Sidd Finch was the greatest pitcher in history, signed by the Mets in 1985. On the 20-80 scale, his 168 mph fastball was graded a 90. Hitters feared him, pitchers wanted to be him. So why is it that very few baseball fans today remember Finch?
That would be because Finch was an April Fools Day hoax, created by Sports Illustrated and the New York Mets. In 1985, a Sports Illustrated publication was due to be released on April 1. Mark Mulvoy, the manager editor, thought it would be a fun idea to write an article about jokes in professional sports. But when writer George Plimpton expressed concerns about a lack of content, the two decided to craft their own joke.
And so Hayden Siddhartha “Sidd” Finch was born.
So who is this mysterious new Mets rookie?
Finch was a young member of the Mets organization who was deciding between a career in professional sports or playing the French horn. An English orphan, he was adopted by an archaeologist who later died in a plane crash in Nepal. What was unique about Finch, (besides his record breaking fastball) was that he only pitched with one shoe (a hiker’s boot) and he didn’t need to warm up.
How did he throw his fastball with perfect aim without ever warming up? After his time studying at Harvard University, Finch travelled to Tibet to learn yoga, allowing him to have immense control over his mind and body. In Finch’s words, he “learned it in the mountains”
The Mets and Sports Illustrated teamed up for the trick, asking Joe Berton, a junior high school teacher from Illinois, to pose as Finch for pictures. The Mets gave Finch his own locker and number, and had players do interviews with Sports Illustrated about their new teammate.
Check out this quote from former Mets catcher, Ronn Reynolds:
“Well, I hope nothing like that guy ever comes down the pike again. The first time I see him is inside the canvas coop, out there on the pitcher’s mound, a thin kid getting ready to throw, and I’m thinking he’ll want to toss a couple of warmup pitches. So I’m standing behind the plate without a mask, chest protector, pads or anything, holding my glove up, sort of half-assed, to give him a target to throw at…and suddenly I see this windup like a pretzel gone loony, and the next thing, I’ve been blown two or three feet back, and I’m sitting on the ground with the ball in my glove. My catching hand feels like it’s been hit with a sledgehammer.”
Ronn Reynolds, courtesy of Sports Illustrated
Finch kept to himself during Spring Training and barely spoke to anyone. He had very few belongings, and stayed by himself in an apartment instead of with the team at the hotel. When he spoke to teammates, it was always words of advice and wisdom.
Eliot Posner was responsible for bringing Finch back and forth to his apartment. When asked if Finch said anything during their rides, Posner replied:
“Today he said, ‘When your mind is empty like a canyon you will know the power of the Way.’ “
Eliot Posner, courtesy of Sports Illustrates
Very wise.
Mets hitters were photographed looking scared while watching Finch pitch. Catchers held their hands in pain after catching for him.
How was Sidd Finch’s story received?
Turns out, a lot of people fell for the trick! Two general managers called the commissioners office to inquire about Finch. A New York sports editor called their Mets contact and complained that Sports Illustrated got to break the story. A radio show host (unrelated to the joke) even claimed he saw Finch pitch live.
About a week later Joe Berton, who was posing as Finch, announced his retirement from baseball. The sub header of the article said:
“He’s a pitcher, part yogi and part recluse. Impressively liberated from our opulent life-style, Sidd’s deciding about yoga – and his future in baseball.”If you pull out the first letter of every word, it reads “Happy April Fools’ Day – a(h) fib”.
On April 15th, Sports Illustrated announced that it was all an April Fools Day prank.
The writer of the article, Plimpton, later expanded the story to a book in 1987. In 2015, the Brooklyn Cyclones gave out Sidd Finch bobble heads for the 30th anniversary of the joke.
Very clever joke by Sports Illustrated and the Mets!
If you want to check out the original Sports Illustrated article on Sidd Finch, check it out here.
What do you think of this story?
I remember when this happened. I used to get Sports Illustrated and they did a story on him too! So funny and a great memory! Thank you for reminding me of how old I am! LOL
haha so funny! would love to see something like that happen again