Starting and Closing
Page 28
I also want to thank my parents, John and Mary Smoltz, and my siblings, Mike and Bernadette, for sharing their stories and memories—and for not embarrassing me too badly. A special thanks goes out to my dad for pulling together a lot of the photographs for this book as well.
I would also like to express my sincere thanks to my longtime agents Myles Shoda and Lonnie Cooper. Yes, I have two agents, which is certainly not an ideal situation for them, but it is for me and they have been essential in helping to manage my career. To give you an idea of how much I implicitly trust these men: I would be completely comfortable leaving my children with them.
Ian Kleinert, the agent for this book, was absolutely fantastic. I was reluctant for a long time about writing a book but my mother-in-law really encouraged me to do it, and Ian made the process as painless as possible, so I owe them both a big thank you.
Adam Korn, my tireless editor, was indispensible and did what I think is a pretty darn good job of making this thing turn out logical and readable. Many, many thanks.
I also found several resources to be especially helpful in reconstructing certain scenes and checking numbers. The good folks at Baseball-Reference.com run a top-notch site that not only posts player stats but also has features like an online video about how to read a play-by-play. It is an awesome resource for any baseball fan or sportswriter.
I also want to credit several books, such as Jim Bouton’s Ball Four, Tom Glavine’s None but the Braves, Buzz Bissinger’s Three Nights in August, Michael Lewis’s Moneyball, and John Feinstein’s Living on the Black. These books were all helpful sources as well as good examples of how a baseball book should read. The MLB rule book was also helpful in clarifying several points. Additionally, Mark Bowman at MLB.com, Jayson Stark at ESPN.com, Hal Bodley at USA Today, and Buster Olney at ESPN the Magazine provided some great articles and analysis that were very helpful in pulling this project together. And as a shout-out to Atlanta, Jeff Schultz’s columns in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution were fantastic. I would be remiss if I didn’t also thank Patty Rasmussen, formerly of Chop Talk, who inspired the title of the book.
Thank you to Dr. Joe Chandler, the team physician, who spoke with me for this book. Thanks also to Richie Hughes, Tim Cash, Chris Verna, and Chuck Cascarilla, who took the time to chat and share their insights. I greatly appreciate their time and willingness to help out.
This book would not have been possible without the insane level of dedication from Sarah Woodman Kansteiner. Her attention to detail, exhaustive research, and turn-of-phrase were indispensible. I can’t thank her enough for her sheer willpower to get this done on time and done right. I don’t know if she picked that up from her time in the Marine Corps, but it was impressive. The way that Sarah worked with my coauthor, Don Yaeger, to pull this all together was truly impressive.
Finally, I want to thank all of the baseball fans out there—especially the ones in Atlanta—who have followed me and supported me throughout my career highs and lows … and lowers and highers. Baseball is America’s pastime, which makes you all America’s fans. Thank you for the cheers, the prayers, and the support. I can never thank you enough, but I hope this book serves as a small token of my appreciation for everything you’ve offered me over the years.
Last, but not least, I am forever grateful for the hand that God has had in my life. To understand that I am truly loved and cherished by Him whether I am an All-Star baseball player, a struggling father, or a guy down on his finances or luck, to know that He is in control has given me a peace beyond anything I deserve. I hope I can continue to do His work.
Photos
John at six months old. Hank Gootee
Carl L. Wienke
John at seven years old, playing accordion in Dad’s band, the Sorrentos. On guitar is Eligio DiBerardo, on trumpet is Paul Bronchak, and on drums is Ben Peterson.
Grandpa, John Frank Smoltz; Dad, John Adam; John Andrew, Sr.; John Andrew; Walt Lipiec (in back); and Uncle Tony Dannon (at right).
Belland Photography
John’s high school graduation, with Grandpa John and Grandma Theresa Smoltz.
John, Bernadette, Mike, Mom, and Dad.
John, Bernadette, Mike, Mom, and Dad.
John with Grandma and Grandpa Tersigni.
Three generations: John Frank Smoltz, John Andrew, and John Adam.
Four generations: John Frank Smoltz, baby John Andrew, John Andrew, and John Adam.
Mike, Bernadette, Mom, Dad, and John.
