Mudville Madness

Book excerpt: The extent to which remarkable things can happen on a baseball field is virtually limitless. Bats break, balls carom wildly, personalities clash, and playing fields are invaded by uninvited guests. Mudville Madness is for baseball fans who seek something beyond the standard boxscores—something new or rarely encountered. This book is a jaunt into the realm of the extraordinary and (at times) outright bizarre. The most uncommon events in three centuries of baseball history are recounted here in glorious detail, beginning with the game’s earliest days when the rules were in their infancy, through the deadball years, right up to the 2013 season. The epic brawls, bizarre plays, and landmark achievements covered in this book will leave you shaking your head in disbelief.