by Joe Torre
First published 1984
Casey steps up to the plate with two men on base and two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The crowd at Mudville roars as their star hitter takes his position. The team trails by two runs. Everything depends on this moment. Casey watches the first pitch sail by for a strike. He lets the second one pass as well. The pitcher winds up for the final delivery. Casey swings with all his might but connects only with air. The mighty Casey has struck out. Mudville falls silent as their hero walks back to the dugout. Hope turns to despair in an instant. Torre brings his baseball expertise to this beloved poem about pride, pressure, and the unpredictable nature of America's pastime.
Genres: 20th-century, sports, poetry, baseball
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: sports, underdog
Setting: Mudville
Period: 20th-century
Library Binding · Raintree/Steck Vaughn