The Last Western

The Last Western is an American novel by Thomas S. Klise published by Argus Communications in 1974.

The story follows multiracial teen protagonist Willie, a budding baseball prodigy, from his obscure beginnings in the American Southwest to religious leader and international humanitarian. After gaining local fame as a baseball pitcher on the field, Willie enjoys a meteoric rise to celebrity status.

The Journal of Sports and Social Issues featured the book in its March 1979 issue, in an article entitled "A Step Over the Edge: the Image of Sport in Thomas Klise's the Last Western". The Los Angeles Times reviewed the novel in 1980 under the title entitled "A quality book discovered".