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Balls [Paperback]

Gorman Bechard (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)


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Book Description

March 1, 1995
In the tradition of such baseball classics as A League of Their Own andBull Durham comes a hip novel set in the year 2000, about Louise "Balls" Gehrig, the first woman to play Major League baseball. Filled with comedy, romance, suspense, and baseball.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Lots of writers have ideas for potentially great (or at least entertaining) books. Bechard, author of The Second Greatest Story Ever Told, had one too, but a good idea and potential don't automatically make for a good (or even entertaining) novel. Bechard, a dia-hard New York Mets fan and radio talk-show host wannabe, is in the Fantasy League of fiction writing with this story about major league baseball in the year 2000. The League's first female player, Louise "Balls" Gehrig, has just taken the field and is stealing bases and hearts, and generally making men look bad, with her lightning-quick speed, ferocious bat and "long, black locks flowing freely onto her superbly sculpted shoulders." Bechard knows a lot more about baseball statistics than about creating original characters and a believable plot. Other than dodging death threats from a mysterious letter writer and settling for phone sex with her boyfriend, the ace pitcher of an opposing team, Gehrig never seems to struggle. She's unshakable-too confident and composed for a rookie, especially one in her unique position. Despite Bechard's masterful mimickry of the sports media-he does some decent impressions of TV announcers, newspaper columnists and even David Letterman (the number 7 reason why Dan Quayle will make a fine Commissioner of Baseball: very little spelling), the book is neither clever enough to be funny nor insightful enough to be thought-provoking. Which may mean it's just perfect for a TV-movie-it's already been optioned by 20th-Century Fox.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Plume (March 1, 1995)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0452272947
  • ISBN-13: 978-0452272941
  • Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,033,087 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gorman Bechard is the author of seven novels: THE SECOND GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD, UNWOUND (under the pseudonym Jonathan Baine), NINTH SQUARE, THE HAZMAT DIARY, GOOD NEIGHBORS, BALLS and the upcoming NOT SO PRETTY.

He directed/wrote the indie features FRIENDS (WITH BENEFITS) (2009) and YOU ARE ALONE (2006), the horror comedy cult-classic PSYCHOS IN LOVE (1986), as well as the award winning shorts OBJECTS IN THE MIRROR ARE FURTHER THAN THEY APPEAR (2003) and THE PRETTY GIRL (2000), and most recently completed COLOR ME OBSESSED, A FILM ABOUT THE REPLACEMENTS, which Rolling Stone named one of the seven best music docs of the year, and the Village Voice called "the rock version of Rashomon."

Bechard is in pre-production on ONE NIGHT STAND, a psycho-sexual horror film, and BROKEN SIDE OF TIME, a dark drama set in the world of internet modeling, which are parts two and three of his planned ALONE trilogy, as well as two feature-length documentaries: WHAT DID YOU EXPECT? his Archers of Loaf concert film; and PIZZA, A LOVE STORY, a documentary on the holy trinity of pizza joints, Sally's, Pepe's, and Modern in Bechard's home town of New Haven, Connecticut.

In his non-existent free time, Bechard enjoys sitting at home with his wife Kristine, and their two labs (Springsteen and Phoebe Caulfield), watching bad TV (he's a self-proclaimed "Survivor" junkie) and good films.

 

Customer Reviews

9 Reviews
5 star:
 (7)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars lots of fun, May 28, 2002
By 
David L Zumchak (Rochester, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Balls (Paperback)
Not only did the author create an interesting set of characters, but he also created a fully realized vision of baseball in the year 2000 (this was written in 1995). Yogi Berra and Hank Aaron as league presidents; new teams added and others in different cities; standings for all of the teams; and best of all... Baseball Commissioner Dan Quayle.

The book mixes baseball with speculative fiction, a little romance, and some suspense.

A winner all around

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Louise Gehrig, a perfect role model for any generation, October 7, 1998
By 
mmadler@tuc.com (Chicago, Illinois) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Balls (Paperback)
I loved the book "Balls!" It is has all the essential elements of a contemporary classic. It is has a great female heroine in Louis Gehrig, who is portrayed in a multi-dimensional way that you can relate to. You want Louise to succeed in everything she does and you care what happens to her. Louise becomes a like a close friend. The book is topical in what's going on in baseball : home run, rbi, and stolen base records, as well as in how society still deals with the battle of the sexes. "Balls," is humorous and wise cracking, in all the best ways. It is also contains political and social issues, but not in a condescending manner and has a touch of suspense thrown in. Gorman Bechard knows how to write a book you don't want to put down. You don't even have to be a big baseball fan to enjoy "Balls," but it just may convert you! I highly recommend this book.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Give this book a chance, November 13, 2004
This review is from: Balls (Paperback)
Originally found this book lying around in a dusty drawer, but was thoroughly entertained by it from beginning to end. Very easy reading and it's fun going back to it over and over and over. Really makes me wish there was a Louise Gehrig out there somewhere.
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