The Pitcher by William Elliott Hazelgrove
14-year-old Ricky Hernandez is about to enter high school and wants a spot on the school baseball team. The problem is his wild pitching arm. He can throw super fast but he has no control over it. Just like he has no control over his ex-father who continues to barge in and steal what little money they have; nor his grandmother's fears of deportation; nor the rival pitcher who continually bullies him; nor his mother's deteriorating ill health. Ricky longs for some helpful tips from another pitcher, like a World Series pitcher and MVP Jack Langford, who just happens to live next door, but Jack wants to be left alone. In fact, all anybody ever sees are his feet at the bottom of the garage door which is always down.However, Jack doesn't count on Maria Hernandez. She is a dynamo and will not take no for an answer, even if it means confronting a curmudgeon in his man-cave and forcing him into the light. Yet even with the MLB pitcher finally coaching him, Ricky can't seem to find his zone. And when his mother's health takes a turn for the worse nothing seems to matter anymore and certainly not some stupid baseball game. But Maria will not let him quit and from her hospital bed she encourages her son to prove himself and win. There is the obligatory win this one for the coach scene, but it rings true. And the ending is inspiring and joyful as any reader could wish.
William Elliott Hazelgrove has a Masters in History and is the best-selling author of ten novels and two works of nonfiction, including Forging a President: How the Wild West Created Teddy Roosevelt (2017) and Madam President: The Secret Presidency of Edith Wilson (2016). His books have hit the National Bestseller List, received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and Booklist, Book of the Month Selections, Literary Guild Selections, History Book Club Bestsellers, Junior Library Guild Selections, and ALA Editor's Choice Awards. He was the Ernest Hemingway Writer-in- Residence where he wrote in the attic of Ernest Hemingway's birthplace. He has written articles and reviews for USA Today and other publications. He has been the subject of interviews in NPR's All Things Considered along with features in The New York Times, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun Times, Richmond Times Dispatch, USA Today, People, NBC, WBEZ, WGN, and American History TV CSPAN. He also runs a political cultural blog, The View from Hemingway's Attic. http: //www.williamhazelgrove.com
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781938467592 |
| ISBN 10 | 1938467590 |
| Title | The Pitcher |
| Author | William Elliott Hazelgrove |
| Series | Pitcher |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Koehler Studios, Inc. |
| Year published | 2013-09-01 |
| Number of pages | 252 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |