Blockade Billy

Artist: Glen Orbik (cover) and Alex McVey (interiors)

Even the most diehard baseball fans don't know the true story of William "Blockade Billy" Blakely. He may have been the greatest player the game has ever seen, but today no one remembers his name. He was the first — and only — player to have his existence completely removed from the record books. Even his team is long forgotten, barely a footnote in the game's history.

Every effort was made to erase any evidence that William Blakely played professional baseball, and with good reason. Blockade Billy had a secret darker than any pill or injection that might cause a scandal in sports today. His secret was much, much worse... and only Stephen King, the most gifted storyteller of our age, can reveal the truth to the world, once and for all.

This original, never-before-published novella represents Stephen King at his very best, and this Cemetery Dance hardcover edition brings it into print for the very first time.

A Few Words from Stephen King on Blockade Billy: "I love old-school baseball, and I also love the way people who've spent a lifetime in the game talk about the game. I tried to combine those things in a story of suspense. People have asked me for years when I was going to write a baseball story. Ask no more; this is it."

1st Edition, 1st Printing Trade Hardcover Edition with Baseball Card still in shrinkwrap and sold out at the publisher

Limited Edition: just 350 hand-numbered copies printed on a high quality paper stock (different from any other edition) and featuring a fine leather binding, two color printing throughout the book, a color frontispiece by Glen Orbik, eleven interior illustrations by Alex McVey, a sewn-in ribbon page marker, a custom deluxe traycase with pullout ribbon, an illustrated signature sheet signed by the artists, and Stephen King’s first-ever baseball card SIGNED by King as his way of signing this special edition. Also includes a copy of the authentic William “Blockade Billy” Blakely baseball card Cemetery Dance printed for their 1st edition hardcover