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While it wasn't great literature, several years ago (late 80's or early 90's, although I don't know how old the book was then) I enjoyed a novel that combined a couple of my favorite things, science fiction and baseball. It is set in the not too distant future. In it, a baseball fan is somehow required to pitch for his favorite team - which I think was the Chicago Cubs. My recollection is that he wore a mask or helmet to hide who he was; while he didn't do particularly well on the field personally, the team was fairly successful overall (especially for the Cubs! ;-) Unfortunately, I don't remember a lot of other details.

Can anyone provide the title and author?

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  • This didn't involve the guy having a "trick knee" which gave out on him mid-game, did it?
    – FuzzyBoots
    Sep 10, 2015 at 17:57
  • @SeanDuggan: I don't remember that, but I can't say for certain that it didn't.
    – GreenMatt
    Sep 10, 2015 at 18:05
  • I don't see your story in it, but you might like this anthology.
    – Joe L.
    Sep 10, 2015 at 20:40
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    There's a list of baseball-themed SFF stories here, but mostly it's just titles and authors with a few links. Maybe something will jog your memory?
    – Joe L.
    Sep 10, 2015 at 20:44
  • @JoeL.: Yeah, it was in there - The New AToms Bombshell by Robert Browne. Thanks! If you want to write it up as an answer, I'll accept it as correct.
    – GreenMatt
    Sep 10, 2015 at 21:22

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It's The New AToms Bombshell, by Robert Browne.

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From the Goodreads link:

Published in 1980, The New AToms’ Bombshell is about a failing major league baseball team located in Chicago. Its set in the future year of 2002. The owner dies and in a weird bequest leaves the team to teacher Matt Paradise for one year. Part of the deal is that he has to be a starting pitcher AND disguise his identity by wearing bandages on his face AND change his name! Wait…What?! He has to wear bandages on his face for the entire baseball season?!

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  • Thanks (again)! Obviously I got the team name wrong, but my recollection is that the AToms bore a strong resemblence to the Cubs.
    – GreenMatt
    Sep 11, 2015 at 12:52

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