* RK Review: Once Upon a Fastball

February 19, 2010

By Bob Mitchell. Kensington, 2008.

As a lover of the TV show Lost and sci-fi in general, I always welcome the chance to mix the genre with baseball (see, Baseball Fantastic, edited by W.P. Kinsella).

So it was with a sense of joy when Bob Mitchell’s Once Upon a Fastball swerved from a regular work of fiction into a thought-provoking trip into the realm of time-travel and fantasy.

Harvard history prof. Seth Stein has a special relationship with his grandfather, Sol, especially since his parents died when he was a child. So when the old-timer goes missing without a clue, there’s a void in the family dynamic.

One of the items left behind for Seth –as if planned — is a poem that may hold some answers. Coupled with the note is an old beat-up baseball that serves as the scholar’s ticket to some amazing experiences.

Unlike some of the other time travel scenarios, Seth doesn’t have to worry about changing history, even if he thinks he wants to, since no one can see or hear him.

Mitchell, whose business card actually reads “Writer / Sports Fanatic” (full disclosure: He sent me an autographed copy), has in fact worked in academia, which shows in the book’s attention to detail, whether in sports, history, or food (the love of Seth’s life is a chef). That can have a slightly off-putting effect, though, as the author tries to fit in perhaps too much ancillary information that do not move the story forward.

Long-time readers of the Bookshelf know my interest in the area of memory. While not exactly the same thing, Mitchell puts forth some thought-provoking ideas in the area of what constitutes history. It has often been said that history is written by the winners. That may be true of published works, but as Seth and his Harvard students point out, each participant has his or her own take on a given event. To use just one example from Fastball, what are the far-reaching results of Bill Buckner’s error in Game Six of the 1986 World Series? Sure, it affects Buckner and the Red Sox, Mookie Wilson and the Mets, but what about the thousands of New York and Boston fans who saw the game either in person or on TV? What about the journalists who covered the game? The concessionaires, the parking lot attendants, the bar owners…? Where does this reach stop and how long can the impact of such an event last? (Excuse me, I have to go lie down for awhile.)

(Back)

Where was I? Ah, yes. The ending of Fastball comes a bit quickly and might strike some as too convenient, but the title of the book does carry connotations of a fairy tale. I’ll leave it at that.

According to the his website, Mitchell has sold the movie rights to his story. Here’s hoping it doesn’t sit on the shelf for too long.

You can read an excerpt of Once Upon a Fastball here.

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