Gulfbird44
05-26-2011, 05:31 PM
April 18-19th, 1981. I was just two years out of high school and in my second year of service in the Air Force stationed in Germany. Unlike what is available now adays news wise, I don't recall words written or spoken of a game half a world away where two minor league teams made history in the longest game on record.
Thirty years later I can finally get the story of what happened that cold night in Pawtucket when AAA affilates of the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox played 32 innings and later that summer played the 33rd. Dan Barry, a NY Times columnist did what I think is an excellent weaving of history and story in this book. I'd call it Minor League Baseball ala Lake Wobegon.
You really get a feel for not only the players involved but their families, the citizens of Pawtucket and the history of the area. It's a book I think even the non serious baseball fan can pick up and get a good read from. Caution, it's at times written in the words of the players themselves so the context can be a bit R rated but when have you been to a ball game and not heard a player cuss?
Perhaps the best baseball book I have read since Bullpen Gospels I recommend the book. Should still be on the shelves of your local book store and if not here is the link to the Amazon page:
http://www.amazon.com/Bottom-33rd-Redemption-Baseballs-Longest/dp/006201448X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1306445399&sr=1-1
Thirty years later I can finally get the story of what happened that cold night in Pawtucket when AAA affilates of the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox played 32 innings and later that summer played the 33rd. Dan Barry, a NY Times columnist did what I think is an excellent weaving of history and story in this book. I'd call it Minor League Baseball ala Lake Wobegon.
You really get a feel for not only the players involved but their families, the citizens of Pawtucket and the history of the area. It's a book I think even the non serious baseball fan can pick up and get a good read from. Caution, it's at times written in the words of the players themselves so the context can be a bit R rated but when have you been to a ball game and not heard a player cuss?
Perhaps the best baseball book I have read since Bullpen Gospels I recommend the book. Should still be on the shelves of your local book store and if not here is the link to the Amazon page:
http://www.amazon.com/Bottom-33rd-Redemption-Baseballs-Longest/dp/006201448X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1306445399&sr=1-1