Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (2007)

This is novel about American football in Italy by legal thriller author, John Grisham.  This author is really branching out on this one.  Good for him.  It's a well told story in Grisham style about an un-Grisham like subject.  Read it!

The Grind: Inside Baseball's Endless Season by Barry Svrluga (2015)

A look at the routines of players, management, scouts and others in the Washington Nationals throughout the 2014 season.  Major League Baseball is a traveling show.  There's always something new to learn about baseball.

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World Book by David Epstein (2019)

In this book, sports and science journalist David Epstein explores how people become excellent. There's the Tiger Woods model of a guy who got in 10,000 hours of great practice by age 20. But that's the exception.  What usually happens is people experiment, meander, and then, if they do specialize, specialize late.  Late bloomers rule!

It's a well written and inspiring book.

The Free State of Jones: Mississippi's Longest Civil War (Fred W. Morrison Series in Southern Studies) by Victoria E. Bynum 2001

Story of the Southern Yankees in Mississippi in the Civil War and the mixed race descendants of their leader, Newt Knight. It's an interesting read and says a lot about the Southern mentality.

Operation Yao Ming: The Chinese Sports Empire, American Big Business, and the Making of an NBA Superstar by Brook Larmer 2005

This is a great book about 7'5" Yao Ming's journey from the sports camp in Shanghai to the NBA. It's a fascinating read about how Red China did sports back in the day.  I got in lots of extra detail from the Taoster, whose cousin was a ping pong sports camp in the 1980's.  Read it.

Walk off at All Star Tournament

We had the most exciting youth baseball experience at our League tonight and, although details may fade, I believe James will remember the feeling forever. 

The story starts last Monday when, during fielding practice, James took a bad hop to the right eye.  We were sufficiently concerned that we took him to Urgent Care to get checked out.  No fractured bones, no concussion, no damage to the eye, but he did have a shiner. He was back the next day in batting practice hitting soft toss.  Then the day following he was hitting the machine.  Then the day after that he was back to flyballs and infield workouts. It says something when you're back at it so soon after you're in Urgent Care.

So his team played his first tournament game yesterday and were blown out.  They were relegated to the losers bracket and played their first elimination game tonight.

Tonight, his team was down 6-1 after the first inning and scratched and clawed their way back into the game.  James came up in the fourth inning and hit a sharp grounder to second that kicked off the fielders' glove and brought in two runs.  That tied the game and put his team ahead by a run. 

The game see-sawed into the last inning (6th) when James came up in the bottom half of the inning  with no outs and runner on second.  He swung and missed and then took two balls, and then hit a scorcher down the right field line that was at most 12 inches foul.  So, with the count to 2-2, he went the other way and roped a line drive into left field to drive home the winning run.

His coach picked him up and threw him in the air and caught him. The League President picked up Taoster.  I hugged the safety officer and called him "big boy" and hugged other people I've known for years but not well.  Overall he was 3-3 tonight with a walk.

I've captured what I think is the walk off but it came out really blurry.  Maybe someone else has a better picture.

Here's the game changer write up...

H.'s Walk-off Seals the Deal in Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars Victory Over East Altadena All-Stars

Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars seized victory in dramatic walk-off fashion, thanks to a walk-off double at the end of the game to topple East Altadena All-Stars.  The game was tied at 11 with Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars batting in the bottom of the sixth when James H doubled on a 3-2 count, scoring one run.

Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars earned the victory despite allowing East Altadena All-Stars to score six runs in the first inning.  The offensive onslaught by East Altadena All-Stars was led by #21, #35,  #10, and #9, all sending runners across the plate with RBIs in the inning.

East Altadena All-Stars got on the board in the first inning.  #21 singled on a 1-1 count, scoring two runs.

After East Altadena All-Stars scored one run in the top of the second, Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars answered with one of their own.  East Altadena All-Stars scored when #12 doubled on a 3-1 count, scoring one run.  Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars then answered when Tanner S grounded out, scoring one run.

Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars tallied five runs in the fourth inning.  The offensive onslaught came from singles by Christian Z, Chase B, and James,  by Tanner, and a double by Rocco S.

Henry R led things off on the mound for Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars. He went one inning, allowing six runs on six hits and striking out two.

#21 was on the mound for East Altadena All-Stars. He lasted two innings, allowing three hits and two runs while striking out three.  #10 and #12 entered the game from the bullpen, throwing one and two-thirds innings and one and one-third innings respectively.

Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars scattered 11 hits in the game.  James, Chase, and Rocco each managed multiple hits for Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars.  James led Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars with three hits in three at bats.  Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars tore up the base paths, as five players stole at least two bases. Henry led the way with three.  Central Altadena LL Coast All Stars didn't commit a single error in the field. Eric S had the most chances in the field with seven.

East Altadena All-Stars racked up 12 hits.  #21 and #9 all had multiple hits for East Altadena All-Stars.  #21 went 4-for-4 at the plate to lead East Altadena All-Stars in hits.  #21 led East Altadena All-Stars with three stolen bases, as they ran wild on the base paths with ten stolen bases.

The sports gene : inside the science of extraordinary athletic performance / by Epstein, David J 2013

Good piece of sports journalism by Sports Illustrated writer, David Epstein. Do you want to know what makes good athletes so good?  Read up.  It's good writing on a good subject.