Miracle in Shreveport

 

If you haven't had a miracle happen in your direction in a while, this is your book. But, if you have problems with religiosity then you should look elsewhere.

David and Jason Benham's father Flip was, or is, a Methodist minister in the Dallas area, so don't blame them. Blame the preacher gene.

Late every summer after Little League, the Benhams would visit their maternal relatives in Atlanta, and pass by Fair Grounds Field on I-20 in Shreveport. Home of the AA Texas League's Shreveport Captains. The good reverend seized the moment and got the twins praying to one day play there. 

That one day finally happened. It was a miracle, and this time I will not spoil it for those needing a miracle in their reading life.

The twins appeared to have the talent, but the minor league drag, plus I believe an ounce of burnout and life changes, left them to leave baseball one season later. Before playing college baseball at Liberty they had been playing sports all year round and working out. Their work ethic is well-noted throughout.

It can be hard to rewind a rubberband once unwound.

But read the book for that miracle your psyche might need. Content moves brilliantly, fast, and emotionally. It's only 175 pages, which is one path more of the publishing world needs to note. Brevity can be beautiful, especially for people who have other things to do. The Dallas Morning News article, starting on p. 177 should not escape your reading, too.

I hope my step-dad has a miracle in Shreveport. He likes the casinos there.

The Historians

 

This one surprised me at Walmart and kept my interest all the way through. I like the careful plotting Cecilia Ekback did to make this almost too multi-character book into a winner. The usually short chapters helped, too.

Proper subject choice also played a major role here. Sweden was neutral in WWII, but both their Scandanavian sister countries, Denmark and Norway, were occupied by the Nazis. Sweden played between the Germans, the Allies, and the war between neighboring Finland and Russia. It wasn't easy, but they managed to stay out of the war.

The Historians is fictional but is based on a student group of five who fall into the friction between the sides. Two members are killed, but they help keep Sweden from falling into the abyss of war. 

Ekback is from Sweden, but lives in Canada. I know author Isabel Allende writes in Spanish because she feels most comfortable expressing herself in her native language. I wonder if Ekback writes in Swedish? There were a few patches of wordiness, which can come from translations.

The Acknowledgments, Credits, and other back-of-the-book content is worth reading, too. It was a terrific read, and quite recommendable.

The George Kirksey Story: Bringing Major League Baseball To Houston

 

(Photo from Amazon)

There is a lot more to baseball than bats and balls. There are those events that happen to make it happen. This is one of those books that leads readers through the usually obscure underworkings in a major city that wants to move up from minor league to major league.

Campbell B. Titchner, then chair of the University of Houston Journalism Department, put together the story in Houston. His story was a terrific and quick read, and having seen plenty of baseball there, and sold tickets, I could identify with it, too. I think the author was there quite often.

Houston had been a successful minor league town with the St. Louis Cardinals' affiliate Buffs. Great stars played there, but it wasn't enough for automatic promotion. Guarantees, financial calculations, and plenty of meetings were necessary. I was still writing sports at that time and found the book very educational. I found the book in one of San Antonio's several used book stores.

Il Basket D'Italia

 

Book Passage Press owner Elaine Petrocelli presented me with a copy when I surprised several as a sportswriter that wants to learn travel writing. 

I was there at their annual Travel Writer's Conference in the summer of 1995 in Corte Madera, California. I jumped on this one as soon as I got home to Laredo, Texas, and felt I had been to Italy. I still haven't gotten there, but it remains on top of my bucket list. I gotta get there someday.

The content moved smoothly through the season, venues, and standout personalities. It was not a waste of time. I appreciate Mrs. Petrocelli's thoughtfulness.

I attended the conference the following year, too. I met Isabel Allende, Peter Mayle, many awesome people, and took some classes from Donald George and Simon Winchester. It was time well spent.