Bob Weintraub?s marvelous collection of baseball stories goes directly to the core of what the game does for us when we watch it being played on the field, and shows how its heroes and villains can reach into a person?s life and remain a part of us for the rest of our days. The stories are told from various perspectives, including those of the player, manager, general manager, coach, scout, owner, writer, broadcaster, and fan. Each strives for its own sense of authenticity, seeks to introduce characters we?d be comfortable spending time with, and in many cases ends with an unexpected twist. In these and other stories, Weintraub infuses baseball with humanity, originality, humor and compassion, and raises the game to a new level of understanding and love.