Cal Ripken, Jr.: My Story

A young reader's adaptation of the adult autobiography of this baseball legend traces his life, from his childhood in a baseball family to his time in the minors and eventual entry into the major league.

In this adaptation of Ripken's autobiography, The Only Way I Know (1997), Ripken recounts events from his childhood, his years in the minors, and his career as a major league shortstop and third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles. Throughout, he comes across as a decent human being who appreciates the advantages he's had and wants to spend his life working hard every day at a job he enjoys--playing baseball. He also reveals a deep sense of family: working for his father, Cal Sr., playing on the Orioles with his brother Billy, and shielding his wife and children from the glare of publicity. Gutman's adaptation remains true to the content and style of the original and reads smoothly enough to make it of interest to general readers as well as rabid baseball fans. Illustrated with two sections of clear, mostly color photos (reprinted from the original book), this should appeal to a wide range of readers. Kay Weisman