John Ripley and his granddaughter attend a Colorado Rockies game and reminisce about how John lost the opportunity at age seventeen to play professional baseball. He had been asked to sign by a scout but had already enlisted in the Marines. During this game, John is struck by a foul ball and thought to be in a deep coma. John, however, has actually gone back to the days of his youth.
Young Johnny Ripley had not signed his enlistment papers after all and was free to play baseball. This second chance leads to a fantastic baseball odyssey of a boy coming of age. By season's end, he plays against legendary Mickey Mantle-but faces a dilemma. Should he wake up and return to his old life or remain locked forever in his baseball fantasy? The thought-provoking ending will make the reader fall in love with baseball all over again.