Under the Bleachers

Baseball holds a special place in the American consciousness. Walking past an empty playing field or hearing the crack of a bat connecting with a ball triggers a flood of memories in players; recollections of childhood games, friends made on the field, old rivalries, and exceptional performances come flooding back.

"Under the Bleachers" captures baseball's unique ability to inspire players and transform lives in seven short stories and one touching memorial. Follow the childhood feud between two groups of boys in 1959 Ohio, who settle their differences, not with fists, but with a baseball game on a dusty, vacant lot. Or play with "Big Freddie," a local wagon driver who becomes a hero at the annual Fourth of July game.

"Tony's Ashes" touches on the lasting bond which develops between players, as one man fulfills a friend's dying wish, while the discovery of a forgotten baseball glove evokes memories of a very special game in "Memories in the Attic."

Author Howard J. Whitmore completes his collection of stories with "I Wish Dad Could Have Seen It," a touching memorial to the father who introduced him to that most magical and American of games, baseball.