Baseball's Greatest Miracle: The Inspirational Story of My High School Hero, Thirteen Gritty Players, and Our Historic Comeback Season

"I've never heard of a more unlikely upset. A must read." —Art Howe, former MLB player and manager "Central's upset of Jewell is hardball's Hoosiers." —Larry Holley, NAIA Hall of Fame basketball coach, Central Methodist and William Jewell College "Mase was a cerebral pitcher and an accomplished artist, and he shows these traits as a storyteller in this compelling book." —Tim Murtaugh, former MILB player and manager A reluctant coach. A washed-up minor leaguer. And thirteen gritty ballplayers. Weaving their wildest dreams and utmost determination into a season for the ages... In 1975, a small college baseball team from rural mid-Missouri achieved the incredible. Sporting a long history of cellar-dwelling hardball squads, the Central Methodist Eagles had finished last the previous year. Plus, they were led by novice coach Steve Phipps, a football defensive coordinator, and his hired hand, DeWayne Mason, a recently released bush-league pitcher. The “Lean, Mean, Green Thirteen” racked up much more than a winning season. Against all odds, the ragtag crew not only advanced to their league tournament championship game but also staged a historic, thirteenth-hour comeback to defeat William Jewell College, a perennial powerhouse. Sports fans and pundits have yet to identify a more improbable baseball upset. At any level. Period. In Baseball’s Greatest Miracle, a tribute to Phipps, an inspiring role model and four-sport high school letterman, Mason shares an uplifting story about friendship, redemption, and a misfit team that transformed their high expectations, dedication, and perseverance into an unbelievable achievement. An achievement that instilled lifelong lessons. An achievement that changed lives. View Less