[Phogge]

Malamud based the first part of his story on the shooting of Eddie Waitkus by an obsessed female fan. The Philly first baseman had come up with the Cubs and was called by some writers a natural. The woman fantasized about him and followed him to Philadelphia and checked into his hotel. She left an emergency message asking him to come to her room where she shot him with a .22. He was near death but was saved by quick medical work. Voted comeback player of the year he returned to the Phils in 1950 where as a leadoff hitter he was one of the leaders of the pennant winning team. The woman was confined to the cracker factory for a bit but was never charged in the shooting. One of the first instances of celebrity stalking.

[Phogge]

Malamud based the first part of his story on the shooting of Eddie Waitkus by an obsessed female fan. The Philly first baseman had come up with the Cubs and was called by some writers a natural. The woman fantasized about him and followed him to Philadelphia and checked into his hotel. She left an emergency message asking him to come to her room where she shot him with a .22. He was near death but was saved by quick medical work. Voted comeback player of the year he returned to the Phils in 1950 where as a leadoff hitter he was one of the leaders of the pennant winning team. The woman was confined to the cracker factory for a bit but was never charged in the shooting. One of the first instances of celebrity stalking.