Curveball : how I discovered true fulfillment after chasing fortune and fame

Curveball How I discovered true fulfillment after chasing fortune and fame

Barry Zito

Book - 2019

"The painfully honest and personal story of one of baseball's most intriguing players. For years, Barry Zito lived as a walking personification of the American Dream. Professionally, he was at the top of his game as a Cy Young Award winner in Major League Baseball. Financially, he signed the richest contract that had ever been given to a pitcher -- seven years for $126 million. Socially, he was one of the most eligible bachelors in Hollywood. Yet for years Barry Zito was miserable. Despite achieving the kind of fame and fortune that most people only dream about, he was plagued by both internal forces and external circumstances that robbed him of any sense of peace -- until he finally found a purpose worth living for."--

Saved in:
Place a Hold Save to List Email this

2nd Floor Show me where

796.357092/Zito
1 / 1 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
2nd Floor 796.357092/Zito Checked In
Subjects
Zito, Barry.
Baseball players > United States > Biography.
Christian biography.
Autobiographies.
Genres
Autobiographies
Published
Nashville, Tennessee : W Publishing Group, an imprint of Thomas Nelson [2019]
Language
English
Main Author
Barry Zito (author)
Other Authors
Robert Noland (author)
Physical Description
xxi, 243 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 24 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 239-241).
ISBN
9780785227663
  • Foreword
  • Introduction: Fame, Shame, and the Love of the Game
  • Chapter 1. Half-Italian, Ail-American
  • Chapter 2. Let the Games Begin
  • Barry's Basics-First Base
  • Chapter 3. The Point of Release Is Everything
  • Chapter 4. Method to the Madness
  • Barry's Basics-Second Base
  • Chapter 5. At Least Now We're in the Building
  • Chapter 6. Ride That Wave
  • Barry's Basics-Third Base
  • Chapter 7. Creating My Own Monster
  • Barry's Basics-Home Plate
  • Chapter 8. Tattoo That Number on Your Forehead
  • Chapter 9. Trying Everything, Getting Nowhere
  • Chapter 10. Nobody's Fault but Mine
  • Chapter 11. But He Was Never There, Until Right Now
  • Chapter 12. Stay on Your Side of the Fence
  • Chapter 13. No Regrets, No What-Ifs
  • Conclusion: The Tale of Two Rings
  • Appendix 1. God's Gift of Mercer
  • Appendix 2. The Gospel According to Barry Zito
  • Appendix 3. Barry Zito Baseball Career Awards and Stats
  • Notes
  • About the Authors
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

In his revealing debut memoir, former Major League Baseball pitcher Zito explores the work-hard play-hard lifestyle he lived before turning to God. The son of a music talent manager and pastor, Zito struggled with the strictures of home life and became addicted to drugs as a teenager, but he managed to keep himself clean for long stretches and became a star college ball player before being picked in the first round of the 1999 MLB draft. His whirlwind journey through the minor leagues was wrought with late-night partying and drug relapses. Once called to the majors, the partying only increased. After signing a $126-million contract with the San Fransisco Giants, Zito, overwhelmed by the fear of not living up to expectations, fell into a pitching slump. He began reading self-help books and tried various spiritual and mental practices, including hiring a spiritual healer; his fragile state hit a fever pitch when he was removed from his team's 2010 playoff roster. Relying on the team chaplain and his devout girlfriend for support, Zito decided to convert to Christianity. Quickly, his career improved and he pitched in his first World Series game. Christian readers and baseball fans alike will enjoy this redemptive, detailed account. (Sept.)

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Similar Items