Seventh grade football. John was quarterback (first row, red helmet).
Eighth grade champions, St. Gerard’s grade school (fourth from left in the first row).
Eighth grade suicide-squeeze bunt by John. This won the game and the championship.
Lansing Fire Fighters, summer baseball. John is fourteen years old (second from right in the first row).
Lansing Fire Fighters. John is fifteen years old.
Lansing Catholic Central Cougars, John’s sophomore year (#3, first row, third from right).
Detroit Tigers win the 1984 championship.
Tigers, ’84 champs.
Waverly High School basketball.
John’s senior year of high school (fifth from left, next to his cousin Michael Melfi in front of trophy).
Pitched a no-hitter for Waverly. Eileen Blass in the Lansing State Journal
John hit an extra-inning home run to win the 1985 Diamond Classic in Lansing. Greg DeRuiter in the Lansing State Journal
John is mobbed after hitting an extra-inning home run. Lansing State Journal
John with high school coach Phil Odlum after a dramatic home run. Every year John donates a $500 college scholarship to an athlete from this tournament. Lansing State Journal
North Team, National Sports Festival (U.S. Junior Olympic festival). John’s team won a medal (#3, top row).
1985 National Sports Festival in Baton Rouge. John’s team, North, won a medal. The Junior USA team was then selected from the four teams at the festival.
On the Junior USA team.
John was brought down and put in a Detroit Tigers uniform. He pitched for general manager Bill Lajoie and worked with Billy Muffett. He then stayed for the game and, in the middle, went to the GM office to discuss signing.
Original telegram received when John was drafted in the 22nd round by the Detroit Tigers.
First spring training, Lakeland, Florida. New car purchased with bonus money.
John (second row, far right).
First victory, with Dad at Lakeland.
This was taken in Toledo when John was with the Richmond Braves after being traded from the Tigers (Richmond Braves vs. Toledo Mud Hens). John’s grandmother Bertha Tersigni is in the background.
Pitching for the Richmond Braves.
Original sheets from manager of John’s first major league game, at Shea Stadium.
John’s first MLB at-bat.
John with Warren Spahn, first year with the Atlanta Braves. SEBO
SEBO
John’s first MLB All-Star Game, 1989 (seventh from right, top row).
John at the All-Star Game with President Reagan and Tom Lasorda.
John with Arnold Palmer.
Ed Gehringer, owner of Gehringer Jewelers; John Adam Smoltz; John Smoltz; and Charlie Gehringer, Hall of Fame second baseman for the Tigers. (John’s grandmother’s maiden name was Gehringer. He would be a fourth cousin.)
Surprise party when John won the Cy Young Award in 1996, with his many teammates and coaches: Javier Cavasos, Coach Carl Wagner (grade school and Fire Fighters), Rick Carrol (high school), Phil Odlum (Waverly baseball and basketball), and George Parkinson (football Athlete’s Village).
In 2008, An Evening with Smoltz, Foxworthy and Friends, a charity fundraiser to benefit the John Smoltz Foundation. John was onstage with Jeff Foxworthy (MC), Chip Caray, Dennis Neagle, and Brett Butler (not pictured).
2005 Roberto Clemente Award.
Courtesy of the Boston Red Sox
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bsp; Courtesy of the Boston Red Sox
Courtesy of Tom Bommarito
About the Authors
JOHN SMOLTZ is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, during which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996. He is currently the chairman of King’s Ridge Christian School in Atlanta and is a scratch golfer. (Tiger Woods has said that Smoltz is the best golfer outside of the PGA tour.) He lives in Atlanta with his family.
www.JohnSmoltz29.com
DON YAEGER is a seven-time New York Times bestselling author. His books include Ya Gotta Believe with Tug McGraw, A Game Plan for Life with John Wooden, and Never Die Easy with Walter Payton.
www.donyaeger.com
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.
Credits
Cover design by James Iacobelli
Front cover photograph by Al Tielemans/Getty Images
Unless otherwise noted, all photographs are courtesy of the author.
Copyright
STARTING AND CLOSING. Copyright © 2012 by John Smoltz. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
FIRST EDITION
ISBN 978-0-06-212054-0
EPub Edition © MAY 2012 ISBN: 9780062120557
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