Impact Player: Leaving a Lasting Legacy On and Off the Field

by Bobby Richardson, David Thomas (with), Joe Girardi (Foreword)

Former Yankee Bobby Richardson played alongside Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford, Joe Pepitone, and Yogi Berra during one of the most prolific dynasties in baseball history, and he remains to this day the only player from the losing team ever to be named World Series MVP.

In Impact Player , Bobby shares his life story, including never-before-told tales from the Yankee clubhouse during the historic ’55-’65 pennant runs and World Series appearances. The book also features the unlikely friendship Richardson, a devout and outspoken Christian, shared with Yankee legend and renowned drinker and womanizer Mickey Mantle.

The perfect combination of faith and baseball, Impact Player offers a rare glimpse into one of the most celebrated dynasties in the history of the game, and it paints a fascinating portrait of a life well-lived and the lasting rewards that come from knowing and loving God.

Genres: Baseball, Sports, Biography, Nonfiction, Christian, Religion, Memoir

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Baseball Book

I am old enough to remember Bobby Richardson. His stories were ones I heard and many that were new. Good book!

[edward ewing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Autobiography of Yankee Great second baseman, Bobby Richardson. Describes his career and how his beliefs helped in his professional and personal life.. A great read

[Bill Eagleburger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really a wonderful book. Being practically a life long NY Yankee fan, and a believer in Christ, for me, this book hit a home run! To hear all the amazing stories of the players I loved as a child, was like being in the clubhouse, on the field and in the dugout with them. Bobby's walk of faith and life in a sinful world was a tremendous testimony of how God can use any body, any where. This story is written with much love and humility and will be an encouragement to any Christian or baseball fan.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bobby Richardson of a small town in South Carolina played second base for the New York Yankees. Richardson was the World Series Most Valuable Player in 1960, despite the Pittsburgh Pirates winning the series in a last at bat, game winning home run by Bill Mazeroski. With David Thomas, Bobby Richardson wrote the book 'Impact Player: Leaving a Lasting Legacy On and Off The Field'.

'Impact Player: Leaving a Lasting Legacy On and Off The Field' serves as a biography for Bobby Richardson that gets into his story as an impact player in baseball as well as in his religious experience as a Christian. Much of the story told here focuses a bit on the players, a bit on the sport and life of a ballplayer, and a bit on the time in which Richardson came up and played in the game.

Much of the story told includes the life and faith journey of Richardson, as well as the story that teammate Mickey Mantle experienced in having a different path along that road. Also expressed were Richardson's thoughts on Whitey Ford as a fantastic pitcher, and the experiences shared by each of those three during their shared playing years. The story of the chase for 61 home runs for Mantle and Roger Maris also was told. Of particular interest toward the end of the story was Mantle's path to faith towards the end of Mantle's life.

Richardson was forthcoming, as much as a man of his era and upbringing permitted, to be open about the relationship he shared with his wife, Betsy. The book gets into the story of how they met, dated during baseball, and the way things occurred with their kids before, during and after baseball season. The story of communication differences and eventually getting to a place where Bobby and Betsy were able to speak the languages they needed for expressing love in a relationship were shared. That they came to share this was a revelation I expect was hard for Bobby Richardson to share. Much of the full biography is told from Richardson's perspective, thus making the book a bit more autobiography than straight biography.

The book was an entertaining and quick read. The larger messages of truth to your path, acceptance by others and surrounding yourself with people that will support you, and to offer testimony aimed at offering his experience in faith. That latter truth will not be for all readers, though the fact that Richardson spoke on this isn't a barrier for me that it might be for others. Those looking for salacious details, or a tell all experience, would do better with 'Ball Four' by Jim Bouton. My grade for 'Impact Player: Leaving a Lasting Legacy On and Off The Field' is 3.50-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

[Tom Stamper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bobby Richardson was a great defensive second baseman overshadowed by the likes of Mantle, Maris, Berra, and Ford during his playing career. If you know the name it's probably because he put on a hitting frenzy in the 1960 World Series that won him the MVP trophy although the Yankees lost the series. There is a lot here about his friendship with shortstop Tony Kubek and how they were drinking milkshakes and going to the movies rather than bars with most of the team. Both he and Kubek retired in their early 30s. Kubek went into the broadcast booth and Bobby became coach at the University of South Carolina and other places. Bobby also travels the country sharing stories of his Christian faith. He's honest near the end of the book how such travel took a toll on his marriage and only his faith was able to heal the breech.

