Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond

I have the honor of serving as a hospice volunteer. While it can be difficult and trying, it is also one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.

I am currently spending time with a patient who is on the final journey of his life. He is often alert, engaged, and a major baseball fan. Naturally, I wanted to share Eric Gray’s latest book, Bases to Bleachers, with him. As I began reading, long forgotten memories were recalled, experiences he had not thought about for decades. Through the pages of the book, he was reliving parts of his life.

That is one of the many gifts the book offers: an opportunity to relive special times with friends and family, or to recall solitary moments that seemed to have slipped away. One doesn't even need to particularly enjoy baseball or understand its finer points to appreciate it; they just need a desire to explore their past and look toward the future.

This and other collections by Eric are truly wonderful!

Best regards,

Bill Cecil

Heartwarming short stories, told by real people, against the back drop of the great American past time. If you liked Chicken Soup for the Soul, you'll love this book.

Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. Brought back so many memories of going to games in Pittsburgh and Cleveland with my dad and mom. Usually a doubleheader and we would take a cooler full of food. Those were some of the best days I remember as a child. This book brought to life my childhood obsession. Can't wait for the 2nd book!!!!!

Tears of Joy and Tears of Sadness.

I love this book! The stories, the way the author has organized them, his "voice overs," the occasional illustrations, all come into a harmonious whole rich with baseball lore and and humanity and all kinds of revelations. This book will join other favorite books on my baseball shelf: The Red Sox Reader, George Will's Men at Work, Mort Zachter's biography of Gil Hodges, and Cal Ripken's The Only Way I Know. Can't wait for Volume II!

ERIC HAS COMPILED AN ELEGANT COLLECTION, NOT JUST OF GREAT BASEBALL STORIES, BUT ABOUT MOMENTS IN PEOPLE'S LIVES WHERE THE GAME WAS EITHER THE FOCUS OR THE BACKDROP FOR MEMORIES THAT HAVE REMAINED WITH THE WRITERS FOREVER. A MUST-READ FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE GAME, AND FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THOSE WHO LOVE THE GAME.

I absolutely LOVE this book. Whereas I love the game/sport of baseball itself, the best part of it, for me, is the time to connect with other people, enjoy the sights, sounds, flavors and the wide variety of people that appreciate this beautiful sport.I've connected via email with the author Eric; he is great. Super knowledgeable, always friendly and passionate about bringing to life the heartfelt stories that countless people have entrusted to him. If you love baseball, get this book. If you have a baseball nut in your life, or hopefully more, get them this book.

There's only one way to start a discussion about Eric C. Gray's book, "Bases to Bleachers" - with a story.When I was seven years old, my favorite baseball team was the Boston Red Sox. In the spring of 1963, the team decided to change managers. I may not have realized at that age that managerial changes happened with depressing regularity for the Red Sox in that era, but I contained some youthful optimism that a new manager would help the team win games. So I sent Johnny Pesky a letter that spring, wishing him well in his new job. Mom no doubt put a stamp on the envelope, and off the letter went.About five months later, late July I think, I looked at the mail - and there was a letter in a Boston Red Sox envelope. Yes, it was a reply from Pesky. He explained that he was just getting to his fan mail, but wanted to thank me for my good wishes and sent me the best of luck in return. I was thrilled, and put the letter and envelope in a special place for safe keeping.Fast forward 22 years or so. I was working in radio in Buffalo at that point, and the city was hosting a special Old Timers' Game at War Memorial Stadium. One of the visiting players was, by chance, Johnny Pesky. After the game, I went into the locker room, and introduced myself. We shook hands, and then I said, "You know, John, when I was seven I sent you a letter when you were hired as the manager of the Red Sox."He interrupted me, and said, "I hope to hell I wrote you back!"I giggled, and said, "You did, and I always appreciated that. Now I get to tell you that in person." He smiled, and we did the interview. It was a nice moment.Those are the stories that people remember on a personal level, of course. Gray went on a seven-year mission to collect anecdotes from as many people as possible. The total number of submissions extended well past 1,000 by the time he was done. Gray picked out a bunch of them for "Bases to Bleachers."I have to admit that this book didn't make a great first impression on me. I'm not sure if this book was self-published or not (the company does both), but the layout seemed a small notch below top standard at times. The connections to baseball were a little weak and distant in spots. The author - maybe "editor" is a better word - has a lot of personal comments to add along the way, in part because his family and friends contributed some essays.Still, as I moved through the 330 pages or so, I found that my fondness for the publication grew. The stories seemed to get better, and there was something of a rhythm to the book while reading it.Upon nearing the end, I checked the reviews in the usual on-line places. I can't say that I have seen many baseball books that have received more rapturous reviews than this one. It seems that Gray's work struck a chord with a lot of people; good for him that he made that discovery through hard work over such a long gestation period. I don't know why, but baseball generates such gentle tales from the public. Everyone's got a story about an incident or an encounter that they'll remember for personal reasons. Even me.Gray announces in this book that he's planning a sequel, which I can't say I've seen before in a book. Star Wars movies, yes; baseball books, no. On the other hand, I'd bet a second book might be easier and better. Some people will notice this effort and have their own version of a baseball memory that's worth sharing. That means more Grade A stories in the selection file. The overall supply has to be close to limitless.There's an easy test for a book like "Bases to Bleachers." If you see it in a bookstore, leaf through it and read a few of the stories. If you find them charming, then odds are very good that you'll find reading this book is a pleasant way to spend some time.

This is a wonderful, wonderful book! Finally, baseball fans get to tell their stories! And they are all heart warming! The life of a baseball fan! Going to the old ball park! Listening to games on the radio! Watching games on TV! Bonding with family members over the old home town team! Sometimes winning the World Series! This is a book of love! For the game of baseball, for home town teams and love among family members and friends! I had Eric C. Gray on my podcast American Sports History and it was a tremendous show! I can't recommend this book highly enough! Really something!

I recently read this book and was thinking about the book Chicken Soup for the Baseball Fan's Soul. Both these books containing a plethora of moving baseball stories. This is how the beautiful game of baseball gets passed down to different generations. Heartfelt and meaningful stories, makes the reader yearn for more!

Baseball to my family is not just a sport, but a thread that runs through generations of fans. What makes it so compelling as a sport is that it is a collection of stories that can be told and retold till they sound like fables. This book is a great collection of those personal stories that takes me back to so many of my own. I highly recommend the read.