Project or Die: Sidd Finch (1 Viewer)

[Eephus]

30 years ago today

The biggest problem Finch has with baseball is that nirvana, which is the state all Buddhists wish to reach, means literally 'the blowing out'—specifically the purifying of oneself of greed, hatred and delusion. Baseball is symbolized to a remarkable degree by those very three aspects: greed (huge money contracts, stealing second base, robbing a guy of a base hit, charging for a seat behind an iron pillar, etc.), hatred (players despising management, pitchers hating hitters, the Cubs detesting the Mets, etc.) and delusion (the slider, the pitchout, the hidden-ball trick and so forth). So you can see why it is not easy for Finch to give himself up to a way of life so opposite to what he has been led to cherish.

 

[Dickie Dunn]

30 years ago today

The biggest problem Finch has with baseball is that nirvana, which is the state all Buddhists wish to reach, means literally 'the blowing out'—specifically the purifying of oneself of greed, hatred and delusion. Baseball is symbolized to a remarkable degree by those very three aspects: greed (huge money contracts, stealing second base, robbing a guy of a base hit, charging for a seat behind an iron pillar, etc.), hatred (players despising management, pitchers hating hitters, the Cubs detesting the Mets, etc.) and delusion (the slider, the pitchout, the hidden-ball trick and so forth). So you can see why it is not easy for Finch to give himself up to a way of life so opposite to what he has been led to cherish.

Plimpton turned it into a book, and it even referenced the SI story and how they spun the tale that it was an April Fool's joke to try to hide him from the rest of MLB. Eventually made his debut in mid-August before walking off the mound one out away from a perfect game.

Very funny book and a good read.

 

[Fariq]

23-5, 2.17 ERA, 3 complete games, 230 strikeouts

 

[pantagrapher]

The guy who posed as Finch for all those photos was my junior high wood shop teacher, Mr. Berton. He gave us Sidd Finch baseball cards back in the day. Lost mine right away.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

(blows out)

23-1, 1.78, 321 K

 

[Limp Ditka]

The guy who posed as Finch for all those photos was my junior high wood shop teacher, Mr. Berton. He gave us Sidd Finch baseball cards back in the day. Lost mine right away.

Oof

 

[Koya]

Read they are doing a 30 for 30 on this. That would be awesome. I remember all the hubbub and excitement as a Mets fan.

 

[rockaction]

The guy who posed as Finch for all those photos was my junior high wood shop teacher, Mr. Berton. He gave us Sidd Finch baseball cards back in the day. Lost mine right away.

This is unbelievable.

That he had a connection to Plimpton is even more amazing.

 

[pantagrapher]

The guy who posed as Finch for all those photos was my junior high wood shop teacher, Mr. Berton. He gave us Sidd Finch baseball cards back in the day. Lost mine right away.

This is unbelievable.

That he had a connection to Plimpton is even more amazing.

Apparently he was chosen by the photographer assigned to the ruse, who was a friend of his.

From the Wiki page: "Finch was portrayed by Joe Berton, a junior high school art teacher from Oak Park, Illinois. Sports Illustrated photographer Lane Stewart recruited Berton, his friend, for the role. Berton posed as Finch for the photographs (usually with his face averted from the lens). Berton stands at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and wears a size 14 shoe."

The only thing I'd question is the 6'4" height. Maybe it's because I was a 13-year-old pipsqueak at the time, but I always thought he was more like 6'7" or something.

 

[tri-man 47]

The guy who posed as Finch for all those photos was my junior high wood shop teacher, Mr. Berton. He gave us Sidd Finch baseball cards back in the day. Lost mine right away.

This is unbelievable.

That he had a connection to Plimpton is even more amazing.

Apparently he was chosen by the photographer assigned to the ruse, who was a friend of his.

From the Wiki page: "Finch was portrayed by Joe Berton, a junior high school art teacher from Oak Park, Illinois. Sports Illustrated photographer Lane Stewart recruited Berton, his friend, for the role. Berton posed as Finch for the photographs (usually with his face averted from the lens). Berton stands at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and wears a size 14 shoe."

The only thing I'd question is the 6'4" height. Maybe it's because I was a 13-year-old pipsqueak at the time, but I always thought he was more like 6'7" or something.

Joe is a very good friend of mine at church! He's got interesting stories of being recognized on the street (even though his face wasn't shown) and having athletes ask for his autograph as an ESPN anniversary dinner. pantagrapher, Joe is now retired. His wife, FWIW, is a big-time curator of French impressionist paintings at the Art Institute. Great people. And ...he still has some of those cards.