A good length of the book is his relationship with Mickey Mantle and how he would get Mickey to go to church on the road, but Mantle didn't fully embrace his faith until the end of his life. For Bobby, Mickey was always such a good teammate, reaching out the younger kids to give encouragement and leading by example on the field. If he hit a homer he put his head down and trotted fast around the bases rather than show up the opposing pitcher. After they retired Mickey never turned down a request to come to South Carolina for a fundraiser.

The tone of the book is a guy talking to you like a friend. There is such humility in Mr. Richardson that you feel like you know him by the last page. A baseball fan interested in that era of the game will find some interest in this book as well as the Christian struggling to get by in the modern world.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bobby Richardson was one of the first pro athletes who was outspoken about his Christian faith, a common occurrence today, but more rare in the late 50s and early 50s when Richardson was a star second baseman for the New York Yankees. This memoir covers his years in the minor and major leagues, including his World Series winning years with the Yankees where he was MVP of the series in 1960. He retired in 1968 at the age of 33 with good baseball years still ahead of him so that he could devote more time to his family and to Christian ministry. While he talks about his involvement in ministry during his playing days, I would have liked to hear more detail about such things as sharing at Billy Graham crusades. The book deals a fair bit with Richardson's work post-baseball, and devotes one whole chapter to his unique friendship with Mickey Mantle, including his role in helping Mantle find Christ in his dying days, and Richardson speaking at Mantle's funeral. I found some of Richardson's faith story very relatable, in that he said he found it quite easy to stand before crowds and share his testimony of faith yet had a difficult time communicating it one on one to people. That's me as well. It's always an added bonus to read about an athlete and be able to see yourself in the story somehow. It's not an exceptional autobiography, but in an era when teammates like Jim Bouton and Joe Pepitone were experiencing all the debauchery the 60s had to offer and writing books about their experiences, it is refreshing to read about an athlete as a role model, flaws and all, who was serious about living a life that impacted people for the good.

[David Rough · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is just like taking a hike back to my childhood. I have lost touch with professional baseball today, but back in the 1950-60s I was quite a fan and enjoyed collecting baseball cards. Bobby Richardson's story a walk down memory avenue. This book is such a wonderful contrast to a recent read on the life of Micky Mantle. Richardson was a Christian who wanted his testimony to be a quiet but constant source of good news for his teammates. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the early New York Yankee organization, baseball history, or professional sports.

[William Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stories of the dynasty Yankees of the 50s and 60s that most probably don't know. Well written and Bobby is so down-to-earth. I'm thankful for his honesty, especially in the final few chapters. He gives great insight into true legends of the game like Mantle, Maris, and Berra. I also appreciate his unashamed proclamations of the Gospel.
it's lengthy and it would've been nice to get his opinion on the state of baseball today.

[F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impact Book

I am not a baseball fan but while reading this book I actually watched the world series. Great book, great stories, great emotional impact. This is not a "Christian" book to my knowledge but it is a book written by a Christian with a strong testimony (something I appreciate but others get unnecessarily offended by). Highly recommended.

[Kaci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the stories in this book of Bobby’s career, life, and faith. Reminded me why I love the Yankees and how rich of a history the team has. The Yankees will always be special to me because of my dad!! ❤️

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story of a well respected baseball player.

Full of funny, sad and interesting facts antecdotes.

[Greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of chronology, not much story. Some interesting tidbits but not enough to make it worthwhile.

[Reed Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspirational.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good baseball book about some great moments. Written from a strong Christian perspective.

[Tim Duff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book in the life of Bobby Richardson and how his Faith was integral in that life.

[Edward Zitvogel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great player. Better person.

