With spring in full swing here in Siouxland, baseball has exploded across our television screens. Big name ball players are once again blasting home runs and up-and-coming rookies are working to make a name for themselves. Where Nobody Knows Your Name introduces us to nine men who are trying to fulfill their dream of making it to the major leagues, as either a player, manager, or even an umpire. The 2012 baseball season serves as the setting as these men toil in the International League, a triple A league that is just below the majors.
Some of these men have made it to the big leagues before. Dontrelle Willis was Rookie of the Year in 2003 with the World Champion Florida Marlins but by 2012, after numerous injuries and an anxiety disorder, he found himself fighting for a place in a minor league bullpen. Another player, John Lindsey, had the dubious claim to fame of having spent sixteen years in the minor leagues before ever being called up to play in the majors. For some players, the minors are a springboard to a career full of fame and fortune, but for others it becomes the sad ending to a once promising major league career.
For me, the most surprising and interesting part of this book was the insight Feinstein gives into the life of an aspiring umpire. As an avid baseball fan, I think I can safely say that most of us viewing the games don’t pay much attention to the men in black until a bad call is made that affects our favorite team.
This work is an intimate look at a baseball world not normally seen by fans and if you’re biding your time until the Sioux City Explorers begin their season later this month, pick up a copy of Where Nobody Knows Your Name: Life in the Minor Leagues of Baseball for a baseball fix. Check out this charming nonfiction title and other great baseball books at the Sioux City Public Library.
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Support for Check It Out comes from Avery Brothers.
