WHO IS BASEBALL’S GREATEST PITCHER?

So who is the greatest pitcher in baseball history? It’s one of the questions that has kept the hot stove league going for as long as baseball has existed. Can you compare pitchers from the Dead Ball era with those who have had to use a livelier ball? Can you compare those who were expected to pitch complete games no matter what the outcome with modern pitchers who can pitch as few as five innings before handing the ball to a reliever? Kisseloff (Who Is Baseball’s Greatest Hitter, not reviewed, etc.) gives no answers; he leaves the arguments to his readers. He even suggests methods for making the final decision. Thirty-three pitchers, spanning over 100 years, are examined in alphabetical order. Basic information regarding places and dates of birth and death, dates of major league career, and final record of wins and losses head each entry, accompanied by a baseball card photograph. Information is presented in a breezy, chatty manner filled with anecdotes, quotes, and, of course, statistics galore. They’re all here: games and innings pitched, strikeouts, wins and losses, winning percentages, awards, and many more. Before moving on the next pitcher, he adds a summary and some pertinent comparisons. There has been some thought to the graphic layout as well. Baseballs surround many of the page numbers and there is a small dot-matrix catcher depicted at the end of each pitcher’s entry. For those searching for more information there is an annotated bibliography. Kisseloff has created a work of impressive scholarship that enlightens and entertains. It is not for the uninitiated, but is definitely aimed at the true baseball fan. Play Ball. (Nonfiction. 10-14)