- Published in The Athletes
Sidd Finch
Our lone literary nominee is a doozy. On April 1, 1985, Sports Illustrated ran a story about a New York Mets pitching prospect who could throw at 168 mph; well over 60 miles per hour of the fastest known pitch. That man was Sidd Finch, who was a large footed hermit who was debating whether to play Baseball or the French Horn…..and thousands of Mets fans bought it.
The piece was written by literary legend, George Plimpton, and so expertly that readers who chose not to look at the calendar (it was April Fool’s Day after all), bought it despite the Buddhist background, the lone shoe and the fact that we never saw his face. If anyone were to make a case for Sidd Finch being the greatest Fictitious Athlete of all time, we will listen.
The Bullet Points:
Written in:
Sports Illustrated (1985)
Author:
George Plimpton
Position Portrayed:
Pitcher
Played for:
New York Mets
Why you should vote for him:
It was so well written…and my God, did Mets fans want to believe it.
Why you should not vote for him:
We don’t even have a face for him.