Every Pitcher Tells a Story Letters Gathered by a Devoted Baseball Fan

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 couSwirsky, Seth is the author of 'Every Pitcher Tells a Story Letters Gathered by a Devoted Baseball Fan' with ISBN 9781400047376 and ISBN 1400047374.