Class A

An unforgettable chronicle of a year of minor-league baseball in a small Iowa town that follows not only the travails of the players of the Clinton LumberKings but the lives of the dedicated fans and of the fading town itself.Lucas Mann strikes gold as he tells the memorable stories of the players of the Clinton LumberKings. Clinton, once a thriving lumber town is now facing hard times. In a Depression-era stadium, young ball players attempt to rise through the "farm" system to make it to the Big Show, at the same time that players past their prime cling to the game they love. Here is the former major league backup catcher turned minor league coach. Here are the players coming from as far as Nicaragua to pursue a dream. Here also is the radio announcer, the obsessive fan, and the author himself, who for one day becomes the team's mascot, Louie the LumberKing. Mann makes clear that the LumberKings are a point of pride, a focus of meaning and hope for the fans. And...