The Legend of the Peters Township Giants

About the Book

This is a true story...maybe a little fatherly embellishment! My son Matt played for the Peters Township Giants baseball team. This was a typical 10-year old team. The only unique quality of the Giants was that they had never won a game during the regular season. Several games were forfeited due to players not showing up for the games. This team resembled "The Bad News Bears" of motion picture fame. The season-ending tournament was scheduled for Father''''s Day that year, June 17, 2001. The Giants were seeded last of nine teams and would play the second seeded Dodgers. It was expected to be a short day for the Giants. What happened next was truly baseball heaven!

Once again we didn''''t have enough players to field a team. But, there in the shadows of his brother, was little eight-year old Andy. Andy was always being dragged to sporting events to watch older brother Matt. Today would be different, however. I pulled off my coaches jersey and placed it over Andy''''s head. Andy was excited to play. It was quite boring to sit and watch Matt play games all day. Andy was somewhat of a legend in the minors that year. He was a star shortstop and clutch hitter. Coach Donas sent Andy out to centerfield, nearly tripping over the extra long jersey. The Dodgers didn''''t care, after all, what could Andy possibly do to help the team?

These nine Giants played like they were all stars! They made catches running, sliding, and behind their backs! They all hit the ball further than ever. Their play seemed to gain momentum through each inning. I can still see Andy grinning at the big Dodger pitcher. I was scared to death and he was taunting a ten-year old flame-thrower! Matt was pitching one perfect inning after another. Every time he came up the bases were loaded with Giants, and he drove most of them in. (I was in Daddy heaven, too!)

The fans were going crazy after the first win. The second win brought people to the ballpark that had simply heard what was going on. Everyone wanted to see the Giants complete the impossible. In the end, the Giants truly never lost the championship game. They won faith and confidence, inspiration and pride. They won respect. They learned how to compete in life. They witnessed the good that comes from hard work, no matter what the odds were against you. These Giants would remember this moment all of their lives. The Giants ran out of pitchers that day, but they won the hearts of many of the residents of Peters Township, Pennsylvania. These young men are prepared to be Giants in life!

About the Author

I am, self-admittedly, a novice writer and sports enthusiast...as long as it involves my sons Matt and Andy. In fact, my only credentials for writing are in business plans for the pharmaceutical industry. I have worked for one major pharma company for twenty years, fifteen as a district manager. I have never been published. I have never even written a poem. My kids also tell me that I am a "lame" rapper!

In this era, parents haul their kids from one sports venue to another throughout the year. It''s not tike my childhood days where you rode your bike to the ball field, tried out for the team, and at times never even informed your parents when your games were. That way you knew Mom or Dad wouldn''t embarrass you by cheering too loud or yelling at the umpire. Nearly every aspect o1 a kid''s life is scripted and scheduled. One magical day, Father''s Day 2001 to be exact, my script changed...call it a "life-altering event"!

I had just witnessed minor baseball miracle. My heart was pumping with excitement. I was completely overwhelmed with pride. What did I do? I started writing this story and every line happened to rhyme with the last. My sons had just completed a full day of tournament baseball, and they played for the same team for the first time ever. The winless Peters Township (Pennsylvania) Giants had nearly pulled off a major upset. This team had not won a single game in the regular season. Many games, in fact were forfeited due to player shortage. Once again, we were short players, but my younger son, Andy was there as always, watching his older brother Matt play sports. Andy joined the team that day and ...you''ll have to read the book to see what happened.

After the tournament I rushed home for another business trip. All along the way rhymes were going through my head, play by play. In the shower, in the car, and finally on the plane, I couldn'' stop rhyming and writing. Once in Dallas 1 rushed to the hotel and finished my first draft of the story. I showed the poem to co-workers the next day. To my amazement, several co-workers started crying at the end of the story! They loved it and begged me to explore publishing the story, if for nothing else, my two sons.

To that end, I want to thank my family. My mother, Libby Messserly, has always been a motivational force. My sister Sue and her family always make family vacations a treat. My wonderful ex-wife, Judy is the best Mom Matt and Andy could ask for. But 1 dedicate this book to my Dad. Bill Messerly was the toughest man I ever met, and the most honest. He still watches down over me and the boys. I also dedicate this book to my incredible sons, Matt and Andy. You are my life.