5 stars for Pure Heart by William Nack; The Sports Fan by Peter Richmond; Pride and Poison by Linda Robertson; Let the Games Begin by Duane Noriyuki; Ten Days of Torture in Junction by Kevin Sherrington; The Right Call by Jeff Coplon; Death of a Cowboy by Peter Richmond and Head Down by Stephen King.

( )

The gem in this collection is "Head Down" by Stephen King. It is his recounting of the 1989 Little League team from Bangor West in Maine, which happens to have his son Owen on it as a pitcher/first baseman. It is a sweet, sentimental piece (no horror!) that reminds one of all that can be good in baseball. I especially smiled when reading about the Hampden Horns, fans who watch the games from their cars, tooting/blasting their horns in support! This little piece reassures us, at least as of that time, that it is a game, played by children, and it is fun! ( )

The best thing about this book is that I'm in it. Look for my story on Salmon Snagging in West Michigan. ( )