[Tyler Ratliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richardson’s purpose in writing his book, Impact Player, is to share life story he had while playing baseball for the New York Yankees during the 1950’s. Impact Player is an inspirational book that gives its readers that when you fail to keep trying until you succeed. Impact Player is truly a deep motivational book. Impact Player will leave lasting impressions to its readers that will last a lifetime. Although the book talks about his life experiences playing baseball for a perennial powerhouse during the 1950’s, Impact Player relates baseball and life together as one. The book demonstrates an important life lesson that no matter how much fame and glory you receive, you must always be a good person.
Impact Player is worded in a way that only those that understand baseball would understand. For those that play baseball, Impact Player is an extremely well written book. The book is at a level where it challenges the reader but is quite easy to understand. Bobby Richardson provides advice from his life lessons that describe to the reader what the highest point of failure feels like, “The ’65 season turned out to be a tough one for the Yankees. We had missed the playoffs back in ’59, but that year felt like anomaly. That had been a season in which we battled injuries and things just never seemed to get going, and the feeling of frustration more than anything else. In ’65 the predominant feeling was hopelessness” (167). Richardson shows the reader that although you may be a perennial winner, you must prepare for defeat and overcome it when it occurs.
The book is extremely inspirational. The relation between baseball and everyday life is the powerful of any book to date. The reader will know the ultimate highs of the game of baseball and the ultimate lows of the game of baseball by reading this book. The book will alter the reader’s life after reading the book. An example of that is “Being a Christian doesn’t mean that our struggles are necessarily different from those of non-Christians; it’s just that our solution to the struggles is different. Because of Calvary and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we don’t have to fight our battles alone. I believe that message is conveyed much more effectively today, and I’m glad of it” (275). This gives the reader confidence that now they will always have someone looking out for them.
Impact Player is a captivating book that will take the breath of its readers. The characters in Impact Player were all time New York Yankee legends such as Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Tom Tresh, and Bobby Richardson. I related to Bobby Richardson, both of us were quiet individuals who played infield. Not once did I ever find the book boring, the entire book was suspenseful ups and downs of Bobby Richardsons life. The book used all types of tones, including humor, serious, thought provoking, and drama. Thought Provoking was used when Richardson had remorse about an earlier game “I cleanly fielded two grounders in the last inning, both times flipping to the shortstop for a force-out at second Why wouldn’t that have happened in the ’64 series? (175). Robertson would also use all other element to blend the story together in perfect sequence.
The greatest strength of Impact Player is how the balance of victory and defeat is used. Bobby Richardson uses life experiences such as winning the American League pennant or the taste of defeat such as losing in the World Series. The greatest weakness of Impact Player was that if the reader did not have baseball knowledge then it was hard to them to understand certain topics. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend to read. Although the book is primarily talks about baseball, I would suggest it to anyone because it gives good life stories about being successful in sports and life. The book is unlike any other, Heat and Travel Team are similar but neither have the same type of compelling inspiration that Impact Player has. Bobby Richardson’s writing is so inspirational that I would suggest any of his books.

[Dan Charnas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Yankees teams on which Bobby Richardson played were the teams of my youth. I lived about 20 minutes from Yankee Stadium (provided that there was no traffic!). From 1958 through 1961, they were the only NY baseball team, and that was when I began my lifelong love of the game.
"Impact Player" brought back so many memories of that era: the two World Series vs. Hank Aaron's Milwaukee Braves, Bill Mazeroski's home run that broke my 8 year-old heart, the chase to top Babe Ruth's 60 home runs, Bobby Richardson's catch of Willie McCovey 's line drive, and so many more. Bobby was a key player on those Yankee teams, anchoring their infield at second base until he retired young, only 31, at the end of the 1966 season, so that he could spend more time with his family.
I had known that Bobby was a religious Christian man, and "Impact Player" provides a lot of insight into the ways that he was able to balance his beliefs with his life as a Major Leaguer. He also provides insight into his personal life, courageously sharing long-term family problems for which he blamed himself and, with help from the Lord and his wife, Betsy, how he struggled to overcome them.
There's quite a bit about Mickey Mantle, Bobby's teammate and friend. Mickey was my childhood idol. I wore number 7 on my baseball jersey in his honor. There wasn't much about his publicized life that I hadn't read or seen on TV, but "Impact Player" gave me some Mickey stories that were new to me, and Bobby's perspective on him was honest and evocative.
After finishing this book, this reader was left with renewed appreciation and admiration for Bobby Richardson, a man of faith and a talented athlete who has been a force for good in this world.

