Hit a Grand Slam

The superstar shortstop for the Seattle Mariners discusses how education, hard work, and doing the right thing helped him become a Major League All-Star and the American League's leading hitter in 1996.

Another of the small, regional publishing firms that have sprung up in the past years, Taylor (based in Dallas, Texas) brings us this earnest and admirable biography of the yo8ng Seattle Mariners' shortstop, Alex Rodriguez. Only 23 now, Rodriguez began his determined climb to baseball stardom as soon as he was old enough to bat a ball. His father, an amateur baseball player in the Dominican Republic, encouraged his young son, but unfortunately, abandoned his family before Alex was out of elementary school. Despite poverty and hard-times, Rodriguez's mother gave him constant encouragement to pursue his dream of playing in the major leagues. The author doesn't make his journey sound easy. It wasn't. Hard work and long hours, days and years of practice and disappointments preceded his eventual triumphs. Twice on the all Star Team and voted the player of the year by his fellow baseball peers in 1996, Rodriguez makes an enviable role model. His message - to pursue your dream but also remember that the road to achieving it will be long and bumpy - may well inspire other children with other dreams. This biography probably had its beginnings in the many public appears and talks Rodriguez has given, particularly in inner city schools. Baseball aficionados especially should enjoy this honest work. Recommended -- From Parents' Choice®