arterialturns's Reviews > Bottom of the 33rd: Hope, Redemption, and Baseball's Longest Game

How does one write a baseball book about the longest game in professional baseball history without making it boring? How does one make a book about said game without alienating non-baseball fans? This is how: by weaving poignant, touching stories of literally nearly everyone involved in the game. Here is the tale of the clubhouse kid who started as a pre-teen hustling players' laundry down the street to his career as a local police officer. Here is the tale of the unique, self-made wealthy owner who values loyalty and elevates a downtrodden town's downtrodden ballpark and team to notoriety in the world of AAA baseball. Here is the tale of the first baseman and his path from prodigiously talented school age athlete in Wyoming to respected minor league hopeful in Rhode Island to beloved father and grandfather in recovery. This isn't truly a story about a game (and if it were it would be awful); it's one of the best examples of how every one of us has a story, oft untold and frequently fascinating. It's a tale of passion for the game, interpersonal relationships, perseverance, small towns, and-yes-big dreams. Totally worth a read.