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Go the Distance: Baseball Stories
In the original shrinkwrap, never opened.
179 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1995
46 people want to read
About the author
W.P. Kinsella
56 books233 followersWilliam Patrick Kinsella, OC, OBC was a Canadian novelist and short story writer. His work has often concerned baseball and Canada's First Nations and other Canadian issues.
William Patrick Kinsella was born to John Matthew Kinsella and Olive Kinsella in Edmonton, Alberta. Kinsella was raised until he was 10 years-old at a homestead near Darwell, Alberta, 60 km west of the city, home-schooled by his mother and taking correspondence courses. "I'm one of these people who woke up at age five knowing how to read and write," he says. When he was ten, the family moved to Edmonton.
As an adult, he held a variety of jobs in Edmonton, including as a clerk for the Government of Alberta and managing a credit bureau. In 1967, he moved to Victoria, British Columbia, running a pizza restaurant called Caesar's Italian Village and driving a taxi.
Though he had been writing since he was a child (winning a YMCA contest at age 14), he began taking writing courses at the University of Victoria in 1970, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing there in 1974. He travelled down to Iowa and earned a Master of Fine Arts in English degree through the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa in 1978. In 1991, he was presented with an honorary Doctor of Literature degree from the University of Victoria.
Kinsella's most famous work is Shoeless Joe, upon which the movie Field of Dreams was based. A short story by Kinsella, Lieberman in Love, was the basis for a short film that won the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film – the Oscar win came as a surprise to the author, who, watching the award telecast from home, had no idea the film had been made and released. He had not been listed in the film's credits, and was not acknowledged by director Christine Lahti in her acceptance speech – a full-page advertisement was later placed in Variety apologizing to Kinsella for the error. Kinsella's eight books of short stories about life on a First Nations reserve were the basis for the movie Dance Me Outside and CBC television series The Rez, both of which Kinsella considers very poor quality. The collection Fencepost Chronicles won the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour in 1987.
Before becoming a professional author, he was a professor of English at the University of Calgary in Alberta. Kinsella suffered a car accident in 1997 which resulted in a long hiatus in his fiction-writing career until the publication of the novel, Butterfly Winter. He is a noted tournament Scrabble player, becoming more involved with the game after being disillusioned by the 1994 Major League Baseball strike. Near the end of his life he lived in Yale, British Columbia with his fourth wife, Barbara (d. 2012), and occasionally wrote articles for various newspapers.
In the year 1993, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2005, he was awarded the Order of British Columbia.
W.P. Kinsella elected to die on September 16, 2016 with the assistance of a physician.
William Patrick Kinsella was born to John Matthew Kinsella and Olive Kinsella in Edmonton, Alberta. Kinsella was raised until he was 10 years-old at a homestead near Darwell, Alberta, 60 km west of the city, home-schooled by his mother and taking correspondence courses. "I'm one of these people who woke up at age five knowing how to read and write," he says. When he was ten, the family moved to Edmonton.
As an adult, he held a variety of jobs in Edmonton, including as a clerk for the Government of Alberta and managing a credit bureau. In 1967, he moved to Victoria, British Columbia, running a pizza restaurant called Caesar's Italian Village and driving a taxi.
Though he had been writing since he was a child (winning a YMCA contest at age 14), he began taking writing courses at the University of Victoria in 1970, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing there in 1974. He travelled down to Iowa and earned a Master of Fine Arts in English degree through the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa in 1978. In 1991, he was presented with an honorary Doctor of Literature degree from the University of Victoria.
Kinsella's most famous work is Shoeless Joe, upon which the movie Field of Dreams was based. A short story by Kinsella, Lieberman in Love, was the basis for a short film that won the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film – the Oscar win came as a surprise to the author, who, watching the award telecast from home, had no idea the film had been made and released. He had not been listed in the film's credits, and was not acknowledged by director Christine Lahti in her acceptance speech – a full-page advertisement was later placed in Variety apologizing to Kinsella for the error. Kinsella's eight books of short stories about life on a First Nations reserve were the basis for the movie Dance Me Outside and CBC television series The Rez, both of which Kinsella considers very poor quality. The collection Fencepost Chronicles won the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour in 1987.
Before becoming a professional author, he was a professor of English at the University of Calgary in Alberta. Kinsella suffered a car accident in 1997 which resulted in a long hiatus in his fiction-writing career until the publication of the novel, Butterfly Winter. He is a noted tournament Scrabble player, becoming more involved with the game after being disillusioned by the 1994 Major League Baseball strike. Near the end of his life he lived in Yale, British Columbia with his fourth wife, Barbara (d. 2012), and occasionally wrote articles for various newspapers.
In the year 1993, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2005, he was awarded the Order of British Columbia.
W.P. Kinsella elected to die on September 16, 2016 with the assistance of a physician.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 30, 2024
“Baseball was my salvation, for it was the only real connection between my past and present.”
