The Baseball Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree

Celebrate father-son baseball legacies: draft drama, scouting secrets, and moving stories. Robert V. Hurte Jr.'s The Baseball Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree

"Bob Hurte has written a new book called The Baseball Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree. I think all baseball fans will enjoy Bob's detailed account of Major League Baseball's amateur draft which started in 1965 and continues today. He talks about Professional scouting and how organizations make decisions pertaining to the draft. However, the bulk of the book is about Fathers and Sons gifted with the skills to play Major League Baseball from which the title of the book refers to. I found it very interesting to read about Tom & Neil Walker, Tom and Ben Grieve, and Bobby Witt Sr. and Bobby Witt Jr. among many others. A good read, for sure and it brought back a lot of personal memories for me personally as I worked with several people mentioned in the book, scouted many of the players and watched many of them play from the opposing dugout!"

-Tom Gamboa, baseball lifer, movie actor (Moneyball), and author of Tom Gamboa: My Life in Baseball

Robert V. Hurte Jr.'s The Baseball Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree is a warm, deeply researched celebration of baseball's family ties and the rare fathers-and-sons who reach the major leagues. Combining draft history, scouting lore, youth-ball memories, and candid interviews with players, scouts, and executives, Hurte takes readers from sandlots and T-ball to the Rule 4 Draft and the big-league dugout. Profiles of the Grieves, Burroughs, Witts, Walkers, and others illuminate the grit, sacrifice, mentorship, and stubborn hope that carry talent across generations. Rich anecdotes-foreword by Kenny Van Doren-expose the realities behind scouting reports, agents, and amateur baseball's changing landscape while honoring the simple magic of playing catch. Whether you're a die-hard fan, a baseball dad, or a lover of human stories, this book reconnects you to why the game matters: it's where dreams, family, and history meet under the summer sky. A perfect gift for every fan.