DEEP DRIVE

In these the, um, dog days of spring? It is important to have things to look forward to. I’ll insert the cliché here that the baseball season is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. It was brought to my attention that there is another midseason Red Sox book coming out this season. The prior books have gotten exponentially better, starting off with Johnny Damon’s book, continuing with David Ortiz and now rising to new heights with DEEP DRIVE: A Long Journey to Finding the Champion Within by Mike Lowell and Rob Bradford.

I am a big fan of biographies especially about athletes and sports personalities. Though one rule I try to live by with them is to go after guys who have retired from their sport, if not it just seems unfinished and usually doesn’t hold up over time. For instance I recently read Wilt: Just like Any Other 7 Foot Black Millionaire who Lives Next Door, which was written at the tale end of his career with the Lakers. The book ends with him saying he’s not sure whether or not he will play the following season, (he does but it’s with the San Diego Conquistadors of the ABA) it just feels unresolved.

Damon’s book left a lot to be desired and also leaves a bad taste in your mouth if you’re a sox fan and have Idiot on your shelf. Ortiz’s book was actually very well done and had his own voice established right from the beginning. His story is one of a lot of intrigue as to how he went from playing himself out of Minnesota and became an MVP candidate with the Red Sox.

The latest book DEEP DRIVE is looking even better perhaps. To start off with, it’s being co-authored by Rob Bradford who has a way of finding out the stories that are more interesting than news, but the one you’ll surely want to repeat to a friend. The story of Mike Lowell is one of intrigue to me, knowing that his family came from Cuba, and he battled to reach the Majors, was cast aside by the New York Yankees (bet they feel foolish now with the schlub A-Rod at third) and then his battle with cancer while he was with the Florida Marlins. I know the basics of his story, but I’m really looking forward to this book filling in the color to the story and learning a lot more about it.

The book is scheduled to be released May 6 and Mike will be doing a book signing on a Red Sox off day May 15th at the Prudential Center Barnes & Noble in Boston.
Less than two months away.

~Sterling Pingree