When you pick up a book of W.P. Kinsella stories, one thing is for sure, you’re about to enter a strange world, and you’re going to be surprised every few pages. I greatly enjoyed Kinsella’s most famous novel, SHOELESS JOE, the story from which the movie, FIELD OF DREAMS originated. Then came his "Fencepost" tales, where Frank Fencepost and his band of misfits turn the Ermineskin Indian Reserve into a carnival of laughter and life. Now, I've stumbled upon a collection of stories that brings me back to the diamond, where the crack of a bat echoes like distant thunder, and the smell of freshly cut grass intoxicates the soul. From the profound to the bizarre, to the ridiculous, Kinsella's narratives offer respite from the humdrum, each tale a knuckleball dancing on the edge of reality.
DISTANCES is a gem, thrusting us back to Iowa, circa late '60s, through the eyes of Gideon Clark, a boy on the cusp of manhood. A stranger's arrival in Onamata transforms the town's 2-19, high school ball team into a formidable opponent for the local champion semi-pro team, with a winner-take-all jackpot of $10,000 hanging in the balance. The story is fueled by youthful exuberance and the sweet, reckless scent of a summer when a boy realizes he’s become a man.
REPORTS CONCERNING THE DEATH OF THE SEATTLE ALBATROSS ARE SOMEWHAT EXAGGERATED
What if an alien descended upon Earth to become the Seattle Mariners’ mascot? This tale, though short on the crack of bat against ball, kept me hooked with its oddity, even amidst the cosmic absurdity of celestial beings embracing America’s pastime.
As SEATTLE ALBATROSS is beyond weird, THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF SLUGGER McBATT is beyond dismal. It features a skinny, sickly boy of 12 who has no athletic ability, yet longs to be accepted by the boys at school. When he discovers that his artistic talent for drawing comic strips paves the way to friendship with the local bully, he gets more than he bargained for. The entertainment value of this sad tale is sorely lacking.
FRANK PIERCE, IOWA is an odd tale of the supernatural that takes place on an overgrown baseball field in 1901. Though the plot eluded my grasp like a spectral mist, its eerie charm lingers. I may have to reread this one.
K MART
“Baseball is healing. I wish I could put it better, but the feeling I had, though I didn’t know it then, is like I feel after being with a woman who loves me a lot, that dreamy lethargy, that feeling of well-being.”
This nostalgic, poignant story contains Kinsella’s best writing, a testament to a bygone era where love and loss collided on the green fields of America’s heartland. It’s a coming of age story during an era when it was still possible for baseball to be woven into the fabric of young lives to such an extent, those fortunate enough to be around the game, whether as player or spectator, would be forever connected to each other and to their pasts.
THE VALLEY OF THE SCHMOON
A 64 year-old coach for the Seattle Mariners carries on a one-sided conversation with a rookie on a drive from Phoenix to Seattle. This story is packed with baseball nostalgia. The old coach educates the rookie on how the game has changed. Well worth a read for anyone who relishes the days before steroids, super balls, and ridiculous salaries.
PUNCHLINES
A sour tale, bitter and harsh. A gifted player’s fall, studded with unneeded expletives I wasn’t expecting to find in a Kinsella tale. Should have been dumped in the wastebasket.
THE EDDIE SCISSONS SYNDROME
I enjoyed this story until the weird ending. An intriguing tale with plenty of old-time baseball references from the early 20th century, but that crazy, senseless ending ruined all that came before it.
DIEHARD
“The only way to kill an old catcher is to cut off his head and hide it.”
This is my favorite story in the collection. Being an old catcher myself, the story rang true and was highly relatable.
The narrator, 62 year-old Hector tells the story of his best friend and former teammate, Herky and their life-long love affair with the game of baseball. Herky, the catcher, has just died. Hector and Herky’s widow, Stella, must decide upon a suitable place for Herky’s final resting place.
Very touching story of friendship and baseball that will leave a lasting impression on anyone who loves the game.
“One thing I remember, Stell, was a night at the Met in Minneapolis. It was one of those perfect baseball nights, the air was soft and warm. There wasn’t a hint of a breeze. When we looked up past the blaze of floodlights, the stars winked silver and gold, like bits of tinsel floating in ink. The Twins were winning; all was right with the world. Herky leaned over and said to me, ‘You know, Hec, if there’s anything after this life, the first words I want to hear when I wake up are PLAY BALL!’”
SEARCHING FOR FREDDY
A sportswriter searches for a former ball player who in two seasons in the early ‘30s led the league in stolen bases before completely disappearing. Excellent story.
Overall, this was a pleasant reading experience, mainly because of its baseball underpinning. Of the ten stories presented, only two are really special. Most of the rest are flawed in one way or another, yet entertaining. The alien story doesn’t belong, and PUNCHLINES is a throwaway.
