The 163 mph Hoax Turns 25

[Tim]

For those that don't know about it, SI ran a story 25 years ago about a recluse that was found by the Mets who could throw a fastball 168 mph. It remains one of the greatest sports April Fools day hoaxes ever.

 

Adam Kellogg has another great article up at 312sports about the hoax and his reaction at the time.

[bhogg]

I was 8 or 9 years old when this article came out. I remember reading it in an outdated SI in our school library (they'd keep a stack of old magazines for the kids to look through) and thought it was the coolest thing ever. . . .had me convinced, but I was young :)

[Mark Priors Calves]

George Plimpton is awesome. His cameo in Good Willing Hunting was outstanding as well.

[mcgoobs]

Stupid fact: the guy photographed as Sidd Finch was my 8th grade woodshop teacher, Joe Berton.

 

You were all on edge waiting to hear that weren't you.

[Sammys Boombox]

My mom was having complications with a pregnancy in 2000 when I was sitting in a doctor's office in St. Louis reading SI. They re-ran this story, but I know that it could not have been around April Fools (unless the issue was a few months old). I was completely convinced (as a 12-year-old). If I remember correctly it was in a countdown of amazing feats or something like that. The other feats were all true. Clearly I missed something, but I remember telling my dad about it and he just laughed and told me it was an old hoax.