Out Of The Park

When we go to a baseball stadium and cheer a person like Babe Ruth for hitting the ball harder, higher, further and more often than the other players, we are cheering him as our representative. We cheer people of exceptional accomplishment whose achievements are so highly visible and so obviously measurable because we, too, are faced with the complexity of the lives that we live and are challenged to perform feats of heroic proportions just to be able to say that we have lived our lives well when we come to the end. In the novel, Babe Ruth says, "There ain't nothin' like a game of baseball. There ain't nothin' like a beautiful summer day, with the clouds light and fluffy and the sun on the back of your shoulders and a nice liftin' breeze comin' down onto the field from out of the stands." The man who feels this way about the game he loves is a man who faces enormous challenges, digs deep down inside himself and finds whatever is needed in order to triumph in the game of life. This makes him a fitting representative for us all; we all hit spectacular home runs in out own quiet ways.

During the Golden Age of baseball, as many as 59 minor leagues operated in a single season, and hundreds of G.I.s returning home from World War II competed in them for the big break that would land them one of only 400 spots on 16 teams in the majors. These were truly the days when athletes played purely for the love of the game, motivated by goals that seemed always just beyond their fingertips. Among the many men who endured shocking extremes in pursuit of that diamond-plate dream was first baseman Ed Mickelson. This book relates the entirety of his 11-year struggle against the odds of success. A talented athlete from his early youth, Mickelson followed the game he loved across continental America, winning some and losing some, but always persevering. While a recruit for Lynchburg in the Class B Piedmont League, Mickelson maintained a league-leading .393 batting average. When traded to the Southeastern League in Montgomery, Alabama, he scaled his previous statistic to achieve an average of .417. In his first major league start, an ailing Stan Musial provided the opportunity for Ed to get one of only two hits against Hall of Famer Warren Spahn. After batting .335 and driving in 139 runs at Shreveport, Louisiana, in the Texas League, Ed was honored to become first pick among 8500 players in the Minor League draft in 1954, making him a Portland Beaver in the Pacific Coast League. This book captures the fierceness of his struggle throughout his career before the man who drove in the last run of the St. Louis Browns would eventually hand over his bat and go home. Despite his impressive statistics--the second highest batting average in the Pacific Coast League and the best fielding percentage among first basemen--Mickelson traded in professional baseball for a career of high school counseling and coaching young athletes, some becoming professionals themselves. His story is told here for veterans, scholars and fans alike, revealing first-hand the both difficult and rewarding challenges of the big game.

Out of the Park! is an officially licensed collection of true baseball stories to teach kids about the greatest baseball players, from Babe Ruth to Derek Jeter, their major historical moments, and their love of the game.

Down on his knees! Clobbered that one in typical fashion! Unleashing the slog sweep; masterclass this! Heart-in-the-mouth situation for a moment but the batsman there pulled out a trick that he had camouflaged all this while! This is gonna get done easily from this point onwards we reckon. Three in three. In comes the bowler. Play and a miss! Just did enough to literally kiss the edge. Three in two now. Running in hard…Yet another jaffa! The tide clearly in favour of the fielding side now! What a great leveller cricket is. The batsmen had it under control a couple of deliveries ago and now for the last one. Got him! The wickets are cartwheeling. That’s that. The atmosphere is electric. Crowd ecstatic! Hearts pumping and the one who held his nerve under the pressure cooker scenario came out victorious! Life’s not too different. It’s a lot like sports. You’ve got it under control on most occasions. But you never know when the tide’s pulling back. Out of the Park is a book that demonstrates the mindset of a sportsperson and encourages you to think like one through anecdotes and life lessons learned from popular cricketers, administrators, coaches and support staff alike from the world of cricket. It shows you how to be prepared to be on top of your game every single time. Because the ones around are playing to win as well. It highlights the importance of coming out of one’s comfort zone and treating winning and losing in the same breath. For staying calm under adversity helps tremendously whether in sports or in life.

A trip to the park features many different sensations, including the feel of a smooth rubber ball, cold metal chain links on the swing set, and a grooved rubber on the tire swing.

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