Review of "Strike Zone," by Jim Bouton and Eliot Asinof

Review of

Strike Zone, by Jim Bouton and Eliot Asinof, ISBN 0670852147

Five out of five stars

 This book starts slow, but that is necessary in order to set the significant context for what is the last game of the season in the National League. The game is between the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies and the winner of the game will win the division. There are two main characters, the umpire behind the plate and the man pitching for the Cubs.

 Sam Ward is a journeyman pitcher, a thirty-two-year-old rookie that has had six brief appearances in the majors, with the rest of his action in the minor leagues. The Cubs pitching staff is completely worn out, they have no other starters available. Sam once had a much stronger arm, now his fastest pitch moseys at 80 mph and he relies almost exclusively on knuckleballs. Therefore, the Cubs manager has no choice but to put their fate in the hands of Sam.

 Like so many players before him, Sam has kept his dream of playing in the majors alive longer than he should have. His marriage is in serious trouble and he knows that this is his last chance for any real success as a baseball player.

 The umpire is Ernie Kolacka, he also once had dreams of being a major league ballplayer until he was seriously wounded in Korea. Ernie has also been a journeyman umpire, he finally made the majors in his latter years and is being forcibly retired after this last game.

 The man that saved Ernie’s life in Korea comes to him and tells him that he is in serious debt to gamblers. They will kill him if he does not pay them off. His only hope is for Ernie to make enough borderline calls so that the Phillies win. To sweeten the deal for Ernie, the gamblers drop off $100,000 in cash before the game with the promise of an additional $100,000 if the Phillies win. If the Cubs win, then Ernie gets nothing.

 In many ways Ernie is also a bitter man, he spent years umpiring in the bush leagues, being abused and threatened for little pay before he finally got the call. He really does not like the other members of his umpiring crew. Even though it strains his digestive system, Ernie takes the money and like Sam, prepares for the signature game of his career.

 Most of the book is a description of the big game, alternating from the perspective of Sam and Ernie. There is a lot of insight, Ernie makes some questionable calls in favor of the Phillies, causing even some of the Phillies players to give him odd looks. A superb student of the game, Ernie uses the rule interpretation that is most ambiguous to give the Phillies the edge.

 The story moves to a conclusion, one that is far happier for all than it would seem possible when the game starts. Both key players end up in a good place and the writing is quite good. Given that Bouton spent the last years of his career with an arm dead for a fastball and trying to survive throwing knuckleballs, some aspects of the story may be autobiographical.