Steve Dalkowski: the life and mystery of baseball's flame-throwing what-if

Many believe the lefthander was the fastest pitcher to ever take the mound. But his career - and life - went off the rails before he could make an impact

Steve Dalkowski, a career minor-leaguer who very well could have been the fastest (and wildest) pitcher in baseball history, died in April at the age of 80 from complications from Covid-19. And yet, partly because of one missing detail, his legend lives on, perhaps for ever.

A book and a documentary - both of which were in the works well before Dalkowski's death - have been released since Dalkowski, who had alcohol-related dementia, died in his home town, New Britain, Connecticut, where he became a phenomenon more than 60 years ago.