T.J.'s Secret Pitch

Atlanta: Peachtree. First Revised Edition [stated]. First Printing [stated]. Trade paperback. Good. [6], 82, [8] pages. Photo of the author. Signed by the author with a sentiment on half-title page. This is one of the All-Star Sports Story series. Cover has some wear and soiling. Corner crinkle on half-title page. The author was surrounded by sports growing up. He earned a bachelor's degree in history and then a law degree. After retiring from the practice of law, he became a full-time writer. More than anything, T. J. wants to be a pitcher. But he's smaller than his teammates, and his pitches just don't pack the power they need to strike out batters. When T. J. learns about one of baseball's early heroes, Pittsburgh Pirate Rip Sewell, he decides to try Sewell's secret weapon. But will his teammates give T. J. a chance to prove that he can be a pitcher? And will T. J.'s secret pitch help lead his team to victory? Author Fred Bowen continues his Sports Story series with play-by-play action that's sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats An afterword provides the real story of Rip Sewell and his baseball career. In the 1940s, Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher Rip Sewell confounded batters with an off-beat lob pitch he called "The Eephus Pitch." Others called it the blooper pitch or La Lob. Over the years, other pitchers have used it. In fact, it was used against home-run slugger Mark McGwire in 1998. McGwire didn't hit that one out of the park.