Book summary

A look at the year in the life of a minor league baseball player. This book profiles Marty Malloy of the Durham Bulls, who in 1993--when the game was at its nadir amidst the greed of team owners and the surliness of players--was enthusiastic and driven, inspiring Hemphill to write "here came Huck Finn to play some ball." Hemphill details Malloy's 1994 year with the Bulls, and his growth from naive, impatient boy to future leader of the team.

Media reviews

"Hemphill effectively portrays life in the minor leagues: the daily routines of batting practice, taking infield, shagging flies; the interminable bus trips, the fast-food joints, the late-night beer and pizza, the dreary budget motels....Hemphill manages to engagingly show the ups and downs and the attendant anxieties of a young man in pursuit of a dream."