Methuselah in Cleats

by Greg T. Walker

Description This story covers the life and baseball career of Satchel Paige. It also covers, for the first time, the complete story of Satchel's record breaking game at age 59 when he pitched for the Kansas City Athletics in September of 1965. The oldest man to ever play or pitch in a Major League Baseball game. Over 100 pages just about that game and the 23 days (Sept. 10- Oct. 3) Paige spent with the A's. Until now, no other Satchel Paige book has ever covered, in depth, this period of his career.
The Satchel Paige story is told in these pages by the following: Satchel Paige, his teammates, his opponents, his family members, his friends, team personnel, avid baseball fans, and others who knew him best. It contains the best stories ever told by Satchel- and the best stories about Satchel ever told by others. Commentary by the experts (authors, reporters, historians) accompany those stories (Larry Tye, Donald Spivey, John B. Holway, Mark Ribowsky, Sam Mellinger, Joe Posnanski, etc.). Lots of photos will complement those stories in each chapter. After reading Methuselah in Cleats, I believe baseball fans will have a better awareness, visualization, appreciation, and understanding about the life and baseball career of Satchel Paige.
Some of what is covered in the book includes: Was there ever a Satchel Paige birth certificate and do we know his real age? What really happened in the Paige vs. Gibson '42 World Series duel? Why wasn't Paige the first black man in Major League Baseball? Does Paige ever play in MLB without Bill Veeck? Do the Indians in '48 win the pennant without Paige? Why didn't Paige pitch more in the World Series? Why did the A's and Charles O. Finley pick up Satchel in '65? Did Bert Campaneris, two days before Paige was signed, really play every position in a game vs. the Angels- and pitch right and left handed? How did Paige do in his start against the Red Sox? What players did he pitch to that night (Yaz was one of them)? Who were his A's teammates (Catfish Hunter was one of them)? What stories are there from his 3+ weeks in KC? What records did he set that night? Are they still records today? What happened after 1965? What if Nolan Ryan un-retired 12 years later and pitched a game in 2006? Did Paige's 'rule breaking' cost him more years in Major League Baseball? Can the statistics Paige provided be trusted? What Paige statistics have been found and added in the last 10 years? Is Paige still the oldest pitcher ever? Is Paige the best control pitcher ever? Is Paige the fastest pitcher ever? Is Satchel Paige the greatest pitcher of all-time?
All these questions, and more, will be covered and answered - at least answered in a way where all of the information is finally provided and the reader can now make his or her own educated decision on the matter.
If you love and admire Leroy Satchel Paige you need to read this book.