Bottom of the 33rd

Dan Barry finds the meaning behind all of the details in this otherwise meaningless game – a minor-league baseball game that would blend in with the hundreds of other games in the dozens of other seasons, except that it became the longest game in professional baseball history. The factors that had to coincide to lead this game to seemingly never end are remarkable. But what made this book so enthralling is the masterful way Barry weaved together stories about all of the people involved. As a batter walked up to the plate, we learned how he got to this place, and, with the benefit of 30 years of hindsight, we also were able to see what significance this game would have in the player's or manager's or fan's lives. Beautifully done.