[Monica Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bobby Richardson's Impact Player: Leaving a Lasting Legacy On and Off the Field reads like a cross between conversation with an interesting grandfather and a house call from an overbearing evangelist.

Richardson's point, clearly, is to write about his faith in an effort to convert. I found his proselytizing to be far less appealing than his perspective on the highlights of his career as a second baseman for the Yankees in seven World Series; he remains the only player from a losing team ever to be named World Series MVP.

I'll confess: I got the e-book for free, and I didn't know Bobby Richardson was a Yankee until I began reading it. I hate the Yankees. But honestly, that part was OK. Turns out, he was part (a big part) of the Yankees in the late '50s and early '60s before George Steinbrenner's money-mongering ways (and that makes the Yankees stuff more palatable).

Faith is tricky to write about, and I'm not sure Richardson does it well. At one point, Richardson writes, "Bunting is an underrated weapon for a player to possess. Remember, bunting is more about attitude than ability." I wish Richardson would have bunted when it came to writing about his faith rather than swinging for the fences. His chapters about Mickey Mantle are a great example of what "team" means; Mantle was a legendary womanizer and drinker, Richardson a well-behaved Christian, yet these two very different men were good friends and great team mates. But I could have done without Mantle's deathbed confessional; it read like Richardson was claiming victory for Mantle's conversion.

Stats-loving baseball fans, Yankee fans, fans of 1960s baseball, evangelical Christians -- all would probably love this book. By the way, the e-book does a great job with the pictures of Richardson highlights at the end; I imagine in the "real" book those photos are in the middle of the book, but they are stunning even in the e-version.

[Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

The great New York Yankee teams of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s had many legendary players such as Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. While his statistics may not be quite as impressive as these Hall of Fame player, Bobby Richardson was an important member of these teams as well as the second baseman for several years before he retired after the 1966 season. He writes about his life on the Yankees and also about his Christian faith in this breezy memoir.

The book is an easy read and Richardson concentrates on his years with the Yankees in the bulk of the text. While his faith is important for all aspects of his life, he never writes too much about it until the end when his teammate Mickey Mantle made the decision to become a Christian just before his death in 1995. That is the closest the book comes to being more about faith than baseball. Otherwise, Richardson writes in the same way he spoke about his faith while a Yankee. He “…shared my faith in simplicity as a friend. That’s exactly what I always hoped to do.” Without him overtly stating it, the reader will realize how much Richardson’s faith affected his family life and his baseball career.

I felt that his stories about his teammates and his experiences with the Yankees were very good. There isn’t a lot of great detail in any particular teammate or season, but enough to be informative and entertaining. I enjoyed his account of his famous catch of Willie McCovey’s line drive to end game 7 of the 1962 World Series. It has gone through many different versions over the years, but in Richardson’s mind, it was a simple catch of a sharply hit line drive. That is just one of the many great Yankee stories in the book that fans of baseball in that era, especially Yankee fans, will enjoy in this book. It can easily be read in one sitting and will leave the reader smiling when he or she closes the cover.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Impact Player is a must read for all baseball fans. To be honest, I am not fond of sports, including baseball, but I decided to give this book a try because I have enjoyed reading autobiographies of Christians in the past. Despite my lack of sports fondness and ignorance of baseball, I did find the book to be enjoyable. I really appreciated the pictures in the book as well as the descriptions of some of the key players that were mentioned in the book. The reason I liked the pictures is because it helped me give a face to the names that were mentioned in the book. This was extremely helpful for me because I know next to nothing about baseball. In fact, the only name I recognized was Mickey Mantle. I had never heard of Bobby Richardson until I read this book! Though I may not know anything about baseball, I did find this book to be a good testimony. The few times I have seen my dad watch sports, I have seen men behaving like two year olds having tantrums. I expected to read of such behavior when I picked this book up, but I realize now that Bobby Richardson was and is a good role model for youth. I appreciate it when I see or hear of a sports player who is a true Christian who is really living like one not only privately, but publicly too. I also found it wonderful how the author described about Mickey Mantle’s conversion to Christianity as well as the other player named Clive. I believe the author had a hand in the conversions by how he lived his life around them: by acting in a way that would give God glory. Lastly, I really liked how the book ended: Bobby Richardson gave all the thanks and glory to God. This is a refreshing read about a major player in baseball and I recommend that all sports fans, especially, children read this. In fact, I think that every library should include this book in their collection.

