Three Finger: The Mordecai Brown Story

On October 8, 1908, Mordecai Brown clutched a half-dozen notes inside his coat pocket. The message of each was clear: we'll kill you if you pitch and beat the Giants. A black handprint marked each note, the signature of the Italian Mafia.

Mordecai Brown-dubbed "Three Finger" because of a childhood farm injury-was the dominant pitcher for the great Chicago Cubs team of the early twentieth century. Brown's handicap enabled him to throw pitches with an unconventional movement that left batter...