Slider

by Patrick Robinson

Each summer, on the fields of glorious Cape Marlin, off the New England coast, the nation's best college players gather to play the most important baseball of their lives. Jack Faber is one of them. The son of a struggling Louisiana sugar farmer, Faber is a young hotshot pitcher with an unhittable slider and rocket for a fastball. He plays for the fabled Seapuit Seawolves and dreams of making the Big Show, like many of his the catcher, Tony Garcia, fast-talking, irreverent prelaw student from Northwestern; Doughnut Davis, the erratic pitching phenom from the University of Georgia, who can throw a heat-seeking 93-mph screamer over the edge of the plate, followed by a 93-mph screamer over the umpire's head; the Citadel's slick officer cadet infielders, Rick Adams and Bobby Madison; the steel-armed outfielder, Ray Sweeney, son of a Maine fisherman; and the Sooner's first baseman, Zac Colbert, from Mickey Mantle's hometown of Spavinaw, Oklahoma. In the middle of it all, Jack's dad, Ben Faber, who can barely make ends meet on his bayou sugar farm, is falling in love with Garcia's mother, Natalie, the beautiful and penniless classical music teacher from the Chicago tenements. Their budding long-distance romance can hardly make it off the ground, as they can't travel and can't afford even a phone call. And their hopes for their sons are at For Natalie, it is for Tony to get his act together-forget about this school yard game, go to law school and become a successful attorney. For Ben, it is for Jack to land a huge contract in the major leagues. Jack triumphantly becomes the Cape's MVP, but disaster awaits him when he returns to school in Louisiana. A new coach, the scowling Bruno Riazzi, a former pro catcher, resents the kid's celebrity status and decides he needs to knock him down a peg or two. And he'll stop at nothing to make it happen. Humiliated, Jack loses his lifelong art, and with it his passion for the game and, mysteriously, his ability to throw. His fastball has become tentative, his curve timid, and the beloved slider floats up to the plate like a volleyball. It has happened before to pros like Rick Ankiel and Mark Wohlers, brilliantly successful pitchers who suddenly lost it. A devastated Jack Faber is released from the St. Charles College roster. But the Seawolves coaches won't give up on him. They bring Jack back to Cape Marlin, determined to help him rediscover his lost talent. He finds himself again under the summer sun, coaches and old friends standing by him. But in the end it will be up to Jack. Based on a true story, Slider celebrates the national pastime, a game that can break grown men's hearts -- as well as make them whole again.

Genres: Baseball, Sports, Fiction

416 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Patrick Robinson was a journalist for many years before becoming a full-time writer of books. His non-fiction books were bestsellers around the world and he was the co-author of Sandy Woodward's Falklands War memoir, One Hundred Days.

Reviews

[Audra Spiven · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really great in the beginning and quickly went downhill. I enjoyed reading something with a baseball tableau that wasn't about MLB and didn't even really go near MLB. College leagues are fun. The story line was compelling. What I didn't like was that, the farther in I got, the more poorly edited the book became. It felt like plot was being sacrificed in order to stay true to whatever real-life story this novel was trying to stick to. That's a big mistake. Always. Technically, though, as well, the editorial quality of this book was just very low. Very basic mistakes, and even just basic typos. Very irritating. The main characters were mostly easy to love, Jack and Tony more so than Natalie and Ben. One thing that was hard for me to swallow was the deus ex machina of Ben suddenly coming into millions and millions of dollars and suddenly being wasteful and lavish with his money. Partly I had trouble swallowing it because it goes against all of my personal philosophies and values as they have to do with money, but it was also difficult simply because it wasn't believable. Overall, I liked the book and story enough to finish it, but I won't rave about it or recommend it to others.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read for baseball fans. Otherwise, don't bother. The baseball action is superb and gives insightful commentary on the mentality, business and strategy that makes the sport so intriguing. Definitely not a work of literature, but it never claims to be. A good read, it kept me tuned in 'till the end.

[Shelley Alongi]

I absolutely loved this book. In 2019 a pitcher cried and took my game interest from casual to intense and six years later. I discovered this book and learned just how much I have learned. I’ve read everything from serious pitching instructions to memories of Team‘s past And some fiction. I’ve read one other book in the fiction department that I would consider equal to this one. I could not put this book down. I found parts of it a little unbelievable :-) but I read it mostly for the baseball and I was greatly rewarded. Parts of it were so funny even I laughed out loud reading. I’m laughing thinking of them right now. I thought the emotion was great. It wasn’t too overwhelming and it wasn’t so intense that I couldn’t bear it, but I was disappointed with the ending because I wanted him to go to the majors. I will write my own novel :-) and get my way somewhere. Anyway, that’s really not too far from the truth I’m about to finish one. I thought over all this book was very very well written and I really enjoyed reading the acknowledgments because I wanted to see if there were any other resources I could use. I was very happy to know that this idea started with a true story. I understood the part where he said that this book did not start the way it ended. I’ve written three novels like that and they never And like I thought they would end but it’s mainly the middle that surprises me every time. Anyway, if you’re looking for a really good baseball, read this is it. I will probably read this again for the games because I really found them detailed and they helped me to understand even more the emotion and the mechanics. In the last game when he snapped his wrist to throw the slider, I thought wow if he does that very often he’s going to hurt himself so maybe it wasn’t a good idea for him to go to the majors. :-) But I still wanted him there. This read makes me interested enough to read other books by this author. I give this Book 10 stars out of five. And I’ve read a lot of books about baseball in the last six years :-)
BTW, he mentioned the college where I got my degree in music 30 years ago. :-) Has it been that long already? We won the World Series by the way probably the year before I graduated. :-) In fact, I had some friends that went to see it while they were at the college. I’m always happy to see my alma mater in Books. I’ve actually seen it twice. This was only the second time. It also mentioned the college that I wanted to attend but elected for something closer. :-) And nicely done, sir. :-)

[Ben Hirsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read his submarine books, which I found fantastic. This book is like reading the play by play on ESPN only in much more detail. This story could have been as good and a better read if it was several thousand words less.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.1

[Andrew Raust · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book I had as a teenager and have reread maybe 3+ times over the years since. Excellent book with great baseball knowledge and semantics great for baseball fans!

[Kevin Burnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Novel, Based On A True Story, About Summer College Baseball. You Follow A Team Through 2 Seasons. Then as In ' Brewer's Millions' There Is An Exhibition Game.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

If Robinson actually knew baseball, this book would have been what it should be: a pleasant diversion of a page-turner. Unfortunately, the baseball sequences read like they were written by someone who interviewed a lot of baseball players and managers but never actually played the game. My other issue is with the repeated use of hackneyed phrases. There were "moments that no one there would ever forget" about every 20 pages.

[Micky Parise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Excellent writing and characters. Great plot and me being a baseball fan, Patrick Robinson wrote like a true die hard baseball fan. Recommend, especially for the baseball fan.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome baseball novel.
Gives me baseball fever.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my favorite books, and a pleasant change from the normal military thrillers by this author!

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

very good baseball book