The Hit Men and the Kid Who Batted Ninth: Biggio, Valentin, Vaughn & Robinson: Together Again in the Big Leagues

by David Siroty

Overview

Each played baseball as kids. They all played together on a college baseball juggernaut at Seton Hall. All of them wanted to make baseball their life. The Hit Men and the Kid Who Batted Ninth traces the baseball lives of Craig Biggio, Mo Vaughn, John Valentin, and Marteese Robinson—from the playgrounds through college ball to the big leagues—revealing a fascinating and personal account of four routes to the same destination and dream.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781888698435
Publisher:	Taylor Trade Publishing
Publication date:	06/18/2002
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.22(w) x 9.16(h) x 0.85(d)

About the Author

Since his graduation from Syracuse University in 1985, David Siroty has worked for The Big East Conference, Seton Hall, and The Northeast Conference, and was the Director of Public Relations for CN8, The Comcast Network, before joining the DVC Group as the Manager of Media. Siroty, a resident of Westfield, New Jersey, has done freelance writing for Eastern Basketball and Basketball Times.

Editorial Reviews

A well-crafted story of four men who are great ballplayers on the field, but greater human beings off of it. Marteese Robinson's journey in and out of baseball is a story that had to be told...an inspirational must read.

Steve Fortunato

The Hit Men and the Kid Who Batted Ninth is a fine evocation of four big leaguers and their common beginnings. It's a tale of friendship and determination that baseball fans of all stripes are sure to enjoy.

Alexander Wolff

This book is a wonderful read about a good bunch of guys from a great team in a golden era. It's a bird's eye look at how boys became men and how dreams were fulfilled under the watchful eye of a coach named 'Shep.' Dave Siroty takes you out to the ballgame and never lets you miss a pitch.

Bruce Beck

You will want to cheer loudly for Mo Vaughn, Craig Biggio, John Valentin, and Marteese Robinson. From college to the major leagues, these former teammates learned valuable lessons, endured, and made it to baseball's highest level without forgeting their roots. This is a book sports fan and athletes—at every level—should read.

The New York Times - Chris Broussard

Dave Siroty covers all the bases and hits a home run that even Mo Vaughn would be proud to call his own.

The Star-Ledger - Ed Barmakian

David Siroty knew Mo Vaughn, Craig Biggio, and John Valentin when they were household names only in their households. In this book, he humanizes them as few others could. Given the compelling way Siroty writes about their college teammate who didn't make it to the bigs as a player but made it big in life, Marteese Robinson could be on the verge of becoming a household name too.

Tom Keegan

In the newly published book, The Hit Men and the kid that Batted Ninth, author David Siroty follows the lives of former Seton Hall baseball teammates Mo Vaughn, Craig Biggio, John Valentin and Marteese Robinson.

Reno Gazette

Baseball will always be a sport that gives us the best stories. And the best of those are about players, people like the four in The Hit Men and the Kid Who Batted Ninth.

Associated Press - Jim O'Connell

This is not just a book about baseball, but a story about dreams and the diverse path each of us takes, if we choose to reach for those dreams. It is about the discipline and commitment it takes to do the right thing. Not just some of the time, but all of the time.

Tom McCarthy

Baseball will always be a sport that gives us the best stories. And the best of those are about players, people like the four in The Hit Men and the Kid Who Batted Ninth.
— Jim O'Connell

Associated Press Staff

Dave Siroty covers all the bases and hits a home run that even Mo Vaughn would be proud to call his own.
— Ed Barmakian

The Star-Ledger