Dusty Rhodes Breaks Up the Series
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Pinch hitter Rhodes of the Giants goes wild in the '54 series
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11. A Game of Records
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The wild game 5 of the 1920 World Series – The Wambsganss unassisted triple play, the 1st World Series grand slam, the first World Series homer by a pitcher.
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12. Ol' Diz Makes a "Comeback"
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Dizzy Dean's one game comeback after 5 years away from the game
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13. The One-Inning Home Run King
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Gene Rye, all 5'6"" of him, hits 3 home runs in one inning for Waco
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14. The Day the Tigers Struck
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Ty Cobb beats up a fan, is suspended, and for one game the Tigers strike in support of him, while replacement players lose to the A's 24-2
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15. Connie Mack's Big Gamble
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Connie Mack gives a special World Series assignment to Howard Ehmke
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16. Opening the Door to Hollywood
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The story of "Rifleman" Chuck Connors
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17. The Shoeshine Pitch
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Nippy Jones starts a rally in the 1957 World Series
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18. Back Road to the Hall of Fame
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The story of Dazzy Vance and his unusual career path
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19. Lt Shepard of the Big Leagues
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War hero Bert Shepard, pitching on a wooden leg, makes a successful appearance for the '45 Senators
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20. The Tag-Along
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Track star Gordie Windhorn accompanies a friend to a big league tryout for moral support, but ends up getting signed himself
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21. Young Man in a Hurry
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Ty Cobb writes his own scout letters to big league teams
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22. Two For the Price of One
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The double no hit game featuring Hippo Vaughn and Fred Toney
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23. The Iron Horse
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Lou Gehrig's consecutive game streak
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24. The Double No-Hit
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Johnny Vander Meer pitches consecutive no hitters
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25. The Batboy Who Played
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A minor league team puts the bat boy into a game
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26. The Miracle of Coogan's Bluff
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The 1951 comeback by the Giants, capped by Bobby Thomson's home run
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Now, I’m not sure how many of those seem "strange" to you. I suppose it depends on which version of the definition of "strange" you apply. Here are just a few of the many synonyms for "Strange":
- Unusual
- Odd
- Curious
- Peculiar
- Funny
- Bizarre
- Weird
- Uncanny
- Unexpected
- Unfamiliar
- Atypical
- Extraordinary
- Puzzling
- Mystifying
- Mysterious
- Perplexing
I remember when I first read the title of the book, my young mind interpreted "Strange but True" as being something inherently mysterious or bizarre. However, I think the stories really tend to fit more under "unusual" or "unexpected".
As you can see, the stories covered a lot of ground. Some of the stories, like Vander Meer’s consecutive no hitters, the story of Lou Gehrig’s rise and his resulting consecutive games streak, Haddix’s "perfect" game, the appearance of Gaedel, and Thomson’s home run, are among baseball’s most famous tales.
Other stories, like one-armed Pete Gray, Mack’s usage of Howard Ehmke in the World Series, Dusty Rhodes’ pinch-hitting exploits in the ’54 Series, Nippy Jones and the shoeshine pitch, and the Tigers using replacement players as the team protested Cobb’s suspension, are ones that most baseball fans with a sense of history are likely familiar with.
Then, there are some that are more obscure, like the batboy who played, the dog who got in the box score, and Windhorn getting an offer from a major league club despite the fact that he was merely accompanying his friend to the tryouts.
As a young reader, I ate it all up. I didn’t have any sense as to which stories were more well-known than others….to me, it was all brand new, and it brought the game to life for me. They became part of my foundation for learning about this great game and its rich history.
So, in celebration of Strange but True turning 50, I got to wondering about what an updated version might look like, focusing on "amusing, amazing, and offbeat moments" over the past 50 years. Now, this is not the first attempt at this. In fact, about a year and a half ago on "Reader Posts", shortly after I had created a thread on baseball books and mentioned my affection for this book, Bill James Online member MarisFan61 started a new thread on this very same topic, seeing if the members could come up with our own "Strange But Trues". So, some of this was sparked by that endeavor.