[Denise DiFalco · Rating 5 out of 5]

World Series MVP for the New York Yankee's "Bobbie Richardson" was not just an outstanding baseball player. In his book "Impact Player Leaving a Lasting Legacy on & off the Field" the reader will discover what his first priority was in life. Mr. Richardson remained a humble individual while playing baseball but his first love was his faith in God. He was a man devoted to much prayer and demonstrating Christian qualities. He was never embarrassed to talk about the goodness of God. Though he was fortunate enough to play along with Yogi Berra; Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris these things never swayed him from his life long purpose. Even when starting his relationship with his wife, he had these important words inscribed in stone, '"Only one life, it will soon be past. Only a life for Christ will last."' This autobiography which was supplied to me by the Tyndale Network in exchange for my honest review has proven to be such a blessing. It would make a great gift for husband, sons and grandsons so keep in mind with the Holidays coming up around the corner. Bobbie Richardson's history raises warm feelings within me. When I was growing up, many a sports team player could be looked upon as a role model and Author Richardson can be revered in the same way. He is a true mentor who encourages the readers to be grateful in everything.and to stay focused on your goals. '"Bobby Richardson Impact Player A Memoir-Leaving a Lasting Legacy On & Off The Field"' is a work of excellence worth reading!

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impact Player is a memoir of baseball great Bobby Richardson. Bobby Richardson was a star player for the Yankees, winning three world series with the team in the years '58, '61, and '62, and was an all-star player 8 times. He played second baseman, and was strong at defense. And while he is a notable figure in baseball, he is also a Christian who now devotes much of his time sharing his positive experiences with others.

Bobby Richardson, born Robert Clint Richardson, lives a life that puts many professional athletes to shame. I was impressed with how he lived his life. He literally gave up pro ball to be with his family because his four young children needed him to be at home more. He ended up having 5 children with his wife, with whom he shares nearly 60 years of marriage. From professional baseball, Richardson went on to coach college ball.

More than reading about the life of a pretty good guy, I liked reading about all the historical players in baseball that he was intimate with on a daily basis: Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Tony Kubek, Yogi Berra, and more. This makes for a feel-good read memoir, and with so may tell-all memoirs out there, Impact Player is actually one that can be read by anyone in the family.

[Debra Brinkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a big baseball fan. I'm certainly not a Yankee's fan. And I had never heard of Bobby Richardson prior to reading this book.

I picked it up because it is part of Tyndale's summer reading program and my library had a copy. Well, okay, as I was looking to see which books the library had, I caught a name in the description. Roger Maris.

That is why I put the book on hold. This Bobby guy had played with Roger Maris, and that got my attention. At least enough to reserve the title.

Once I started reading, I was completely drawn into Richardson's writing and his story. What an amazing person, and an amazing role model.

The whole "Impact Player" title essentially is about a player whose impact is far greater than his stats would lead you to believe. Someone who makes a difference for how other players play as well. And like many "sports" lessons, this applies to far more than just some silly game. It applies to life in general.

If you detest baseball, you may have a tough time getting through this book, but if you are at least knowledgeable about the game and open to a bunch of baseball stories, it is worth reading.

[J.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I wasn't a baseball fan during Bobby Richardson's career (I wasn't born yet when it started!), but as a die-hard Dodgers fan, I certainly knew who he was--one of the eeeevil Yankees. :-D So much fun to read his memories and impressions of famous moments in baseball history and of his teammates and opponents, including Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Sandy Koufax (yay!).

