30 Life Lessons My Boys Learned from Baseball

Book excerpt: Using America's favorite pastime as an analogy, this collection of essays teaches children how to apply the lessons learned in baseball to everyday situations. This guide, filled with invaluable advice, enables adolescents to grow into adults while providing perspective on the sport and the complexities of life. The essays are derived from common themes in baseball but relate to dilemmas experienced off the field. The chapter "Some Days You're the Bat, Some Days You're the Ball" is an allusion to good days versus bad and reminds children that some rules have reasons, although they will probably question them. The sage guidance offers ways to control your emotions by channeling them into better efforts and tips to summon courage whether you are standing at the bat, undergoing surgery, or delivering a speech. The importance of paying attention to detail and respect for authority, along with advice on how to deal with adversity, is included in this indispensable compilation. Andy Norwood underscores the significance of teamwork, self-sacrifice, and the humility experienced after a loss. Each lesson is preceded by a quote from such celebrities as Jay Leno, Maya Angelou, and Albert Einstein. The work incorporates anecdotes from Major League Baseball and significant moments in the sport's history, making this book an enjoyable read for adults and their children.