When you pick up a book of W.P. Kinsella stories, one thing is for sure, you’re about to enter a strange world, and you’re going to be surprised every few pages. I greatly enjoyed Kinsella’s most famous novel, SHOELESS JOE, the story from which the movie, FIELD OF DREAMS originated. Then came his "Fencepost" tales, where Frank Fencepost and his band of misfits turn the Ermineskin Indian Reserve into a carnival of laughter and life. Now, I've stumbled upon a collection of stories that brings me back to the diamond, where the crack of a bat echoes like distant thunder, and the smell of freshly cut grass intoxicates the soul. From the profound to the bizarre, to the ridiculous, Kinsella's narratives offer respite from the humdrum, each tale a knuckleball dancing on the edge of reality.
DISTANCES is a gem, thrusting us back to Iowa, circa late '60s, through the eyes of Gideon Clark, a boy on the cusp of manhood. A stranger's arrival in Onamata transforms the town's 2-19, high school ball team into a formidable opponent for the local champion semi-pro team, with a winner-take-all jackpot of $10,000 hanging in the balance. The story is fueled by youthful exuberance and the sweet, reckless scent of a summer when a boy realizes he’s become a man.
REPORTS CONCERNING THE DEATH OF THE SEATTLE ALBATROSS ARE SOMEWHAT EXAGGERATED
What if an alien descended upon Earth to become the Seattle Mariners’ mascot? This tale, though short on the crack of bat against ball, kept me hooked with its oddity, even amidst the cosmic absurdity of celestial beings embracing America’s pastime.
As SEATTLE ALBATROSS is beyond weird, THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF SLUGGER McBATT is beyond dismal. It features a skinny, sickly boy of 12 who has no athletic ability, yet longs to be accepted by the boys at school. When he discovers that his artistic talent for drawing comic strips paves the way to friendship with the local bully, he gets more than he bargained for. The entertainment value of this sad tale is sorely lacking.
FRANK PIERCE, IOWA is an odd tale of the supernatural that takes place on an overgrown baseball field in 1901. Though the plot eluded my grasp like a spectral mist, its eerie charm lingers. I may have to reread this one.
K MART
“Baseball is healing. I wish I could put it better, but the feeling I had, though I didn’t know it then, is like I feel after being with a woman who loves me a lot, that dreamy lethargy, that feeling of well-being.”
This nostalgic, poignant story contains Kinsella’s best writing, a testament to a bygone era where love and loss collided on the green fields of America’s heartland. It’s a coming of age story during an era when it was still possible for baseball to be woven into the fabric of young lives to such an extent, those fortunate enough to be around the game, whether as player or spectator, would be forever connected to each other and to their pasts.
THE VALLEY OF THE SCHMOON
A 64 year-old coach for the Seattle Mariners carries on a one-sided conversation with a rookie on a drive from Phoenix to Seattle. This story is packed with baseball nostalgia. The old coach educates the rookie on how the game has changed. Well worth a read for anyone who relishes the days before steroids, super balls, and ridiculous salaries.
PUNCHLINES
A sour tale, bitter and harsh. A gifted player’s fall, studded with unneeded expletives I wasn’t expecting to find in a Kinsella tale. Should have been dumped in the wastebasket.
THE EDDIE SCISSONS SYNDROME
I enjoyed this story until the weird ending. An intriguing tale with plenty of old-time baseball references from the early 20th century, but that crazy, senseless ending ruined all that came before it.
DIEHARD
“The only way to kill an old catcher is to cut off his head and hide it.”
This is my favorite story in the collection. Being an old catcher myself, the story rang true and was highly relatable.
The narrator, 62 year-old Hector tells the story of his best friend and former teammate, Herky and their life-long love affair with the game of baseball. Herky, the catcher, has just died. Hector and Herky’s widow, Stella, must decide upon a suitable place for Herky’s final resting place.
Very touching story of friendship and baseball that will leave a lasting impression on anyone who loves the game.
“One thing I remember, Stell, was a night at the Met in Minneapolis. It was one of those perfect baseball nights, the air was soft and warm. There wasn’t a hint of a breeze. When we looked up past the blaze of floodlights, the stars winked silver and gold, like bits of tinsel floating in ink. The Twins were winning; all was right with the world. Herky leaned over and said to me, ‘You know, Hec, if there’s anything after this life, the first words I want to hear when I wake up are PLAY BALL!’”
SEARCHING FOR FREDDY
A sportswriter searches for a former ball player who in two seasons in the early ‘30s led the league in stolen bases before completely disappearing. Excellent story.
Overall, this was a pleasant reading experience, mainly because of its baseball underpinning. Of the ten stories presented, only two are really special. Most of the rest are flawed in one way or another, yet entertaining. The alien story doesn’t belong, and PUNCHLINES is a throwaway.
August 30, 2017
Very solid work. Probably my favorite of all the Kinsella short story collections.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews