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The Book
As the television voice of the Astros since
1987, I've had the best seat in the house
to witness the fortunes of Houston's baseball
team. I've seen championships won, milestones
achieved, and records broken; been privy
to behind-the-scenes decisions which have
changed the face of the franchise; and have
personally witnessed the on- and off-field
heartache and triumph which comes with a
life lived as a big league ballplayer.
Those who achieve success
in their life's calling, even those of
us who make our living "making the
calls," usually learn the importance
of a grounded existence. I was fortunate
to be nurtured into manhood by caring
parents, and to have found a loving wife,
my bride of more than forty years Dianne,
who has stood with me in the face of all
manner of challenges. Jesus Christ is
also, for me, a rock in a sometimes weary
land.
Ultimately, my life-like
yours-has been a journey, with twists
and turns and triumphs and tribulations.
At the heart of that journey, baseball
has been the constant. Within the pages
of this book, I've tried to recount the
major events that have shaped my life,
from front-yard games of Wiffleball to
the battlefields of Southeast Asia, from
earning-and then losing-a major league
play-by-play job to finding a permanent
home in Houston.
In addition, I've singled
out individuals who have influenced and
inspired me along the way. Some are people
you know well. Others are stories of men
and women you may be meeting for the first
time.
My decision to write this
book was inspired by one of the most influential
and memorable people I've had the privilege
to meet in recent years. Zach Hamm is
a go-getter and a do-gooder. I encourage
you to get better acquainted with him
elsewhere on this Web site.
The past year and a half
have been quite a time for those of us
who follow the Houston Astros. During
the lean times of the Astros' 2011 campaign
I was regularly reminded of the words
of Hall-of-Fame manager Sparky Anderson,
one of the most interesting and charismatic
people I've encountered during my time
in baseball. I grew to become friends
with Sparky during his tenure at the helm
of Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine."
Those Reds teams didn't
lose a lot-in fact, they won back-to-back
World Series championships during my time
as a Cincinnati broadcaster. When they
did lose, Anderson had a strong conviction
about the best way to cope with defeat:
| "I cannot get
rid of the hurt from losing, but after
the last out of every loss, I must
accept that there will be a tomorrow.
In fact, it's more than there'll be
a tomorrow, it's that I want there
to be a tomorrow. That's the big difference,
I want tomorrow to come." |
For Sparky Anderson,
waiting until next year was never an option.
He looked ahead to tomorrows and in doing
so became one of only two managers to
win the World Series in both leagues.
As for me, this book is a collection of
the tomorrows which became my most memorable
yesterdays. My desire is that my story
and stories of those whom I respect and
admire will be of interest, and that you,
the reader, will discover inspiration
and instruction from
My Baseball Journey.
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