Note that not just any story qualifies as "Strange but "True". It’s not enough just to be famous or to have an outstanding accomplishment. "Strange but True" needs that that little extra something, that extra twist of the unusual. Now, there was an actual follow-up book (not by Bisher) called "More Strange But True Baseball Stories" written a few years later, but I have no idea what stories were in it or how it was received.
So, if we were writing a sequel now, what might it contain? Here are some ideas as a starting point for chapters (with working titles) and stories, but I also invite you to submit comments on what you would envision that an updated version would contain.
1. "Flint’s One-Handed Wonder"
The compelling story of Jim Abbott, who overcomes the lack of a right hand to achieve a string of successes, including pitching a no-hitter in the Major Leagues.
2. "A Change of Plans"
Rick Ankiel’s journey, starting as one of baseball’s best pitching prospects, to someone who completely unraveled in the playoffs and could no longer pitch effectively, and then eventually transforming himself into an everyday outfielder with a signature strength.
3. "The Accidental All-Stars of the 1976 Tigers"
Teammates Ron LeFlore and Mark Fidrych arrive out of the blue, each with his own unique background, as two very unlikely stars.
4. "The Hall of Famer from the 62nd Round"
Mike Piazza is drafted as a favor to family friend Tommy LaSorda, and becomes one of the all-time great catchers.
5. "Simply Amazing"
The story of the 1969 Miracle Mets and their rise from laughingstock to World Series champion.
6. "In the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time"
The Bartman Incident takes its place as the latest in a long line of Chicago Cub misfortunes.
7. "Putting the Curse of the Bambino to Rest"
The 2004 Boston Red Sox win the World Series after an 86 year drought, including coming back from a 3-0 deficit in the ALCS to the Yankees.
8. "The Natural Makes a Comeback"
The roller coaster career of the talented Josh Hamilton, who went from #1 pick, to a drug addiction, to being out of baseball, to an MVP and 5-time All-Star, then a relapse, and now he’s trying for another comeback. And he’s still only 34.
9. "The Sinkerballer and the Surgery"
Tommy John resurrects his career after receiving the surgery that eventually came to bear his name.
10. "Mad About You"
The Mad Hungarian, Al Hrabosky, and his transformation into a pitcher who became known for his outrageous behavior and his behind-the-mound antics.
11. "Better Late than Never"
Former first-round draft choice and subject of "The Rookie", Jim Morris makes his major league debut at age 35.
12. "The Rain Delay Thespian"
In the fine tradition of baseball clowns like Max Patkin and Al Schacht, Rick Dempsey turns the tarp into his own personal stage.
13. "The Night They Drove Old Disco Down"
In the category of "bad idea all the way around", the White Sox end up forfeiting a game on "Disco Demolition Night" as the 1970’s came to a close.
14. "From Heart Attack to Fireman of the Year"
John Hiller recovers from a devastating heart attack to post some historic relief seasons.
15. "Getting a Grip"
The story of the infamous 1983 Pine Tar game between the Royals and the Yankees, as George Brett goes ballistic.
16. "The Patriotic Cub"
During the Bi-Centennial year, Rick Monday saves the flag at Dodger Stadium.
17. "The Great Potato Prank"
Minor leaguer Dave Bresnahan, great-nephew of Hall of Famer Roger Bresnahan, uses a potato as a fake baseball to deceive a baserunner (thanks to BJOL reader evanecurb for this one)
18. "The 3,000 Hit Humanitarian"
The story of Roberto Clemente reaching 3,000 hits in his last official at bat, and then tragically dying while trying to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
19. "The Knuckleballer Gets His Hand Caught in the Cookie Jar"
The story of Joe Niekro and his emery board.
20. "From the Gridiron to the Diamond"
Legendary football players Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders leave their mark on the Major Leagues in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s.
Taking a closer look at just a few of these:
Jim Abbott would be a perfect fit for this book. His story has some similarity to those of Pete Gray, Lou Brissie, and Bert Shepard from the original book, although Brissie and Shepard’s situations were war-related injuries rather than something they were born with.
The thing I love about Abbott’s story is that he seems like a genuinely decent guy with a great attitude. I got the sense that he didn’t see himself as handicapped, but rather that, while he was missing a right hand, he was blessed with an exceptional left arm. I was always amazed by that move….you know, the one where he catches the ball in his glove and instantly the ball is transferred to his hand and the glove is neatly stowed away. It happened so quickly, it was difficult to follow.
