Pat Jordan (born April 22, 1941) is an American sports writer. His work has been included in the Best American Sports Writing anthology series seven times.Index to The Best American Sports Writing 1991–2007, accessed March 2, 2011. He is also the author of A False Spring, a bittersweet memoir about his minor league baseball career, which is ranked #37 on Sports Illustrated's Top 100 Sports Books of All Time and which Time called “one of the best and truest books about baseball, and about coming to maturity in America...”Sports Illustrated's 100 Top Sports Book of All Time, accessed March 1, 2011.Peter Stoler, Books: Doubleheader, Time Magazine, accessed March 1, 2011.

Minor league baseball player

Pat Jordan grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut, where he excelled as a baseball pitcher from a young age, tossing four consecutive no-hitters as a Fairfield little leaguer. He later became a highly pursued prospect after going 17–4 over three seasons for the Fairfield Prep Jesuits. On July 9, 1959, after some 15 MLB organizations showed an interest, Jordan signed a $36,000Roughly $380,000 in 2024 money bonus with the Milwaukee Braves, reportedly the largest ever given by the Braves to a new player. He reported to the McCook Braves of the Nebraska State League, where he played alongside future Hall of Famers Phil Niekro and Joe Torre. Despite being one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the minors, Jordan struggled for three seasons, never progressing past Class C ball and recording a 12-22 win-loss record and a 4.98 ERA in 273 innings. (Jordan's biggest problem was accuracy; despite striking out 8.2 batters per nine innings, he walked 8.9 per nine.) Luckily, Jordan had another ability to fall back on: he could write. His memoir, A False Spring, became a best-seller and Jordan retired as a ballplayer and returned home to Connecticut to pursue his new career.The Week That Was for July 19, 2009, Connecticut Post (July 19, 2009), accessed March 5, 2011.

Thirty-six years after throwing his last pitch for the Palatka Redlegs of the Florida State League in 1961, Jordan returned to the mound to start a game with the Waterbury Spirit of independent Northeast League in 1997. The 56-year-old acquitted himself well, allowing no hits or runs and one walk in his single inning on the mound, striking out cleanup hitter Eddie Perozo to end the frame. (Jordan was believed to be the oldest man to pitch in a pro baseball game since Hub Kittle, who threw one inning for St. Louis Cardinals Class A team in Springfield, Illinois, in 1980 at the age of 63.)Pitcher is 56 Years Old

Writer

Jordan is the author of eleven books and a regular contributor to many periodicals. Jordan's work has been included in Best American Sports Writing eight times, the Best American Mystery Stories, Best American Crime Writing, Best American Essays, and the Norton Anthology of World Literature.

Best American Sports Writing

The following writings of Pat Jordan have appeared in the Best American Sports Writing anthology series:

1993: The Wit and Wisdom of the White Rat from Los Angeles Times MagazinePat Jordan, The Wit and Wisdom of the White Rat, The Los Angeles Times Magazine (May 10, 1992). 1995: Behind the Icy Glare from The Sporting News 1996: Belittled Big Men from The New York Times MagazinePat Jordan, Abstract: Belittled Big Men, The New York Times Magazine (December 31, 1994). 2005: The Lion in Late, Late Autumn from The New York Times MagazinePat Jordan, The Lion in Late, Late Autumn, The New York Times Magazine (August 29, 2004). 2006: Card Stud from The New York Times MagazinePat Jordan, Card Stud, The New York Times Magazine (May 29, 2005). 2006: The Magician from The Atlantic MonthlyPat Jordan, The Magician, The Atlantic Monthly (March 2005). 2010: Chasing Jose from Deadspin.comThe Best American Sports Writing in 2010, accessed March 1, 2011.Pat Jordan, Chasing Jose, Deadspin.com (March 26, 2008). 2017: Barry Switzer Laughs Last

Best American Mystery Stories

The following writings of Pat Jordan have appeared in the Best American Mystery Stories anthology series:

1997: The Mark from Playboy, July 1996 1998: Beyond Dog from Playboy, August 1997

Best American Crime Writing

The following writings of Pat Jordan have appeared in the Best American Crime Writing anthology series:

2002: The Outcast: Conversations with O.J. Simpson from The New YorkerPat Jordan, The Outcast: Conversations with O.J. Simpson, The New Yorker (July 9, 2001). 2004: CSC: Crime Scene Cleanup from Playboy, July 2003

Bibliography Black Coach (1971, ) The Suitors of Spring (1974, ) A False Spring (2005, Revised Edition, ) Broken Patterns (1977, ) Chase the Game (1979, ) After the Sundown (1979, ) The Cheat (1985, ) a.k.a. Sheila Doyle (2002, ) a.k.a. Sheila Weinstein (2003, ) A Nice Tuesday (2005, ) The Best Sports Writing of Pat Jordan (2008, ) My Father's Con: A Memoir (2022, )

Education Jordan graduated from the Fairfield College Preparatory School in 1959 and received his bachelor's degree in English from Fairfield University in 1965.

Personal

Jordan is married to the mother of actress Meg Ryan. They reside in Abbeville, South Carolina.

References

External links Official Website of Pat Jordan Bronx Banter: Pat Jordan