Wicked Curve - by John C Skipper (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

When in 1911 Phillies pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander set the National League record for wins by a rookie (28), it was a sign of things to come. Alexander went on to win 373 games over his 20-year career, the third highest total in major league history, and he would lead the league in ERA four times, shutouts seven times, complete games six times, and wins six times. But he also became a deeply troubled man. After the Shell-Shocked pitcher returned from World War I, he would battle alcoholism, epilepsy, and personal demons that damaged his reputation and proved disastrous for his life outside of baseball.

This biography sheds new light on the pitcher and the man, focusing on Alexander's personal life, especially his complex relationship with his wife, Aimee, as well as their marriages and divorces. His Hall of Fame career, wartime service, and long decline are also documented.

Review Quotes

"absorbing...Skipper has done an admirable job...Wicked Curve deserves its place on the bookshelves of the serious lover of baseball history. The book is thoroughly researched and...is written with the aplomb expected from a professional journalist. Most of all, Skipper writes with sympathy about a man who lived during an unforgiving era with 'the epilepsy that he tried to hide and the alcoholism that he could no longer hide'"-Nine; "Skipper is a seasoned baseball researcher and writer...an easy read...worthy"-The Inside Game (SABR Deadball Era Committee Newsletter).

About the Author

John C. Skipper, a political reporter for the Mason City (Iowa) Globe Gazette, has written numerous books on politics and baseball, including a history of the The Iowa Caucuses and acclaimed biographies of Grover Cleveland Alexander, Dazzy Vance and Charlie Gehringer.