His whole journey – from local sports legend to winning the Sullivan Award as the best amateur athlete in college to the Olympic triumph to a successful 10 year career in the majors which featured a 3rd place finish in the 1991 Cy Young balloting and throwing a no-hitter in 1993 for the Yankees.
I also love that on his baseball-reference.com page, you find this entry near the top:
Bats: Left, Throws: Left , Fields Left as well
I love it. "Fields left as well". And by the way, I checked Pete Gray’s entry, and sure enough, he’s listed with the same designations.
Yes, Jim Abbott has to make this book.
Rick Ankiel has always been an intriguing player to me. On one of my early fantasy baseball teams, I drafted Ankiel as a minor league player. He truly was an uber-prospect, with amazing movement on his pitches. He had a pretty good rookie year, but then it all came apart in the playoffs as he unleashed wild pitch after wild pitch. It was the beginning of the end for him as a pitcher, even though he had moments as he went along that made it seem like he might restore the magic. But, eventually, he had to give up pitching.
However, he was able to transform himself into another type of player. He had some hitting skill, and he was able to make a comeback all the way to the Majors as an outfielder. He wasn’t a great position player, but he hit as many as 25 HR’s in a season, and his career figure of 19 HR’s per 162 games is nothing to sneeze at. In addition, he gained a reputation for displaying one of the strongest and most accurate outfield throwing arms in the Majors. There are some interesting YouTube compilations of his arm on display that you can reference. Ironically, the player who lost his accuracy as a pitcher from 60 feet 6 inches away was able to unleash some of the strongest, most accurate throws from the outfield distance that you’ll see. A fascinating story.
Ron LeFlore and Mark Fidrych probably could each justify his own entry in the book. I combined them primarily because they were teammates for a short while, but their stories are quite different.
LeFlore, of course, had a very unusual path to the Majors, which included time spent as an inmate in prison. LeFlore eventually made the Majors in 1974 and had a successful career with the Tigers, Expos, and White Sox, leading the league at various times in runs and stolen bases, and finished his 9-year career with a .288 average. Excluding players who played most of their careers before 1900, LeFlore has the 3rd highest stolen bases per 162 game figure with 67, behind only Vince Coleman (89) and Rickey Henderson (74).
Also, I believe LeFlore may be the only player in history who never had a season in which he stole less than 20 bases. LeFlore played 9 years, and his 23 steals in his debut season of 1974 (achieved in only 59 games) was the lowest figure he ever had. Yes, if he had played longer, it’s likely he would have eventually had a season with fewer than 20, but he never did.
Fidrych had a much different path to the Majors. He was drafted in the 10th round of the 1974 amateur draft. He made the Tigers’ team in 1976, but through the teams first 23 games, he only made 2 appearances for a total of 1 inning. On May 15th, he got a chance to start, and turned in a complete game, 2-hit win over Cleveland, and he didn’t look back from there. He threw 6 straight complete games (including two 11-inning efforts) and went 5-1. He eventually went 19-9 for the season, and in his 29 starts, he completed 24 of them.
More than the results, though, was the manner in which he went about his job. He talked to the ball, he manicured the mound, he vigorously shook everyone’s hand at the conclusion of each win. "The Bird", as he was called (due to his resemblance to the Sesame Street character), was quite the sensation, and certainly looked less like a ball player than just about anyone you could imagine. But, he quickly became immensely popular for his success, his antics, and his general likeable personality. He was certainly an entertaining player to watch. In his New Historical Baseball Abstract, Bill described Fidrych as "more fun than a barrel of butterflies and a bucket of mud".
Well, I don’t want to get into great detail on each one, because you’re probably familiar with most of them, and I think you get the idea. Following the lead of the original book, these stories run the gamut from personal triumphs to team triumphs, from colorful personalities to controversial events, from unusual career paths to remarkable comebacks.
I think this would make for an interesting collection of short stories for a young reader of today to introduce him to baseball’s most recent half century. I’m a little short on minor league entries, and sometimes those are even more interesting because they may not be as well known as those occurring in the Majors. If you have any suggestions or any other ideas, please submit.
Thanks for reading.