Name: Blockade Billy
ISBN: 9781451608212

Stephen King

In "Blockade Billy," a retired coach recounts the story of "Blockade Billy" Blakely, the only player to have his record erased from baseball history, and in "Morality," an elderly minister recovering from a stroke offers to pay his home care nurse a large

Blockade Billy

Even the most diehard baseball fans don't know the true story of William "Blockade Billy" Blakely. He may have been the greatest player the game has ever seen, but today no one remembers his name. He was the first--and only--player to have his existence completely removed from the record books. Even his team is long forgotten, barely a footnote in the game's history. Every effort was made to erase any evidence that William Blakely played professional baseball, and with good reason. Blockade Billy had a secret darker than any pill or injection that might cause a scandal in sports today. His secret was much, much worse... and only Stephen King, the most gifted storyteller of our age, can reveal the truth to the world, once and for all. This original, never-before-published novella represents Stephen King at his very best, and this Cemetery Dance hardcover edition brings it into print for the very first time

This lower star rating is actually nothing against the book itself. I thought, “oh, Stephen King!” And picked it up based on that alone. If you are a baseball fan, my rationale for picking it up will work for you. If you are not a baseball fan (that’s me), you will struggle with it. It’s written well, just very much in baseball slang, which I don’t understand. I had to have my better half (who is an avid baseball fan) explain parts of it. I loved the ending, considering how curious I was to know how this Blockade Billy was so good and hadn’t been picked up by any other teams. 

Kristen Savage

"Even the most die-hard baseball fans don't know the true story of William "Blockade Billy" Blakely. He may have been the greatest player the game has ever seen, but today no one remembers his name. He was the first--and only--player to have his existence completely removed from the record books. Even his team is long forgotten, barely a footnote in the game's history. Every effort was made to erase any evidence that William Blakely played professional baseball, and with good reason. Blockade Billy had a secret darker than any pill or injection that might cause a scandal in sports today. His secret was much, much worse."

Kimberly

It brought back the old time baseball feel. I kept reading and I never lost my interest. I read the Girl who Loved Tom Gordon, and this wa just as good.

Blockade Billy

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