Pinch Hitting - by Morris Hoffman (Paperback)

About the Book

Will Joe Skelton finish writing his brain-tumor-induced novel before he dies, in time for us to find out if its unlikely hero, crippled janitor Harold Fungo, can overcome his disabilities and make it to the major leagues?

Book Synopsis

"Pinch Hitting takes its place in the dugout alongside Bernard Malamud's The Natural as a timeless baseball fable, shot through with wonder." -Daniel Paisner, author of Balloon Dog, A Single Happened Thing, and The Complete Game (with Ron Darling)

Joe Skelton has never written anything longer than a shopping list, but now his brain tumor is making him write a novel. It's a baseball novel about a crippled janitor who cleans up at a forgotten minor league field, and who is accidentally discovered to be a perfect never-misses hitter. Will Joe die before we find out whether the Joltin' Janitor makes it to the big leagues? An imagined Roger Angell leads an unforgettable ensemble of quirky characters on a gentle and poignant race to discover the meaning of baseball, fate, will, and chance.

Review Quotes

Eric Hoffer Book Award - 2025 Finalist

Hawthorne Prize - 2025 Finalist

From Soot to Sparky, Nick to Paul, the personalities, friendship, and character-driven nature of this read are easy to get lost in. Ending with perhaps one of the most shocking and enjoyable epilogues yet, "Pinch Hitting" by Morris Hoffman reminds us of the beauty of fate and the glory of baseball. -Reader Views

"Pinch Hitting takes its place in the dugout alongside Bernard Malamud's The Natural as a timeless baseball fable, shot through with wonder." -Daniel Paisner, author of Balloon Dog, A Single Happened Thing, and The Complete Game (with Ron Darling)

"A magical journey so audacious that you dare not look away. It is one of those books where you come to dread looking at the page odometer. And of saying goodbye." -Dennis Wanebo, singer-songwriter and two-time winner of the John Lennon International Songwriting Award

"A goodhearted fable and minor league baseball belong together, like a ball nestled in a well-oiled glove. Morris Hoffman's ode to Harold Fungo is clever, preposterous, and ultimately loving. Get ready to cheer (and weep). A charmed and magical journey indeed!" -Brian Kaufman, author of The Fat Lady's Low, Sad Song

"Pinch Hitting is unlike any book I've ever read. Once I got past the fact that a guy like Harold could get hits every at-bat, I bought in. It would make a great movie--uplifting but also tear-jerking. That's what good books (and movies) do, stir the emotions. There are so many interesting characters that I want to digest the story again." -Bill Rogan, manager of the Marysville Drakes in the independent Pecos League

"It draws characters to fill that life with color and a style all their own so that each one contributes their part to the whole big picture of who Joe is and what he means. But it never becomes maudlin and never feels as if Hoffman is trying to force a particular feeling on to you. Pinch Hitting just tells its story the best way it knows how and lets you feel what you feel naturally as would anyone who lived a life with or near Joe." -Brian Casey, LibraryThing.com

"Morris Hoffman's Pinch Hitting is a heartfelt tribute to baseball, woven into a narrative that explores the profound struggles of disability, grief, trauma, and loss." -Literary Titan