Backyards to Ballparks: More Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond

by Eric C. Gray

Overview

"What is your favorite memory connected to baseball?" is the simple question asked by author Eric Gray that launched the book Bases to Bleachers, a collection of personal memories.  With over 1250 tales collected from around the world, it became evident that one volume of stories would not be enough. And they kept coming.  

Backyards to Ballparks:  More Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond is the second volume.  The stories are all different...but the heart and soul of the book are the same.  They all have in common that tribute to why baseball remains the American pastime, how it connects friends, families, communities. These memories, often more human interest than play-of-game in nature, all have baseball as a setting, but speak to how baseball provides joy and anguish, nourishes family traditions, creates friendships and can profoundly affect you.  

Whether the stories are about befriending Hank Aaron because of a mixed music tape, catching or not catching that prized ball, re-telling the memory your grandpa passed down to you, or finding out some life-changing news while at a game, these are stories that will make you laugh, or tear up, and allow you to remember similar events in your life.  If you like baseball - great.  If you don't, it doesn't matter.  You will love these stories.  Little Leagues to the Big Leagues, you will find them all in Backyards to Ballparks.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798885904667
Publisher:	Tell Me Your Stories
Publication date:	07/13/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	406
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Eric Gray is originally from Plainview, New York and got his BA from SUNY New Paltz in 1974. He made his way to San Francisco and his first job with the Department of Labor became his life-long career. His passions are baseball, rock and roll, politics, conversation and most of all, family and friends. His wife, Lynn, daughter Rachel, son David, daughter-in-law Lisa and granddaughter Juliet are all baseball fans.

Table of Contents

Foreword; Introduction; Bonus stories from Bases to Bleachers; My First Game; To Catch a Ball...or Not;

An Autography, A Photo, A Chat with a Star; Making out the Lineup: The Coaching Experience;

Balls, Strikes, Yer' Safe, Yer' Out... The Art of Umpiring;

Ushers, and Vendors and Bat Boys, Oh My; The Bats and Balls and Gloves that Bind: Family and Baseball;

I Saw it on TV, I Heard it on the Radio; Bunts; Singles; Doubles; Triples; Home Runs:

My Player, My Team, My Game - What Baseball Means to Me;

Mickey, Willie, and the Stars of the Golden Age of Baseball;

That Special, Famous, Emotional, Momentous, Groundbreaking Game;

Just Another Day at the Park; We All Have Good Days and Bad Days;

Stories Handed Down; Afterword and Acknowledgments