OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Maine -- Hayden 'Sidd' Finch, the fabled Tibetan pitcher with the 168 mph fastball who left baseball before he ever had a chance to revolutionize it, is coming home.
Finch, who reportedly gave up the game for music and the mysticism of Eastern philosophy, is actually the fictional creation of author George Plimpton and Sports Illustrated. In its April Fool's Day issue, the magazine told of the pitcher who learned the meaning of life -- and baseball -- in the mountains of Tibet.
Plimpton wrote of Finch's pinpoint accurate fastball -- so fast (168 mph) it threatened to revolutionize the game -- and of how the pitcher was discovered in Old Orchard Beach, Maine and given a tryout this spring at the New York Mets' Florida camp.
This week, however, Sports Illustrated reported Finch has decided to give up the fastball and the Mets for his ever-present French horn and Tibet.
The news gave Town Manager Jerry Plante an idea.
'We already had planned our second annual banquet to give the (Maine) Guides an old-fashioned community welcome for April 16, so we decided to send Sidd a telegram and ask him to attend,' Plante said Sunday. 'He's got a lot of mail here anyway.'
Plante, by the way, happens to be the biggest fan of the Guides, the Cleveland Indians' Triple-A farm team that plays in Old Orchard Beach.
And Finch replied, 'The challenge is reaching the Eightfold Path of right belief or the ninth inning with the proper relief. May you have peace of mind.'
Meaning the Tibetan wonder is hitchhiking his way from Florida and will make the dinner, Plante said.
'The theme for our banquet is 'Beach, Baseball and Bach,' and with his fastball and French horn, I thought Sidd would fit right in,' Plante said.
Sidd fits in so well, Plante added, that Bruce Hagan, director of the Portland Symphony Orchestra, has offered to give the former flamethrower another tryout -- this time using his French horn.
'I don't know what he'll do after the banquet, but I expect he'll stay around for the audition,' Plante said. 'He's quite an individual, very independent. But wouldn't it be terrific if he made an appearance July 3, when the orchestra is scheduled to play at the ballpark.'
Plante doesn't want to bother Sidd with a great deal of extra special attention, though.
'Press conferences and photos are too earthly forhim,' Plante said. 'I don't want to upset him with those trappings.'