I also greatly appreciated his honest, open testimony about his failings as a husband, father, and Christian. So often we Christians think we must put on a front of perfection to have a "good testimony." But God calls us to be real--broken yet redeemed. And despite Bobby Richardson's failings, God has used his testimony in a powerful way. He was available, and when confronted with his sin, he humbled himself and allowed God to grow him.

Thank you, Mr. Richardson, for your honesty and your example. I highly recommend this book to all true baseball lovers who appreciate an honest autobiography.

[Steve Callahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give the book 4 stars and Bobby Richardson 5 stars. He was part of the the great 60's Yankee teams when wins meant more than individual stats. Like other kids,I wanted to grow up and be the next Mickey Mantle but smarter people would say be like Bobby Richardson. Being a devout Christian , non drinking and clean living in a marriage grounded in Christ was what he knew was most important in life. This obviously didn't interfere with his ball playing as he played in 7 world series and several all star games being voted MVP one year and batted over 300 more than once.
Many of these players from the Mantle,Maris, Ford, Berra, Kubek, Boyer era are gone but thankfully Bobby has lived to share his testimony many times in front of large crowds and led a shining example of what a Christian life should look like even when in the midst of partying ball players. The other players held him in high respect. This isn't to say he didn't struggle as a human being leading the life he believed Christ wanted for him but he shines as an example of how to admit your failures and deal with them.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for the baseball fan! Although I had never heard of Bobby Richardson (and I’m not a baseball fan!) I found this book interesting as not only does it have his story, it also talks a lot about other baseball greats such as Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and Tony Kubek. I also found it interesting learning that in a time it seemed all Americans went to church that Bobby felt that he “played baseball in a different era – not only in terms of the game, but also when it came to Christian witness. A Christian athlete was more alone in those days and public displays of faith were rare. Nowadays it’s common to see an elite athlete such as Mariano Rivera or Tim Tebow speak publicly about his faith." I also learned a nugget of trivia that Bobby Richardson, a Yankee player, was the MVP the year the Pirates won the World Series (1960) and the Yankees lost. This had never happened before or since and has only happened once for the Super Bowl and once for the NBA finals. Usually the MVP comes from the winning team.

[Dick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up a Brooklyn Dodger fan, hence the NY Yankees were the enemies - everyone of them.

Then I read this ebook.

Saw these players as men, with all the issues that we face as human beings - and in their case the temptations around them as professional ball players.

Inside stories on Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Yogi Berra and many others. Great read.

The best part? That Bobby Richardson was and is a Christian. He quit baseball to spend time with his family and be a living witness to his faith. The close of the book is about Mantle and his dealing with how he lived his private life and at the end of it, found his faith. Very heart warming.

I have included three links that you might find interesting and enjoyable . . .


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm_Ybn...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBo0NY...
http://www.baseballtoddsdugout.com/ri...

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bobby Richardson played for the New York Yankees from 1955-1966, amongst some of the greatest players to ever don pinstripes. He gives insight into the lives of major league ballplayers during those days and expounds on his faith and how the way he lived impacted those around him. Bobby's quiet, steady, consistent life of impact was an inspiration to me. It doesn't matter the stage, whether millions know your name or only a few, what matters is how you live out your faith on the stage you are given.

Favorite quotes: "I wish there were an easy formula for how to live an exemplary Christian life among non-Christians. I think the key for me was not to try too hard to be a certain kind of person. I didn't try to be Bobby the Christian and also Bobby the teammate; those two couldn't have been separated anyway. All I tried to be was who I was - a sinner grateful to be saved by grace. Anything else I might have tried to be wouldn't have been sincere."

[Broca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a MLB hall of fame legend named Bobby Richardson. At first he loved baseball and wanted to play for the Yankees but every baseball player has his struggle will Bobby Richardson play in the major leagues as he wanted as a child? or will he not want to play baseball as much as he thinks? The theme of this book is that you should always have presreverance through your problems like when Bobby Richardson does.

I thought this book was amazing this book deals with struggles also tragedy and happiness in this book I think that this book is amazing for kids my age and older.

I recommend this book for baseball lovers also autobiography cravers and young adults, I also think this book is great from beginning to middle and to the end.