Before the Glory: 20 Baseball Heroes Talk About Growing Up and Turning Hard Times into Home Runs
by By Herschlag, Rich and Staples, Billy
Category: Sports & Recreation , Baseball , General

More than any other sport, baseball has been identified   with America—its   values, dreams, lessons, and losses. Most of all, baseball is connected to the   American childhood. In Before the   Glory, the game’s living legends, maverick players, and stars of   today tell the stories of their childhood and coming of age with the innocence and candor of youth. From Bill   Mazeroski growing up in a shack without heating or electricity, to Ron LeFlore   becoming addicted to drugs at the age of twelve, to David Wright winning a   food-fight in the school cafeteria, Before   the Glory is not simply baseball, it is life. It is poverty,   segregation, innovation, integration, survival, war, peace, love, hate,   villains, and heroes—all as seen through the eyes of everyday children who   happened to have the desire and ability to rise to the top of   America’s   greatest sport. Hall of   Famers, retired MLB players, and current stars, including David Wright, Justin   Morneau, and Brian Roberts  agreed to be interviewed especially for this book   and share, in their own words, their perspectives on the challenges of   childhood, family life, and reaching goals. This book is an inspiration to young   and older fans alike. Foreword by Brooks Robinson. Includes an 8-page color   insert.